Broody Hens FAQs: Are they? Making them? When will they?

[@ashm5206]

Cindy’s reaction to realising she isn’t on the nest anymore reminds me of what it’s like to wake up and realise you’ve missed your alarm and are late for work...

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I know what you mean 🤣🤣🤣

[@gothic_oma]

😁

[@katsilbaugh2876]

Missing feathers!!! My “who is the broody one” mystery is solved! Thank you so much!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm so glad it was helpful

[@akib2542]

The egg celebration always gives me a chuckle.. my hens pace around their pen after laying, announcing to the world "look at what I've done!!!"

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You have yo take pride in your work 😁

[@scohid04]

So soft and fluffy!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you

[@kaedrian]

At the beginning of spring/summer this year, one of my buffs began puffing up to the other hens and circled around them and acted all weird. The rooster began bullying her and hasn't stopped even now that she doesn't act like that anymore. I now realize that she may have began to go broody though she never sat on eggs very long and I broke her twice by lifting her out since she was sitting on nests that were not predator proof throughout the night. I'd love an explanation on why broodies get bullied by other hens and roosters alike.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

When a hen goes broody its a big hormonal change that alters her behavior to others in the flock. They in turn respond differently to her new behavior & this new behavior can affect the broody's position in the pecking order

[@janellelynch998]

I again have fond myself binge watching your videos but keep coming back to this video to watch Cindy over and over again. It was so peculiar how she realized that she was now free for a minute and just went Buck Wild😂🤣😂🤣 what a great video. Lol from curious camera chickens to “Oh I’m free” Party Animal Hens!! I just can’t get enough ❤️😁

[@EnglishCountryLife]

She is hilarious, but they all do it and during the breeding season it's the highlight of my day seeing this reaction

[@janellelynch998]

@@EnglishCountryLife Lol you could take the clip of Cindy and make a very cute TGIF meme😂😂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@janellelynch998 😁

[@gothic_oma]

Lol!

[@lydiaalverson]

That was great information. Oh, and I enjoyed the blooper reel at the end. :-)

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad you liked it!

[@benedwards5978]

Thank you , we have 2 buffs and one has been acting strange and this has explained it brilliantly

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Will you give her sone eggs to hatch?

[@benedwards5978]

@@EnglishCountryLife we are looking into now so likelihood is yeah we will 😌

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@benedwards5978 Exciting!

[@benedwards5978]

We were successful in getting some eggs and now have 6 little chicks 2 days old 🐥🐣

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@benedwards5978 Congratulations 👏

[@seanmckeown6120]

Perfect timing... one of mine is broody and following your previous advice I'm letting her go with it while risjing life and limb retrieving the eggs...

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I hope you have leather gauntlets????🤣

[@seanmckeown6120]

@@EnglishCountryLife hell yes ...ouch

[@xj9ox]

Haha, they are great. Our Wyandottes and Silkies do as your Orpingtons do, but about 20% more intense. The Wylkies (cross) are the most intense. One particular hen, Missy, will swear at you if you so much as say good morning to her when she is broody and off her nest. She is hilarious. We also have a few hens that regularly go broody in mid winter and will raise 13+ chicks. Not sure if they have a hormone imbalance (no artificial heating or light), but they do have super stealth genetics and are fantastic at finding good hiding places. One emerged from hiding the other day with 16 chicks. I suppose that is a risk of having a pastured free range flock. I found this this season that our bronze turkeys wanted to go broody really early too and the winter was pretty cold. Definitely not a good thing for turkeys to do as they have trouble keeping their poults alive even with good conditions. We have a large elevated cage with a mesh floor for a broody breaker called "The Book Depository" that works well for bulk broody breaking and an old metal milk crate on a stand for one or two hens to spend some time in that works well too. I have tried a couple of other methods of broody breaking without much success. Thanks for the video, you have some very nice, spoiled, chooks.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

The only thing I would say is if you can separate out the eggs laid by the hens and turkeys that brooded in winter in this generation you'll have good chance of avoiding it in future generations. It's possibly a genetic pituitary gland explanation where they over produce prolactin.

