Random Broodiness Question...

[TuesdayChickens]

Where are you located? Hatcheries have them, but if you can get them from a flock that broods, they're more likely to have that instinct.

Also don't discount bantams either. Had a Japanese gal brood and foster 3 pheonixes when the moms quit that nest.

Located in Massachusetts. That makes total sense, as far as them having the genetic tendency towards it if they come from a broody line! I'm not sure how I would find a breeder like that, though.. All my chicks so far have been from the local feed store.

Also, I would like some bantams someday, I had some growing up, but I wasn't sure if they would need their own coop, or if they would do okay in the main coop with the full size hens/rooster. But, anyway, it didn't occur to me that they could hatch full size eggs, but of course they could! That might be a good solution if I could find a particularly broody bantam breed

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Located in Massachusetts. That makes total sense, as far as them having the genetic tendency towards it if they come from a broody line! I'm not sure how I would find a breeder like that, though.. All my chicks so far have been from the local feed store.

Also, I would like some bantams someday, I had some growing up, but I wasn't sure if they would need their own coop, or if they would do okay in the main coop with the full size hens/rooster. But, anyway, it didn't occur to me that they could hatch full size eggs, but of course they could! That might be a good solution if I could find a particularly broody bantam breed

Bantam Cochins and silkies are a good bet. And my Japanese gals, bantam cochin and a bad legged Begian d'Anvers do fine with larger birds that are in charge and know it

 

[TuesdayChickens]

I had an ISA brown/ameraucana mix go broody at about 8mo in the fall.

And it just kind of happens sometimes. While some trend towards broodiness and it's more likely to happen in the spring and with hens not pullets, it's pretty all over the place if/when it happens.

Yes that seems to be what I'm hearing! There is no way to tell when or why they go broody... which makes it more exciting, in a way! I will just have to try and be prepared in case sombody decides to settle down

 

[TuesdayChickens]

Bantam Cochins and silkies are a good bet. And my Japanese gals, bantam cochin and a bad legged Begian d'Anvers do fine with larger birds that are in charge and know it

Awesome, thanks so much for all the pointers! I think i will definitely look into getting some cochin chicks in the spring!

 

[NatJ]

Hi, I don't have a problem, I am just a little confused about broodiness in hens. I know some hens will have a tendency towards broodiness, but will a broody hen be broody from the start, and remain so as long as she is laying, or could a hen that has not been previously broody randomly become so?

A hen is typically broody OR laying, not both.

For a hen that will go broody, she does certain things in a particular order:

first, assemble a clutch of eggs. (Lay an egg every day or so, act like any other normal hen.)

second, sit on those eggs. (Stay on the nest all day and all night, but not lay any eggs. She will tend to get off about once a day to eat, drink, poop a lot, and maybe take a quick dust bath.)

third, keep sitting while the chicks hatch. (They should all hatch within a day or so of each other, because all the eggs started to develop at the same time when the hen started to sit on them.)

fourth, raise the chicks. (Keep them warm, lead them to food and water, protect them from other chickens.)

fifth, decide the chicks are mature enough, so she can go back to acting normal and laying eggs. (I've read of some hens "weaning" the chicks as early as 3 weeks, while others may continue looking after the same chicks for months. The time when the hen starts laying again is also highly variable.)

Not-broody hens just get stuck at the first step, assembling a clutch of eggs, and don't go on to the rest of it.

If you're looking for what breeds go broody--I've seen it with Red Shouldered White Yokohamas from McMurray Hatchery, Cornish Bantams from Ideal Poultry, and Red Jungle Fowl from Ideal Poultry. For each of those breeds, I had 2 or more hens go broody, and in each case it was half or more of the hens I had. I've had other hens go broody too, but not enough to make any guess at rates or percentages.

In general, I think rare breeds are more likely to go broody than common ones, because they have not been as heavily selected for "production" traits (like non-broodiness.)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

A hen is typically broody OR laying, not both.

