When will my Buff Orps go broody?

[texaschickmama]

I think I remember Cyn, Speckledhen, saying that is was not uncommon for them to lay for like a month and then go broody. What is your experience with this? I do know every single chicken is different.

 

[Yogiman]

There is no way to know when. I have had several flocks of them over the years. My experience has been that once they reach 1 year of age they will usually go broody. But there is no way to predict that.

My last flock of 12 hens, two years ago, 5 of the 12 went broody in the spring when they turned 1 year old. But bare in mind, that doesn't happen in every case. I do find that buff orps tend to go broody more readily than most heavy breeds.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I've had Buffs go Broody after only a month of egg laying and I now have a Blue Orp that has only laid since the last of Dec. that has gone Broody on me....

I agree that each chicken is different...no one else is showing the signs of Broodiness!!...

 

[texaschickmama]

Great, they are now 8 months old, so maybe Spring to Summer I could let them raise some chickies. Generally, do roosters bother the babies? Do you HAVE to separate them?

 

[kstaven]

The timeline suggested is about right for orpingtons. But you have to remember that some breeding lines have had the characteristic bred out of them. It is more common to see non broodies from hatchery stock.

 

[speckledhen]

I have two Buff Orps, both hatchery stock. One has gone broody twice, one never. The one who did, Sunny, went broody a month into laying, then again last April and successfully raised chicks.

 

[Ellie]

Silly question, but when they go broody do they stop laying eggs or keep laying?

Ellie

 

[justusnak]

I have BO from MM hatchery. Mine are 10 months old now, and I have 2 broody's...setting on turkey eggs! LOL Dont really want any more BO right now.

 

[silkiechicken]

They stop... my darned sexlink stopped for about 4 months!

 

[kayri]

Even if you "break them up"? will they resume laying fairly quickly afterwards, or will they mope around just not laying eggs.