Quick answer: the least broody chicken breeds are Leghorns, Anconas, Minorcas, Andalusians, Hamburgs, Polish and the commercial sex-link hybrids such as Golden Comets, Red Stars and ISA Browns. A broody hen is one whose mothering instinct has kicked in: she stops laying and sits on the nest, with or without eggs, for about 21 days trying to hatch chicks.
The first time I met a broody hen, my rooster was making a racket and I ran outside expecting a hawk. Instead, one of my hens had been in the coop for hours. I think the rooster thought she was sick. She was actually broody, sitting very seriously on a golf ball I had left in the nest box.
Whether you want a hen who will hatch chicks for you or a flock that just keeps laying, breed is the biggest factor. Here is what I have learned from my own hens and from hatchery and extension sources.
Least Broody vs Most Broody Chicken Breeds
| Breed | Broodiness | Egg color | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leghorn | Least broody | White | Top layer; production strains rarely brood |
| Ancona | Least broody | White | Active, flighty forager |
| Minorca | Least broody | White | Large white eggs |
| Andalusian | Least broody | White | Mediterranean breed, light bodied |
| Hamburg | Least broody | White | Small eggs, very flighty |
| Polish | Least broody | White | Crested; rarely goes broody |
| Golden Comet, Red Star, ISA Brown (sex-links) | Least broody | Brown | Bred for production, friendly |
| Production Rhode Island Red | Seldom broody | Brown | Heritage lines brood more often |
| Silkie | Most broody | Cream to tinted | Famous for going broody constantly |
| Cochin (standard and bantam) | Most broody | Light brown | Excellent, patient mothers |
| Orpington | Very broody | Light brown | Buff Orpingtons especially |
| Brahma | Very broody | Brown | Large and gentle; can cover lots of eggs |
| Buff Rock, Dark Cornish | Broody | Brown | Listed by McMurray as likely brooders |
| New Hampshire, Naked Neck | Broody | Brown | Good mothers |
Sources: Murray McMurray Hatchery and Mississippi State University Extension. Keep in mind every hen is an individual. I have had a “never broody” breed surprise me, and a Silkie who never sat once.
For a side-by-side look at more breeds, see our chicken breeds chart, and if egg color matters to you, read how to tell what color eggs a chicken will lay.
Why Are Some Breeds Less Broody?
Broodiness is driven by hormones, mainly prolactin, and it is strongly inherited. For generations, egg farmers kept the hens that laid the most and culled the ones that stopped to sit. Over time, that bred much of the broody instinct out of Mediterranean breeds like Leghorns and out of modern production hybrids. Heritage and ornamental breeds were never selected that way, so many of them still brood readily.
What Does Broody Hen Mean?
A broody hen is a hen that wants to hatch eggs. Rising hormone levels, maturity and longer spring days switch on her maternal instinct. She stops laying, settles into the nest and stays there almost around the clock, keeping eggs warm for about 21 days. She will sit whether the eggs are fertile or not, and even on golf balls, wooden eggs or an empty nest.
11 Signs of a Broody Hen
- She refuses to leave the nest box.
- She only gets up once or twice a day to eat, drink and poop.
- Her comb and wattles look paler than normal.
- She plucks out her breast feathers to line the nest.
- She eats and drinks less.
- She sits in the nest even when there are no eggs.
- She stops laying eggs.
- She makes a low, grumbly clucking or growl.
- Her poop is huge and very smelly, because she holds it in.
- She puffs up and pecks if you reach for her eggs.
- She flattens her body out to cover and protect the eggs.
Here is a video of one of my hens being broody.
When Do Hens Go Broody?
Hens can go broody any time of year, but spring and early summer are the peak, when longer days trigger the instinct and the weather is right for raising chicks. A pullet can go broody once she has been laying for a while, usually a couple of months after her first egg.
How Long Do Hens Stay Broody?
Chicken eggs take about 21 days to hatch, so a hen sitting on fertile eggs is usually broody for about three weeks, then spends several more weeks raising her chicks. A hen sitting on nothing may stay broody longer than 21 days because nothing hatches to end it. First-time broodies sometimes give up partway through.
