Recovered Broody Hens, when will they lay eggs again

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I have 2 Bantam Cochin Hens, I broke them from being broody. I put my breeding rooster in and I was wanting to collect their fertile eggs. However they aren't laying now, how long will it take to get more eggs from them?

 

[Peppercorngal]

I have 2 Bantam Cochin Hens, I broke them from being broody. I put my breeding rooster in and I was wanting to collect their fertile eggs. However they aren't laying now, how long will it take to get more eggs from them?

I wish I knew an answer for you! I have never "broken" a broody hen, I give them eggs to sit on for me and take advantage of the situation. I can tell you that between 4 weeks and 7 weeks after hatching the eggs, a broody hen will resume laying. It depends on the time she spends "training" her chicks and she decides when she is "done" with them. I don't know in your situation. Broodiness is a hormonal issue and when you "break" the hen I have no clue when the hormones will begin to tell the hen to "lay" eggs again. Good luck with your girls though!!!

 

[chrissynemetz]

I've had some go back to laying after a week or two, I've had some take much longer. I had one broody who didn't lay another egg for 11 months after I broke her.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Generally they'll start laying again in a couple of weeks, but that'll vary per bird.

 

[Chickassan]

Two or three weeks has been the span here, except for the rooster he never does start back.

 

[Acre4Me]

The longer they were broody seems to have some impact on this. If they were broody for a short time (few days or less), my guess is 2 week time frame (maybe 3) at the most. It does vary by bird. We’ve had a broody break herself after a few days and she started to lay again within 10-12 days. Same hen has taken 4.5 and 6 weeks to begin laying after getting baby chicks to raise, so she was broody for 2.5-3 weeks prior.

We’ve only had two others *think* about being broody for a couple of days sitting in the nest, but gave up on their own and began to lay again with about 7days, however I’m guessing their broody hormones weren’t so strong as they never went full-on broody, pancake flat, screeching and growling hen.

good luck!

 

[aart]

Usually a couple weeks, unless they decide to molt first.
How long were they broody before you broke them?
How long did it take to break them?

They might be ticked off at you, and hold out for longer JK

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Usually a couple weeks, unless they decide to molt first.
How long were they broody before you broke them?
How long did it take to break them?

They might be ticked off at you, and hold out for longer JK

They were broody a week and a half. I broke them from it in 2 days. I blocked off the only place they wanted to sit on eggs. They sat beside the blocked off area for a little bit and gave up.

 

[aart]

Week and a half is pretty long, surprised they broke so quickly.

Time will tell when you get eggs...let us know.....Best of cLuck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Good question but there is no guaranteed answer. Each one is an individual and will react differently. I've had them start back pretty quickly and had them wait a lot longer than I wanted.

One of many factors is that a hen stores up extra fat before she starts laying. That fat is mostly what she lives on while broody so she can tend the eggs instead of having to be out looking for food. Also, they make some internal changes to the plumbing when they go broody and stop laying so they have to reverse those. Typically the longer they are broody the longer it takes for them to start up again, but I've had a few that thumbed their nose at that and started back really quickly. I've also had some that took a long time even though I broke them quickly. There are obviously other things involved, not just that fat.

I don't know how you are feeding them and I generally don't recommend messing with their basic diet, they need a balanced diet with all the nutrients. But in your case you might consider feeding them a few Black Oil Sunflower Seeds. It doesn't take lot, but Black Oil Sunflower Seeds are generally high in protein and oil. You don't want to overdo the oil especially but an increase in both might help them get back in laying condition quicker.