What is Chicken Broodiness? A Complete Guide for Beginner Chicken Keepers

As a new chicken owner, you may have heard the phrase “broody hen” and been curious about what it means. When some hens want to hatch a clutch of eggs and raise baby chicks, they naturally act broody. It’s cute to see a mother hen taking great care of her chicks, but a hen that is too busy brooding can cause problems in your flock. What is broodiness, what causes it, how to spot it, and how to deal with broody hens? This article has everything you need to know as a new chicken owner.

What Causes Broodiness in Chickens?

Broodiness is triggered by a hen’s maternal instincts and her drive to procreate. When days lengthen and temperatures warm in the spring, a hen’s pituitary gland secretes higher levels of the hormone prolactin. This hormonal shift stimulates her maternal behaviors and cues her body that it’s time to reproduce.

Some chicken breeds are genetically more prone to broodiness than others. Breeds like Silkies, Cochins, Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, and Brahmas are most likely to exhibit broody behavior. Hens that go broody are usually older and have laid many eggs already. Younger hens under a year old are less likely to become broody.

Environmental factors can also influence broodiness When a hen sees another broody hen caring for chicks, it may trigger her own broody urges Warm temperatures, the presence of fertile eggs, and a comfortable, private nesting area are other conditions that can bring out broodiness.

How to Identify a Broody Hen

Luckily broody hens show very clear behavioral changes that allow you to easily identify them

• She will stop laying eggs and remain in the nest box for long periods.

• It will be very loud if you try to take her out of the nest, and she might even peck at you.

• She will flatten out her body over the eggs in an effort to incubate them.

• She will only leave the nest once a day to quickly eat, drink, and go to the bathroom.

• She may pull out her own chest feathers to warm the eggs.

• She will become very defensive and aggressive about guarding her clutch of eggs.

• She may steal eggs from other hens’ nests to increase her clutch size.

If your hen is exhibiting several of these behaviors consistently, chances are she has gone broody. The longer you allow her to sit, the more committed she will become to incubating eggs and raising chicks.

Problems Caused by Broody Hens

It’s cute to see a mother hen lovingly taking care of her chicks, but if you don’t handle her properly, an overly broody hen can cause problems in your flock:

• Decline in egg production – While broody, hens stop laying eggs completely. This can significantly reduce your egg numbers if you have multiple broody hens.

• Weight loss – Broody hens leave the nest only once a day briefly to eat and drink. This can lead to weight and nutrition loss.

• Dehydration – Sitting in one place all day makes it challenging for hens to get enough water. Broody hens are prone to dehydration, especially in summer.

• Fewer chicks than eggs – Since broody hens often steal eggs from others’ nests, they may end up sitting on more eggs than they can viably incubate and hatch.

• Missed daily egg collection – Because they rarely leave their nest, it’s easy to miss gathering broody hens’ eggs daily. This can lead to egg eating or damage.

• Overcrowding of nests – Multiple broody hens may try to share the same nest box, leading to conflicts.

• Exposure to predators – Broody hens sitting for long stretches are vulnerable to predators if they don’t return to the coop at night.

Tips for Dealing With Broody Hens

If you don’t want your hen to hatch chicks, you’ll need to “break” her broodiness so she resumes normal laying habits. Here are some tips:

• Remove her from the nest box multiple times per day and place her with the rest of the flock. Provide food and water near her.

• Don’t allow her to sit undisturbed more than 1-2 days. The longer the hen sits, the harder it will be to break her.

• Block off or remove nest boxes so she can’t access them. This helps discourage her sitting urges.

• Decrease light exposure to less than 15 hours per day, as increased daylight can worsen broodiness.

• Use frozen water bottles, cabbage leaves, or wire grids in nests to make them less appealing for sitting.

• If she refuses to leave, move her to a wire-bottomed cage suspended off the ground overnight. This prevents her from sitting comfortably.

• In extreme cases, you can dunk a hen up to her chest in cold water for 30 seconds. This shocks her system and disrupts brooding behaviors. Make sure to dry her off well immediately after.

With consistent interference in the first 1-2 days, most hens will give up on broodiness within 5-10 days. Avoid punishing or becoming angry with broody hens, as they are simply following their natural instincts. With patience and persistence, you can guide them to break the broody spell.

Allowing Hens to Hatch Chicks

If you do want your hen to raise some chicks, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Make sure you have fertile eggs from a rooster in the flock. Without a rooster, the eggs will not be viable.

• Understand that not all eggs may hatch. On average, only 75% of fertilized eggs successfully hatch.

• Supplement food and water next to the nesting area so she doesn’t have to leave the eggs for long periods.

• Write dates on eggs to track their age. 21 days is required for successful incubation.

• Consider moving broody hens into their own separate brooder areas to prevent nest overcrowding.

• Prepare a special brooding area for the mama and chicks after hatching. This should have food, water, and heat available.

• Keep a close eye on the hatching process. Sometimes new chicks need help fully emerging from shells.

Allowing broody hens to raise chicks can be an amazing learning experience for children and provide adorable new additions to your flock!

Frequently Asked Questions About Broody Hens

How long does broodiness last in chickens?

Broodiness generally lasts between 7-21 days from initial onset to when the hen loses interest. The duration depends on genetics, time allowed to sit undisturbed, and your efforts to break the broodiness.

At what age do hens go broody?

Broodiness most often begins after the first year once a hen is laying regularly. Pullets under 1 year old rarely exhibit broody behavior. Genetics play a big role, with some breeds going broody more readily than others.

Will a broody hen abandon her eggs?

It’s very rare for a broody hen to willingly abandon her clutch of eggs once fully committed to incubation. However, consistent human interference by moving her and blocking nests can cause her to give up brooding.

Do broody hens stop laying eggs?

Yes, broody hens stop laying entirely while in their broody phase as all their energy goes toward incubating eggs. Egg laying resumes after the broodiness is broken.

How can you tell if a hen is going broody?

Clear signs include sitting in one nest for long periods, aggressive defense of the nest, cessation of laying, leaving only once daily to eat and drink quickly, pulling out chest feathers, and loud vocalizations when disturbed.

Conclusion