When does a broody hen start to lay again?

[patsebat]

Hi!
I'm fairly new at having chickens. We have 5 hens, 8 months old and one got broody. After 3 weeks of sitting on an empty nest and not laying eggs, we got her a surrogate day-old chick to raise as her own. They have bonded and things are going okay so far. My question is: when will my broody hen (now that she's a mother) start laying eggs again? Also, her comb and the other red parts on her head seem pale to me. Is this because she's stressed out? Is there anything I can do to help things go easier? Thanks for your replies!

 

[Picco]

Broody hens will not lay until they are finished raising their brood. I don't think there is a set time frame but its likely you hen will not lay for a couple months.

A hen's comb and wattles show how well she is laying. A good layer will have a large red comb and wattles but a hen who is not laying will have shriveled, dull looking wattles and comb. Its perfectly normal and healthy. Its natures way of showing the rooster whether the hen is fertile or not.

 

[keljonma]

Now that you've given her a chick, she won't start laying until the chick is grown and able to fend for itself.

 

[chicks n roses]

My buff ameracauna hen was about the same age when she went broody i gave her some marans eggs and sister amc eggs.she was a great mom overly protective attacked other chicks that were not her own.and sadly killed two due to this. So I thought that taking her chicks away would devastate Her .@4-5 weeks in I put her chicks that were screeching and biting. lmao.now I was ready to wait a few weeks for eggs and still somewhat New to my pretty blue eggs we checked the next day ..AN EGG so if fed correctly and comfortable any thing can happen.good luck.