[@xj9ox]

@@EnglishCountryLife It may well be a genetic abnormality, but I haven't ever really considered if a problem. The early brooding turkeys have issues keeping their poults when it rains or they are destined to be lunch. As for the chickens, if they lay through the winter, that's an advantage to us. In any event, the climate in Tasmania is what you might call Mediterranean, so winter chicks generally survive really well. Given the area that our chickens range over and the cover provided for them to hide from hawks, harriers, butcher birds and Eagles etc they have some really good hidden nesting spots and sometimes we just don't find the nests. It's just really part of the fun.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@xj9ox I have to say despite the predatory raptors, your set up sounds idyllic. Yes, you are right....our chooks are spoilt, but they more than cover all their costs as well as providing free eggs and table birds so a little spoiling is earned by them 👍

[@ankeshuisblog4]

Thank you. Even though it was no news for me, it's always good to hear what someone else has to say. And I do love any chicken video's. :) All our hens are raised by a hen. The first years new hens all went broody. That resulted in another 4 hens (and some cockerels, that became chicken soup). Of those 4 hens, two went broody last year. One of them I gave cream legbars to hatch. Now I'm curious if the cream legbar hens will go broody too. I read somewhere that being raised by a hen seems to encourage the hens to brood as well. That certainly seems the case with ours!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad you enjoyed it 🙂. We've kept Cream Legbars for a while, all hatched by broodies. One (Trouble) did go broody last year & successfully hatched 5 out of 6 eggs. She was an excellent mother to 5 Buff Orpingtons. Our Marans have never brooded yet though.

[@elizabethkernohan2263]

Thanks for the advice. I’ll try the dog crate method !

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad it helped

[@jpoole393]

Thanks for another informative video. Your series with hens is absolutely brilliant.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you 😊

[@jason46742]

very informative!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Jason!

[@hedgecomber]

I love broody hens or ducks, they are so damn cute. Great video as always guys x

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Janey!

[@Pixie3p14]

Haha love the out takes

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you

[@barbsdee3831]

Awww lovely chickens 🐓❤️

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Barb

[@geoffanddebshipton6797]

Really useful information Fiona. We have a broody girl at the moment but we don’t need her to be hatching any eggs. Almost makes me wish we were in a position to let her hatch some eggs. Maybe when we move to our permanent home - it’s a shame to see her efforts go to waste!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm looking forward to seeing your videos from your permanent home! :-)

[@geoffanddebshipton6797]

@@EnglishCountryLife eek! Fingers crossed it will only be a year or two. In the mean time, plenty of opportunities to plan and practice. ;)

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@geoffanddebshipton6797 Any advice, just drop us a note

[@geoffanddebshipton6797]

@@EnglishCountryLife thank you both - very much appreciated.

[@ruthspillman546]

Great vedio, again!!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Ruth!

[@HusniArsyah]

At 3:22 i`m really interesting to observe how the baby-chickens know their mommy, since there are so many adult hens around them. because most I see baby-chickens always surrounding their mommy and not scattered. In another video of yours, I see some baby-chickens misconception about their mommy, and that hens peck those baby-chickens, and that baby-chickens run away and return to their mommy.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

They definitely know their mother hen, but as they grow they sometimes have "sleepovers" with other hens :)

[@HusniArsyah]

@@EnglishCountryLife : I see... ^_^!

[@jandoinc]

Thanks for the info. It is really helpful!👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Glad it was useful 👍

[@benmanning4340]

I have a mixed flock of many different breeds. One of my most unlikely to become broody (my blue laced red Wyandotte) has started twice this summer!

[@KaiDoods]

I don't remember where out original conversation was, but I have good news! My silkie became broody and is now the mother to 5 fluffy chicks! They're all what seems to be blue silkies, although she's a white silkie and the dad is a splash silkie. They're all very cute and seem healthy! Thank you for the advice you've given me and everyone else! The incubator did not work as planned, but the mama hen did! Lol

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Broody hens are jut awesome. Congratulations. That's wonderful news!