For a hen that will go broody, she does certain things in a particular order:

first, assemble a clutch of eggs. (Lay an egg every day or so, act like any other normal hen.)

second, sit on those eggs. (Stay on the nest all day and all night, but not lay any eggs. She will tend to get off about once a day to eat, drink, poop a lot, and maybe take a quick dust bath.)

third, keep sitting while the chicks hatch. (They should all hatch within a day or so of each other, because all the eggs started to develop at the same time when the hen started to sit on them.)

fourth, raise the chicks. (Keep them warm, lead them to food and water, protect them from other chickens.)

fifth, decide the chicks are mature enough, so she can go back to acting normal and laying eggs. (I've read of some hens "weaning" the chicks as early as 3 weeks, while others may continue looking after the same chicks for months. The time when the hen starts laying again is also highly variable.)

Not-broody hens just get stuck at the first step, assembling a clutch of eggs, and don't go on to the rest of it.

If you're looking for what breeds go broody--I've seen it with Red Shouldered White Yokohamas from McMurray Hatchery, Cornish Bantams from Ideal Poultry, and Red Jungle Fowl from Ideal Poultry. For each of those breeds, I had 2 or more hens go broody, and in each case it was half or more of the hens I had. I've had other hens go broody too, but not enough to make any guess at rates or percentages.

In general, I think rare breeds are more likely to go broody than common ones, because they have not been as heavily selected for "production" traits (like non-broodiness.)

Wait the Cornish bantams from IDEAL are likely to go broody?

 

[NatJ]

Wait the Cornish bantams from IDEAL are likely to go broody?

I've seen one Spangled and two White Laced Red ones go broody, and that was all the ones I kept to laying age. I think the White Laced Red I had given to a friend went broody too.

I didn't have any fertile eggs, so no idea how they would do raising chicks, but they each sat for at least 3 weeks before I broke them.

About 20 years ago I had a Dark Cornish Bantam from a different hatchery that went broody, one of the very few broodies I had at that time, so I was rather expecting it when I got the ones from Ideal more recently

(I like Cornish Bantams. They're like cute little balls, but very solid balls instead of fluffy like some other chickens.)

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Er, it's worth noting that plenty of breeds go broody on air and straw, no clutch of eggs needed. We gather eggs pretty much daily here and I've had plenty of hens try to set on nothing.
Otherwise it's good info.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've seen one Spangled and two White Laced Red ones go broody, and that was all the ones I I kept to laying age. I think the White Laced Red I had given to a friend went broody too.

I didn't have any fertile eggs, so no idea how they would do raising chicks, but they each sat for at least 3 weeks before I broke them.

About 20 years ago I had a Dark Cornish Bantam from a different hatchery that went broody, one of the very few broodies I had at that time, so I was rather expecting it when I got the ones from Ideal more recently

(I like Cornish Bantams. They're like cute little balls, but very solid balls instead of fluffy like some other chickens.)

Yes, yes, yes! I was always told that Cornish would never bother to even consider it. I'm so excited there's a chance!!

 

[TuesdayChickens]

A hen is typically broody OR laying, not both.

For a hen that will go broody, she does certain things in a particular order:

first, assemble a clutch of eggs. (Lay an egg every day or so, act like any other normal hen.)

second, sit on those eggs. (Stay on the nest all day and all night, but not lay any eggs. She will tend to get off about once a day to eat, drink, poop a lot, and maybe take a quick dust bath.)

third, keep sitting while the chicks hatch. (They should all hatch within a day or so of each other, because all the eggs started to develop at the same time when the hen started to sit on them.)

fourth, raise the chicks. (Keep them warm, lead them to food and water, protect them from other chickens.)

fifth, decide the chicks are mature enough, so she can go back to acting normal and laying eggs. (I've read of some hens "weaning" the chicks as early as 3 weeks, while others may continue looking after the same chicks for months. The time when the hen starts laying again is also highly variable.)

Not-broody hens just get stuck at the first step, assembling a clutch of eggs, and don't go on to the rest of it.

If you're looking for what breeds go broody--I've seen it with Red Shouldered White Yokohamas from McMurray Hatchery, Cornish Bantams from Ideal Poultry, and Red Jungle Fowl from Ideal Poultry. For each of those breeds, I had 2 or more hens go broody, and in each case it was half or more of the hens I had. I've had other hens go broody too, but not enough to make any guess at rates or percentages.

In general, I think rare breeds are more likely to go broody than common ones, because they have not been as heavily selected for "production" traits (like non-broodiness.)

This is awesome, thank you for explaining this!! A lot of very great info! I haven't looked into Ideal poultry, so I will definitely check them out! I am thinking I will do research some of the rare breeds and order some chicks in the spring!