How Many Times a Year Will a Hen Go Broody?
There is no set number. Some hens never do and others go broody over and over. I have had hens go broody up to five times in a single year. Because sitting is hard on a hen’s body, McMurray Hatchery suggests letting a hen brood no more than about once a year.
How to Stop a Broody Hen
- Collect eggs often so a pile never builds up under her.
- Lift her off the nest several times a day and set her down by the feeder.
- Block the nest box or remove the nesting material for a few days.
- Use a “broody breaker”: a bright pen or wire-bottomed cage with food and water but no nest or dark corners. McMurray says most hens give up within about three days.
If you would rather let her hatch eggs, our guide on how to care for a broody hen walks through setup, feeding and hatch day.
How to Make a Hen Broody
You cannot force it, but you can encourage it. Start with a broody breed, give her a quiet, dark nest with plenty of clean bedding and leave a few golf balls or fake eggs in it. Once she is sitting tight day and night for a couple of days, swap in fertile eggs. Learn how to tell if an egg is fertilized before you count on chicks.
Broody Hen Questions I Get Asked
Do hens go broody without a rooster?
Yes. Broodiness is about hormones, not mating. She will sit on eggs that can never hatch.
Do broody hens lay eggs?
No. A broody hen stops laying until she is done brooding (and raising chicks, if she hatches any).
Can you eat eggs from under a broody hen?
Yes, as long as you collect them daily. Unfertilized eggs will not develop. Fertilized eggs that have been under her for days will start to develop, so do not eat those.
How many eggs can a broody hen sit on?
It depends on her size. A large hen can usually cover 10 to 12 standard eggs, while a bantam does best with 5 or 6. Eggs that are not fully covered get chilled and will not hatch.
Will a broody hen stop other hens from laying?
She can hog a favorite nest, and some broodies steal other hens’ eggs. Give the rest of the flock enough nesting boxes and mark eggs you want her to keep.
What should I feed a broody hen?
Since she is not laying, she does not need layer feed. An all-flock or grower feed around 18 to 20 percent protein helps her keep weight on. See high-protein foods for chickens for extras. Keep food and water close to the nest but not in it.
Can a hen die from being broody?
It is rare, but a very determined broody can lose a lot of weight or dehydrate, especially in hot weather. If you never see her get up, lift her off once a day and set her by the food and water.
Can a hen hatch eggs from a different breed?
Yes. A broody will hatch eggs from any chicken breed, and even duck eggs, as long as she can cover them.
If you want steady eggs, pick from the least broody breeds in the table. If you want a hen to hatch chicks for you, a Silkie or Cochin is hard to beat. Either way, now you will know what is going on the next time a hen refuses to budge from the nest.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the least broody chicken breeds?
Leghorns, Anconas, Minorcas, Andalusians, Hamburgs and Polish rarely go broody, and all lay white eggs. Commercial sex-links such as Golden Comets, Red Stars and ISA Browns are also rarely broody and lay brown eggs.
What does broody hen mean?
A broody hen is a hen whose maternal instinct has switched on. She stops laying and sits on the nest almost constantly for about 21 days trying to hatch eggs, even if they are not fertile or there are no eggs at all.
Which chicken breeds go broody the most?
Silkies and Cochins are the most broody breeds. Orpingtons, Brahmas, Buff Rocks, Dark Cornish, New Hampshires and Naked Necks also go broody often and usually make good mothers.
How long does a hen stay broody?
About 21 days if she is sitting on fertile eggs, since that is how long they take to hatch. A hen sitting on nothing may stay broody longer because nothing hatches to end it.
How do you stop a hen from being broody?
Collect eggs often, lift her off the nest several times a day and block the nest box. For a stubborn hen, put her in a bright pen or wire-bottomed cage with food and water but no nest; most hens give up within about three days.
Can a hen go broody without a rooster?
Yes. Broodiness is driven by hormones and instinct, not mating, so a hen will go broody and sit on eggs that can never hatch, or even on golf balls or an empty nest.
