When do hens most often go broody?

[ValkerieGunn]

Apparently, they go broody after laying their first 9 eggs. But only, like, casually.

* slow clap for the Cochin Bantam *

I am hoping one of my cochins goes broody since they are known for it. The Husband knows very very little about chickens so if I get a broody I can hatch more chickens and he won't know I can break her. Hehehe he said no more chickens this year unless they hatch out themselves so here is hoping.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

They go broody when they're your only blue egg layer

(Or, whatever egg detail you're going to miss until they lay again)

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Apparently, they go broody after laying their first 9 eggs. But only, like, casually.

* slow clap for the Cochin Bantam *

Saaaaaammmme

Except I didn't have the pleasure of getting bantams

 

[RcoM]

Hens most often go broody 2 days after you put the broody breaker back in the garage.

Hens most often go broody during a heatwave to force you out of your air conditioned house to check if they need more food that they're going to ignore.

Hens most often go broody when your human brooded chicks are already 3 weeks old and want nothing to do with the puffy weirdo making bomb sounds.

Hens most often go broody when you already have 2 in jail, thereby forcing you to go pull out yet another pen for a makeshift jail and making you wish you'd grabbed that free dog crate at the roadside that you thought you couldn't possibly need.

Hens most often go broody when they haven't laid in over a year but somehow still have enough maternal hormones in their system to trigger the desire to brood, to the point where they need to be broken 3x (so far) in a single summer.

(Obviously I'm being cheeky here, but I couldn't help but rant as I just pulled the broody breaker out of the garage again after only 48 hours. All the others are also true, because hens most often go broody to keep us on our toes!)

That is all so true!!! Laughed delightedly.

 

[RcoM]

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

Hey! The trick is do not put it away! As soon as I packed up the maternity clothes to give away- wham!! Baby on the way. Must be same with chickens.

The minute you actually don't want chicks- broody.
When you do? Crickets.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Hey! The trick is do not put it away! As soon as I packed up the maternity clothes to give away- wham!! Baby on the way. Must be same with chickens.

The minute you actually don't want chicks- broody.
When you do? Crickets.

Also when somebody gives all the baby and toddler stuff away
"we won't need these anymore"

And my pullets do seem to like to go broody
Some have gone broody twice
... some, thrice...
(They're still under 10 months)
Our birds seem to do fine just getting the hormones out of their systems.
Make sure they don't have eggs, and that they're taking care of themselves. Maybe remove them from the nest if necessary

 

[MROO]

Hens go broody the instant you decide you don't want any more chicks!

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

They go broody because they're an Orpington.

And turns out she will totally abduct *cough* "take under her wing" a chick that's ~2 weeks old and could really use another momma bird.

(I doubt all orpingtons will do this, but it was a nice surprise that this particular one did... there were no fights so it wasn't a bad situation.)