There are some things that you just expect when you decide to start raising chickens. We knew we would need to build a safe and secure space to live, provide consistent food and water, and went into it with the mindset that they would be our livestock, not pets.
Some things took us by surprise. A tenacious chicken can get over a six-foot fence with very little effort. They eat small snakes. And the one thing that really through us for a loop was how long our first hen was broody.
After our initial worry (was she sick? Did we need to call the vet?) we did some research that helped clarify what was really going on.
What is a broody hen?
A broody hen is simply a hen that is preparing to be a mother. She wants to sit on her eggs (and any others that get laid in the same nesting box) until the time comes for them to hatch. During that time, the hen is abstinent from laying any new eggs and puts all of her energy into hatching.
These days, it is fairly rare to have one of your hens grow broody. This trait has been bred out of most chicken breeds over time when focus was placed more on egg production.
There are several different breeds that have a better chance of going broody. These are Silkies, Buff Orpingtons, Cochins, Brahmas, and Sussex.
Why does a hen go broody?
A hen going broody is an instinctual process. However, it isn’t always a complete process. This stage is brought about by changes in a hen’s hormones. In order to hatch, a hen will need to sit on an egg for 21-24 days. However, in our experience, we have never had a hen go through a complete cycle. We had a hen sit on over 12 eggs for two weeks before she gave up and rejoined the flock.
This could be for various reasons such as an extreme change in environment or continuous interruptions. Most people are in favor of moving their hens to a more isolated area with food and water readily available. This increases the chance of a broody hen hatching her clutch.
What are the signs?
There are several signs that indicate that you have a broody hen. Some of these are…
- It seems like she never leaves the coop. While she may leave briefly to eat and drink, the majority of her time is spent determinately sitting on her nest of eggs.
- She pecks at you if you try to move her. This is a big indicator, especially if you have breeds that are known for their docile nature.
- The hen is flattened out. She didn’t double in size; she’s trying to cover her stash.
- Her poop. Chicken poop is always pretty smelly before it decomposes but you can really tell a hen is broody by looking at the size and the stench.
- She may start talking. While we have never gotten to this point, it is common for a hen to start clucking at her eggs when they get close to hatch day.
- Her breast feathers are getting sparse. While this can look like molting, she is actually using the feathers to help line her nest.
Things to consider
Not everyone desires to have a broody hen for obvious reasons. If you have a rooster of a different breed, eggs can result in a “barnyard mix” that aren’t as easy to sell. In the dead of winter, it can be a real pain to set up an adequate brooder for babies, and, in the spring, you may want eggs more than chickens.
You can interrupt a hen’s broody cycle fairly easily. By collecting the eggs, moving the hen, or blocking the area she has chosen to create her nest, you are encouraging her hormones to cool. While you may have to disturb her more than once, this is usually a sure-fire way to snap a hen out of being broody.
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