When do hens most often go broody?

[BoundlessLove]

Same situation with my ducks!
I have two broody ducks moving nests around and hiding eggs.
It’s a hide and seek game about three times a week.

 

[ValkerieGunn]

Hens go broody only when your eggs are infertile.

Hens also go broody after your chick goals for the year are complete.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Is it the empty cage being stored?
Or are they just waiting for you to walk under...

It just hangs from the rafters when not in use! This person has Silkies, of course.

 

[RPw1690]

I had one stubborn Black Marans brooding for a month & a half in spring, feeling sorry for her, finally left her two Marans eggs, of which she only hatched one, someone ate or broke the other one. Within 2 weeks of hatching the chick, she was back laying, still in the nursery. Then two more young ones from the year before went broody for well over a month, so I left a Guinea fowl egg under the more reliable hen, she wasn’t moving her nest box around. All these birds were hatching wooden eggs.
The Guinea keet hatched, now 3 more Marans hens say, “Hey, I gotta get me one of those”; now 3 more birds are trying to hatch keets. All these birds persisted much longer than an egg cycle, but I don’t have the heart to break them.
It’s really funny how quickly the keet mingled with the flock, very good flier but still quite small. They sleep with the big birds now, faster than Marans chicks ever did.
(1st photo, keet is next to hatch mom’s left foot)
(2nd photo, not her hatch mom, not her dad.)

 

[DurtyGirlzLandscaping]

They go broody when they want a break from all their sisters, being bossed around by all the so-called seniors who know better, or because they want to move away from home!

 

[mopalia]

I just keep a dog crate in the run, not because they need it regularly, I put it in when I was integrating them when they were chicks and it was such a pain to get in I left it in there. Besides, they like perching on it

This cracked me up - I salvaged a dog crate for no reason and then I had a hen raise 12 chicks from a hidden nest when they were free ranging! I had to bring in one chick that wasn't doing well (took him 3 days to stand and walk) and then one more for company. The dog grate moved to my living room. When it was time for them to go out, the crate went into the run. Now they are all integrated, and I was thinking about removing the crate, but you are right, all the chicks love perching on it. No more rooster, but in case she gets ideas again, I think I'll just leave it!