Only one has gone broody?

[Mrs. K]

I love a broody hen, and NOTHING is more fun than a broody hen and chicks. But you are at the mercies of the Gods. I will say my first broody was a breed that was NEVER suppose to be broody - she did a fine job. After that alway a BO. And once, a BA.

 

[neo71665]

Yeah my ISA browns aint supposed to go broody but somebody forgot to tell them. I even went and got a cabinet incubator and a hatching cabinet to prepare for it. So far I've only used it to hatch eggs for other people.

 

[Ridgerunner]

but was wondering why.

Before they were domesticated their routine was to lay a clutch of eggs, hatch and raise them, then do it again maybe three times a year before shutting laying down for the winter. After they were domesticated we started selective breeding. Maybe some were bred to be pretty or unique like Silkies or Polish. Maybe some were bred to give more meat. Often they were bred to lay a lot more eggs without going broody. So you have all kinds of different breeds and different behaviors. As Neo mentioned some hens from breeds that are supposed to go broody a lot never do while occasionally a breed that is never supposed to have a broody will. Each hen is an individual, two different hens of the same breed can be quite different.

I think your question is "why don't all hens go broody?" The answer is that they have been bred to not go broody.