When do hens go broody?

[The Backyard Bantams]

Hi! This might sound like a stupid question, because I’m sure it’s very different for different hens. I currently have four chickens, my first ever flock. I’ve had a chicken called poppy since he was eight weeks, I got him with others, and I always suspected, just a little suspicion that “she” was a he. I made a thread on this yesterday and every single person was like yep that’s a Cockerel! So I have three little bantam crossbred pullets, and one little Cockerell. Unfortunately I’m not allowed roosters so I can’t keep him. I will rehome him on the farm I got him from. Anyway, in the spring I’m going to get some more chicks, six or eight I think. So that’s the plan for this year, for adding to the flock. So my three pullets are about 26 weeks old, one is only 22 weeks, and not yet laying. One of them, Ebony has recently started squatting so I think she is close to laying. So I was thinking maybe next year most likely I might have a shot at having a broody Mama hatch some eggs. The chickens I have now, I’m not sure exactly how good they would be be at being mamas. Ebony is half silkie, and maybe half Sebright. I know silkies are very good mamas, So I might be able to give her a shot. Then again, the chicks I get this spring will be adults by next spring, and I’m planning to get some breeds like Dutch bantams and silkies that I have heard are good mothers . So my main question is in general, or for pretty good broody breeds such as silkies or Dutch bantams, is there a specific routine for going broody at all, or is it very random? If it is more routine, how long after coming into lay they begin the cycle?

 

[Jan01]

I've had chickens forever and the truth is, there is no rhyme or reason. It just happens. I have 3 hens that are about 3 years old and two of them have only gone broody one time in 3 years, and a 1 year old hen that is currently on a clutch of eggs for the first time ever. I have not real answers. It just happens when they feel the urge.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

It’s kinda like humans and baby fever. Especially in my flock. You know you see a baby and you’re like aaawwwwwwwww I want one! I feel like it’s kinda the same in my chickens. I feel like in my experience, broodiness is more common in the spring and summer which is kind of a given but still. I had my austrolorp go broody in the spring and since she hatched her chicks I’ve had a duck go broody and hatch eggs and my polish has recently decided to sit on a clutch. I’ve personally had more broody experiences than some. I’m not sure why that is. I’ve had a RIR that I no longer have go broody twice and hatch both times, a broody silkie, a two broody ducks (one was more dedicated than the other) a broody austrolorp, and most recently a broody polish. I’m all across the board here man XD. Maybe if when you want them to go broody, leave some eggs in the nests? Maybe that’ll encourage them a little?

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

It’s kinda like humans and baby fever. Especially in my flock. You know you see a baby and you’re like aaawwwwwwwww I want one! I feel like it’s kinda the same in my chickens. I feel like in my experience, broodiness is more common in the spring and summer which is kind of a given but still. I had my austrolorp go broody in the spring and since she hatched her chicks I’ve had a duck go broody and hatch eggs and my polish has recently decided to sit on a clutch. I’ve personally had more broody experiences than some. I’m not sure why that is. I’ve had a RIR that I no longer have go broody twice and hatch both times, a broody silkie, a two broody ducks (one was more dedicated than the other) a broody austrolorp, and most recently a broody polish. I’m all across the board here man XD. Maybe if when you want them to go broody, leave some eggs in the nests? Maybe that’ll encourage them a little?

Would some fake eggs work? I don’t really want the eggs to spoil or get cracked, but I made some eggs out of clay that are currently in the nesting boxes to encourage the chickens to lay in there.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

When do they go broody...... when you least expect it. One of my gold comets just went broody. They are not supposed to be broody breed.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

Would some fake eggs work? I don’t really want the eggs to spoil or get cracked, but I made some eggs out of clay that are currently in the nesting boxes to encourage the chickens to lay in there.

I don’t see why they wouldn’t. I tend to leave one or two different eggs in the nests since my flock is free ranged and easily abandons nests if they’re completely cleaned out. And the only reason I do leave them is because-for some reason- the lighter colored eggs take a reaaaally long time to go bad so you can leave them in a nest for a while...and we get a ton of eggs.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

When do they go broody...... when you least expect it. One of my gold comets just went broody. They are not supposed to be broody breed.

Same with my polish girl XD

 

[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!