Questions about Broody Hens

[llombardo]

I have been reading all the posts about broody girls.

A couple questions...

What age can they start?

Does weather play a role? For example will they go broody when it's freezing out?

If eggs are collected daily--do they still go broody and lay on nothing?

 

[Shadrach]

I have been reading all the posts about broody girls.

A couple questions...

What age can they start?

Does weather play a role? For example will they go broody when it's freezing out?

If eggs are collected daily--do they still go broody and lay on nothing?

6 months old is a decent average.
In theory at least they are less likely to go broody as winter approaches.
Yes unfortunatley, they will just go broody, with or without eggs, with or without a rooster.

 

[aart]

I have been reading all the posts about broody girls.

A couple questions...

What age can they start?

Does weather play a role? For example will they go broody when it's freezing out?

If eggs are collected daily--do they still go broody and lay on nothing?

Anytime after they start to lay.
Not necessarily, had one go in the dead of a frigid winter.
Yep, broody is broody, it's hormonal and doesn't require eggs.

 

[llombardo]

Anytime after they start to lay.
Not necessarily, had one go in the dead of a frigid winter.
Yep, broody is broody, it's hormonal and doesn't require eggs.

So do you let them stay broody or break them? I'm thinking breaking them could be dangerous if you have to put them in a dog crate in the house.

 

[aart]

So do you let them stay broody or break them? I'm thinking breaking them could be dangerous if you have to put them in a dog crate in the house.

I break them, pronto.
I don't have space for more birds, and prefer to hatch on my schedule.
Not sure what you mean by 'dangerous'...but...
...it's best to break them within coop or run,
so they stay 'with' the flock and you don't have to 're-integrate'.
That would take some juggling with your setup

You've probably seen this before, but...
My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[rosemarythyme]

So do you let them stay broody or break them? I'm thinking breaking them could be dangerous if you have to put them in a dog crate in the house.

To me it's more "dangerous" to not break them, if you aren't hatching, as they lose weight and body condition while sitting, and all for nothing.

Not sure why you'd put the dog crate in your house for breaking. Better to have it out where the other chickens can still see her, so there's no need to reintegrate. Keeping it inside the coop is fine, or in the run if it's secure enough. I use a covered dog exercise pen as a broody breaker and it just goes in the run when needed, folded up and put away when it's not.

 

[llombardo]

To me it's more "dangerous" to not break them, if you aren't hatching, as they lose weight and body condition while sitting, and all for nothing.

Not sure why you'd put the dog crate in your house for breaking. Better to have it out where the other chickens can still see her, so there's no need to reintegrate. Keeping it inside the coop is fine, or in the run if it's secure enough. I use a covered dog exercise pen as a broody breaker and it just goes in the run when needed, folded up and put away when it's not.

Not enough room in the coop and even with an electric fence I still don't trust them in the run at night. Definitely not leaving any of them out in a dog crate in 40 below weather either.

Let's just hope none of them go broody but my gut is telling me to watch the barred rock who is the head hen.

 

[llombardo]

By dangerous I meant temp wise. If it's below freezing outside and bringing her in to a warm house.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Not enough room in the coop and even with an electric fence I still don't trust them in the run at night. Definitely not leaving any of them out in a dog crate in 40 below weather either.

Let's just hope none of them go broody but my gut is telling me to watch the barred rock who is the head hen.

Ok that makes sense. Well hopefully you won't get the odd winter broody (mine have done every other season, never winter), but it's always good to have a plan in place. Do you have a garage or shed or something that you could possibly use instead, where it's a little safer and there's some climate protection?

 

[aart]

Do you have a garage or shed or something that you could possibly use instead, where it's a little safer and there's some climate protection?

Yes, this^^^
Bringing a bird into a warm house when it's below freezing outside is not a great idea.
I use my garage when a bird needs a 'cold break reset'...
...warmer than outside but not near as warm as in the house,
and it's only for a couple hours.