Is My Hen Broody?
Published Friday 18th Ocober 2024
What is a Broody Hen?
A broody hen is deeply committed to hatching chicks. This behaviour is influenced by a combination of instinct, hormones, and lighting conditions. When a hen becomes broody, she will lay a clutch of eggs and then cease laying any more, choosing instead to incubate the eggs for approximately 21 days. During this time, the broody hen will diligently keep the eggs warm and turn them regularly to ensure proper development. This natural process demonstrates the remarkable nurturing instincts of hens as they prepare for the arrival of their offspring.
How To Spot a Broody Hen? 👀
It’s easy to know when you have a broody hen as their behaviour changes a lot.
The first thing that you will probably notice is that you will have a very grumpy hen on your hands.
Below is a list of the signs that your hen has gone broody.
- She will refuse to move from the nesting box
- She fluffs her feathers out to make herself look big
- Growling and pecking when you try to remove her from the nesting box
- Running back to the nest box after you've managed to remove her
- Plucking out her chest feathers
How To Spot a Broody Hen? 👀
It’s easy to know when you have a broody hen as their behaviour changes a lot.
The first thing that you will probably notice is that you will have a very grumpy hen on your hands.
Below is a list of the signs that your hen has gone broody.
- She will refuse to move from the nesting box
- She fluffs her feathers out to make herself look big
- Growling and pecking when you try to remove her from the nesting box
- Running back to the nest box after you've managed to remove her
- Plucking out her chest feathers
What To Do?
If there are no fertile (hatching) eggs available or if the broody hen sits on an empty nest, her broodiness can persist well beyond the typical three-week period, leading to adverse health effects for her and potential issues for other hens. A broody hen typically eats, drinks, and eliminates waste once or twice a day at most. During this time, she consumes 80% less feed per day than usual. While this drastic change to her normal routine is manageable for 21 days, prolonged periods of broodiness can take a toll on her health. When a broody hen is not needed, it is important to discourage this behaviour and break the cycle.
Remember, broody hens do not lay eggs 🥚🥚🥚
A hen sitting on unfertilized eggs or an empty nest is a non-productive hen!
Breaking Broodiness
Removing her from the nest each day and placing her outside the coop for a stretch and a scratch is not going to break her broody state. She will be right back on her eggs once you head away from the hen house.
The most effective solution we have found is to confine her to a new and not-so-cosy environment for 7 to 10 days.
If you have a wire cage or dog crate, place your broody hen in this with food and water. Keep her dry and draught free by offering her rain and shade protection. We recommend placing the broody crate on grass within the chook enclosure - maybe just outside the hen house. The wire cage is uncomfortable for her and will hopefully cool down her chest and vent area which will break her broodiness. You will know that your hen is no longer broody as she will no longer fluff her feathers out. She may even lay an egg or two! This may seem cruel but in the long run, it can be kinder than allowing her to sit on an empty nest whilst her health deteriorates.
