When do hens go broody?

[centrarchid]

It depends. A given hen of some breeds will never go broody. Others like my American Dominiques might lay 180 in their first season of lay without going broody and lay another 100 in second season before they do go broody. My American Games can go broody after laying only a few eggs when older and can produce almost two dozen as a pullet just coming into lay before going broody. Those games that have already produced a clutch of eggs very reliably produce a clutch of 10 to 12 eggs before going broody. Genetics and age clearly important by limiting nutrition can make for smaller clutches at onset of broodiness.

I hope that helps.

 

[TopazMaster91]

My Old English Game Bantam has gone broody twice already,
and she is less than a year old! She has three chicks right now .
Her previous hatch, both chicks died .

My two bantam Cochins have also each gone broody once,
and they're also under a year old. One raised one chick already,
the other currently has a chick she's raising right now.

On the other hand, my bigger girls show no interest whatsoever in going broody. It's definitely more common in some breeds than others, and it definitely seems to happen mostly during spring or summer, but other than that there is no predicting it

 

[Lorax]

I have a flock of four at the moment (and two chicks but onto them in a moment!). I got the four as day old chicks two years ago (May 2018) and one of them, a maran, went broody about four weeks ago. She hadn't gone broody before and none of the others have gone broody yet.

We bought some fertilised eggs and put them under her and two hatched on Sunday so now she's a proud Mamma.

Prior to that (I've kept chickens for about ten years) we've had chickens go broody a few times a year and some never go broody. So as has been said, no real rhyme or reason! I've read of some chickens going broody not long after laying for the first time.

Good luck!

 

[Lorax]

AHHHH WE HAD THE FIRST EGG TODAY! SO PROUD!View attachment 2244421View attachment 2244422View attachment 2244423shes so chill about it lol....

Yay!!!

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

Oh also I've never found fake eggs work with my girls. They can just tell!

I’ve heard of chickens being fooled by doorknobs or rocks

Mine I just made out of white air dry clay. They are very small.