Just the other day my rooster was going crazy making a ton of noise. I ran outside thinking that perhaps a hawk or other predator was nearby.
To my surprise, my rooster was squawking due to one of my hens being in the coop for a long period of time. I think he thought she was sick, but she was actually just being broody. I had left some golf balls in the nesting area, and she was sitting on one.
So what is a broody hen? Through my experience and research, I will explain and explore this process.
A hen goes broody due to elevated hormone levels, maturity, and her maternal instincts kicking in. She will begin sitting on her eggs as she wants them to hatch. It is easy to tell when a hen has gone broody. She will stay in the nest acting in a manner that is not her usual self.
11 Signs of a broody hen
- She does not want to leave the nest box or eggs
- She leaves the nest very little
- Her wattles and comb may be paler than normal
- She plucks out her breast feathers to put in her nest
- She will drink and eat less
- She will sit in the nest even if there aren’t eggs
- She stops laying eggs
- She starts making a low-pitched clucking type sound
- Her poop is larger than normal with a strong odor
- She will peck at you if you attempt to take her eggs
- She will flatten her body out to cover the eggs and protect them
What time of year do hens go broody?
Hens can go broody at any time of year. However, hens usually go broody during springtime because they require warm weather to raise baby chicks. Certain breeds of chickens can be more broody than others.
How long do chickens stay broody?
Chickens will have broody hen behavior generally for 21 days as that is the amount of time it takes to hatch their eggs. After, the 21-day period is over your hen should stop. You can of course break this cycle if you do not want baby chicks.
How to Stop a Broody Hen?
Remove the clutch of eggs from the nest daily and close off access to the hen’s nesting boxes during the day. If she keeps returning to the nest, remove her daily, or block her access to the nest box for a few days.
You can also remove the nesting material until she stops brooding.
Another method is to use a cage for a week with lots of natural light, food, and water to break her broodiness.
How many eggs can a broody hen sit on?
The number of eggs a hen can sit on will depend on her size. Larger breeds of hens can sit on 12-15 eggs. A bantam hen can cover up to 12 eggs due to her smaller size.
How many times a year will a hen go broody?
There is no set amount of times a hen exhibit broody behavior in a year. However, I have had hens that were broody up to 5 times in a given year
Can a chicken die from being broody?
Though it is a rare occurrence if the hen is being broody and will not leave the nest. She could die due to lack of food and water. If you don’t see your hen eating or drinking water during the day she could be doing it at night assuming she has access.
Do broody hens lay eggs?
Your hen will not lay eggs when she is broody. A broody hen will sit on her eggs and leave the nest very little. She will focus on keeping her eggs warm in hopes of having them hatch. During her broodiness, she will often drink little water or eat much food.
Can you eat eggs from a broody hen?
Yes you can eat eggs from a broody hen with no issues. It does not matter whether they are fertilized or not. This is because unfertilized and fertilized eggs are safe to eat. Remember unless you have a rooster the hens eggs won’t be fertilized.
Below is a video of one of my hens being broody.
At what age do hens go broody?
A hen can show signs of broody hen behavior anytime after laying her first eggs. However, hens are usually known to brood once it has been at least two months since they laid their first eggs.
Do hens go broody without a rooster?
Yes, hens go broody without a rooster. When a hen starts exhibiting broody behavior her maternal instincts have kicked in. She will sit on a clutch of eggs even if they have no chance of hatching.
How to make a hen broody?
You can use plastic easter eggs or golf balls to encourage a hen to become broody. Make sure the nest has a large clean amount of nesting material. Also, make sure the hen has access to food and water in the chicken coop but keep it out of the nesting area!
If you want your hen to become broody and hatch chicks you will notice some different behavior patterns. One is that she is not leaving the nesting box much. The process of hatching eggs and getting baby chicks takes around 21 days.
What do you feed a broody hen?
Your hen doesn’t need layered feed when she is broody. This is because she is not laying any eggs at this time. However, you will want to use feed that will give her an energy boost. Use a feed with a protein level in the 20% range.
What are the best broody hens?
According to the Murry Mcmurray hatchery, the following standard breeds are most likely to go broody. These include Buff Orpingtons, Light Brahams, Dark Cornish, Buff Rocks, and Cochins.
Bantam breeds known for their broodiness include Silkies and Cochin Bantams seen in the picture below.
What are the least broody chicken breeds?
Chicken breeds such as Golden Comets, Red Stars, Polish, Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Ancona and others are some of the least broody chicken breeds.
Will a broody hen stop other hens from laying?
Yes, a broody hen can stop other hens from laying if she has taken over the nest. Broody hens are also known to steal eggs and add them to their clutch of eggs to lie on.
Where should I keep the food and water for a broody hen?
Keep food and water out of the nesting area but close by. You want the nesting area to be as clean as possible. You want the hen to get up from the nesting box to feed.
You don’t want leftover food, spilled water, or poop in the nesting area if you can help it.
Can a hen sit on eggs of a different breed?
Yes, a hen can lie on eggs of a breed that is smaller or larger than herself. The number of eggs a hen can lie on will depend on her size.
Should you clean out a nest when a hen is brooding?
Yes, keep the nest clean to mitigate the effect of bad bacteria that could harm the fertilized eggs. A hen will keep the nest clean and tidy by herself. Just make sure you don’t have her food and water right next to the nesting area.
Is it bad for a hen to be broody?
Being broody is a natural part of a hen’s life cycle. However, a hen sitting in the nest box all day can lead to squabbling with other hens. This could lead to some of your eggs being broken.
If you are not seeking to hatch baby chicks you should use various methods to stop the hen’s broodiness.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article should have answered most of your questions about what is a broody hen’s behavior. Remember, even hens without a rooster can go broody. Happy egg collecting!