will a hen go broody after laying alot of eggs??

[badnek]

i have two hens,my one hen has 7eggs and the other has about 10 will they go broody if i leave the eggs in the nest or will it just happen after they reach a certain age??

 

[sumi]

Broodiness is a hormonal thing. It can happen any moment and it may never happen with some hens. By leaving the eggs in the nest boxes you can encourage broodiness, I've seen this work with hens, but it also depends on the individual hen. It's not a guarantee.

 

[thasista]

I have some chickens that have never gone broody. It will be up to them!

 

[Mrs. K]

broodyness depends on the amount of light, the breed of the hens, and the whims of the chicken Gods. Some breeds almost NEver go broody, but their is always the odd one. I have a friend who has leghorns go broody, which should never happen. I had a dark cornish hen go, she was my first.

I don't add artificial light, (no electricity to the coop) so my girls (a mixed flock) tend to go broody in June and July. I have never had one go before the end of May, NEVER, so I am pretty sure it has to do with daylength.

I have had a couple of buff orpingtons do it for me, but their sister, standing right beside her, raised from the same hatch, in the same light, same feed, could not get out of the nest fast enough.

I generally have one or two, out of a 12 hens do it for me each summer, sometimes I have had to scramble for eggs, but I have always got a few to hatch, and really love having a good broody hen raise the chicks with the flock, all the fun, none of the work!

Leaving a pile of eggs, will flip it on for some, but it is not a guarantee, and if it is the wrong time of year, it won't.

Mrs K

 

[Fentress]

broodyness depends on the amount of light, the breed of the hens, and the whims of the chicken Gods. Some breeds almost NEver go broody, but their is always the odd one. I have a friend who has leghorns go broody, which should never happen. I had a dark cornish hen go, she was my first.

I don't add artificial light, (no electricity to the coop) so my girls (a mixed flock) tend to go broody in June and July. I have never had one go before the end of May, NEVER, so I am pretty sure it has to do with daylength.

I have had a couple of buff orpingtons do it for me, but their sister, standing right beside her, raised from the same hatch, in the same light, same feed, could not get out of the nest fast enough.

I generally have one or two, out of a 12 hens do it for me each summer, sometimes I have had to scramble for eggs, but I have always got a few to hatch, and really love having a good broody hen raise the chicks with the flock, all the fun, none of the work!

Leaving a pile of eggs, will flip it on for some, but it is not a guarantee, and if it is the wrong time of year, it won't.

Mrs K

That is a low rate of broodiness within your hen flock. What breeds do you have? Does the age have any thing to do with it? Are the large heritage breeds more likely to go broody in their second season as compared to there first year? I have New Hampshire and Speckled Sussex, my best bet for broodiness is probably the sussex. I apologize for all the questions, but I am trying to decide if I need to order a new breed that is a guaranteed broody.Interesting, that your broods wait until summer. I was hoping to wait until May and then decide if I need to order a different breed.

thanks in advance

Mark

 

[Mrs. K]

I have had all kinds of chickens, almost always a mixed flock. Sex link, seldom to never go broody, I have had good luck with buff orpingtons, and last summer had a Black austrolope go. My first one was a dark cornish, that should not have gone broody, but she was one tough mama!

I have a theory, that if a bird was raised by a hen, a little better odds?? But just a theory of mine. I know that if you are a serious breeder, one should keep track of the traits, and broodyness is a trait you can breed for or against.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html Check out this website for your breeds, or any other breeds you are interested in. It will tell you if yours are apt to go broody.

I had not thought about it, but only once have I had two hens broody at the same time. They raised their chicks together.

I do love a broody hen, and have had decent luck having her stay with the flock as in not separated quarters. Some on here swear by that, but it does not fit my set up. When they free range, the broody will tend to stay closer to the coop, and not with the flock, but the chicks grow up in the same coop each night and there is no reintroduction issues that the others talk about.

Works for me, I am praying that the stars line up, cause I ordered chicks for the first week in May, and ammmmmmm sooooo hoping I have a broody when they get here.

Mine have all been a solid year old before they did it, but some breeds, like silkies, go broody a lot, but I have never had those.
Mrs K

 

[Fentress]

Thanks Mrs. K. That was very helpful. I like the idea of breeding for the broody trait within a large breed, but in the mean time, I think I need to order a broody breed since I seam to be so obsessed with this topic.Good luck with your chicks!