Springtime Musings... Can you Predict Broodiness?

[Dreammaker]

Out of sheer curiosity, does anyone know if broodiness can be predicted? In other words, are there clues or subtle signs that a chicken may go broody in the next weeks or months? With springtime kicking in here (MA), I'm wondering if any of my 11-month old girls will go broody this year. I know it can be associated more with certain breeds. I have a Lt. Brahma, Lav. Orpington, Speckled Sussex, Swedish Flower, ISA Brown, and Olive Eggers/Marans cross. I collect eggs 1-3x a day and haven't encountered anyone getting mad at me about it. None of them hang out in the nesting boxes or coop all day.

That said.. my Speckled Sussex has recently taken to laying in the far corner of the coop opposite the nesting boxes, way out of reach. We use ceramic eggs in the nesting boxes, but she doesn't care. She happily moves straw from the nesting box to make a perfect little nest for herself where it's a PIA for us to reach. I wonder if she's mad about her eggs being collected and is trying to start her own little clutch? She, more than any of the others, tends to poke around in the coop (though only for a couple minutes at a time). The funny thing about her is that she seems to sing egg songs on others' behalves but doesn't make a peep when she lays.

 

[azygous]

You absolutely can predict, and you can nail it right down to the very day.

However, this requires careful observation of a known broody's egg cycle. If you count the days from when a broody begins to lay after being broody to the first day when she goes broody again, that number will run true every time.

I had a very reliable Speckled Sussex that I could predict right to the day when she would go broody, and she went broody consistently four times a season.

 

[Dreammaker]

You absolutely can predict, and you can nail it right down to the very day.

However, this requires careful observation of a known broody's egg cycle. If you count the days from when a broody begins to lay after being broody to the first day when she goes broody again, that number will run true every time.

I had a very reliable Speckled Sussex that I could predict right to the day when she would go broody, and she went broody consistently four times a season.

Woah! That's amazing! I will wait and see how things pan out with mine and see if she ultimately does go broody. It would be fascinating to keep track of something like this.

Is there a general time that the broody season starts? I'm sure it varies by location, but I'm wondering if for me here in New England, it'd be April? May? June?

 

[azygous]

It's beginning now. It depends on the individual broody. They're all different. Some go broody once a season only, so you really can't predict it unless you've kept track of her laying from year to year. It's much easier to predict serial broodies.

 

[Dreammaker]

It's beginning now. It depends on the individual broody. They're all different. Some go broody once a season only, so you really can't predict it unless you've kept track of her laying from year to year. It's much easier to predict serial broodies.

Thanks. We shall see what this season brings!