What is a broody hen?

[GrantKazSpaz]

Ok so I’m a first time chicken owner and I’ve been hearing a lot about broody hens. Mine just started laying and so I feel like now is as good of a time to ask. What are broody hens? How do you deal with them? And when should they start becoming broody? Thank you for any help!

 

[Crs1]

Broody hens are hens who set on fertilized eggs for 21 days and hatch chicks. First requirement for that part is a rooster.
But hens can become broody without a rooster but you won’t get chicks.
Do you have a rooster

 

[GrantKazSpaz]

No, I do not have a rooster.

 

[GrantKazSpaz]

I used to have one, but he got too loud so we had to give him away.

 

[Silkies rule Forever]

Typically different breeds get more broody than others! They will want to hatch and hatch and hatch out eggs! So you will have to collect eggs sooner so a chick doesn’t form if you dont want one! However you wont have to worry about chicks if you don’t have a rooster! They may lose weight bc of sitting down so much!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

A hen becomes broody when hormonal changes occur and she decides she wants to sit on & incubate eggs to produce off spring. Not all hens become broody but certain breeds are more inclined.

Hope you find this article helpful ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-letting-broody-hens-hatch-and-raise-chicks.65989/

 

[Crs1]

I had a pullet try to go broody a month ago and three hens who hatched eggs
They can be pretty persistent if they are serious about it
I start by taking them off the nest every time I go down and if that doesn’t work which mostly doesn’t. I put them in a cage to cool them off which can take from a few days to a week

 

[chuckachucka]

A broody hen is a normal hen who has turned into a single-minded egg-hoarding monster.

 

[ChickenGirl555]

A broody is a hen who basically wants babies. She will sit on the nest after (sometimes) laying a clutch of eggs. About 16 or so. But usually, she will just decide she wants to be broody. Most breeds will never go broody in their lifetime. Others will almost never stop. Usually, I break my broody Buff Orpington (a usually broody breed) by giving her a slight cold bath, which discards the hormones from her belly being warm. But a broody will only leave the nest once or twice a day for 30 minute periods to eat, drink, or poop. So don't worry about a broody pooping in the nesting box. Most broodies will be aggressive and try to peck at you when you try to touch her or the eggs. They puff out like "Pancakes" and make weird noises that you can easily distinguish when you realize it. But some broodies will just cluck in annoyance and let you do what you want, like my Buff Orpington.

But just because a hen becomes broody, it doesn't mean she will stick with it. She could get off the next day. If you are planning on having her raise some, wait for a week and make sure she really wants to raise some chicks. If she is still broody after a week, then I would say give her the eggs. Based on the breed, broodies can raise different amounts of chicks from 1-15. It all depends on her size, and how much of a "pancake" she can become.

This info was a little disorganized but here is all I know. If anything else important comes to my mind I'll let you know .

 

[enoryz]

A broody hen is a normal hen who has turned into a single-minded egg-hoarding monster.