[@lisaglassic9792]

Thanks for all the helpful videos. We have a broody hen and she is dedicated to the task. So much so that she doesn't eat or drink much. I'm concerned about her. Is there anything I can do to encourage her to eat and drink more? Because of our set up, I take her out daily so she can do her business. She does just as you show in the video, snapping out of her trance in a flurry of squawking and running/flying. She grooms and seems interested in food, but only picks and doesn't eat much. When she is ready to go back into the coop, I assist her to her nest and she settles back in just fine. We are on day 10 so have another 11 - 12 to go. Should I be concerned? Can she starve herself? Thanks for your answer.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi! have you tried putting a small feeder & drinker in with her? Many broodies do lose weight whilst brooding

[@sexybrox]

Love the video. . ... can you do anything about feathers 🪶🤔 it seem such a waste after you kill the birds.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Traditionally dusters and cushions were made. We leave some down for nesting birds (sparrows love it) Larger feathers compost well for us.

[@JimFinch]

i'd like to know hows best to move a broodie hen, should i leave them in the main coop or move them to a smaller one?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We always move them to a smaller coop with run. This video explains why kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWezfpyipZ1rjpo

[@thenotorious2312]

My hens all use the 1 nest box and ignore the others should the eggs be placed in a different nest box to the 1 they all lay in? And should a broody hen and eggs be separated from the rest of left? Thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi, If you move the eggs to another nest box the hens will most likely follow them as they have an instinct to add eggs to an existing pile in hope of creating a clutch for hatching whether or not a broody hen is already in place! It's an evolutionary need. The best thing is to separate out the broody hen into their own coop with a run. This video explains why from 11 mins 48 secs kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWezfpyipZ1rjpo

[@thenotorious2312]

@@EnglishCountryLife thanks Fiona 👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@thenotorious2312 No problem. Glad I could help

[@mahmoudAbu-Jaber]

Hi Fiona, some of our chickens started laying fairy eggs, we don't know why.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi! Are these hens that have been laying normally up to now? Have they been off lay?

[@mahmoudAbu-Jaber]

@@EnglishCountryLife we have 6 hens 4 Buffs laying normally and 2 Warrens who went off lay early March to moult its these two who have not come back into lay and we have had 3 fairy eggs, they laid great before this and all Winter. They all eat layers pellets and mixed corn plus treats and sunflower seeds some days. Also plenty of Oyster shell in the run.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@mahmoudAbu-Jaber I suspect then that it's a sign that the Warrens are coming back into lay. A few fairy eggs after a period of being off lay are not unusual

[@lsautomotive760]

Its winter i so. Cal and 2 hens hatched 8 and 11 chicks i was shocked

[@EnglishCountryLife]

😲

[@elizabethkernohan2263]

How best to interrupt my buff Orpington’s broodiness as I don’t want chicks and want her out of the nesting box !!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Until tonight I've rarely been asked that question! There are some techniques for breaking the broods. The most common is to isolate the hen in a dog crate with the plastic floor removed so you only have the metal mesh, resting this on bricks or breeze-blocks. The draft and cool air which the broody hen feels on her bare skin as she broods cools the skin temperature and will bring her out of a broody state but it may take a while. Personally, we either allow them to sit for a brood without eggs or give them false eggs for around 10-14 days before removing them. This seems to break the brood a few days after removing the eggs. Sorry!

[@xj9ox]

For just one or two hens, something like an old metal milk crate with a lid and elevated off the floor will work. You could easily make something similar from a sheet of wire mesh, just make sure there are no nesting spots (food bowl included) and that the floor has good airflow (i.e.the hen cannot trap heat underneath her). Put the hen(s) in the crate with food and water (think nipple drinker rather than water bowl due to likely spillage and suspended sort of food bowl so that it's not a default nest), close the lid and wait. It will take 3 or four days at least, but once the hen has stopped being broody, she will go back to laying fairly soon. Sometimes you may have to have two goes at it because you let her go too soon, but if you make sure she isn't going book, book, book and trying to make herself look like a feathery mat on the floor, you should be okay.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@xj9ox Good advice if the quick method is the one you prefer 👍 There are no wrong answers just what you prefer

[@xj9ox]

@@EnglishCountryLife We have tried dunking their bottoms in the water trough without much success, although I was probably too soft to do it properly, but potentially an even quicker way to break broodies. We produce eggs commercially, so a quick method is often preferred.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@xj9ox The crate works by cooling their underside but it needs to be prolonged to induce the hormones level to lower. Dunking them would need lot of time in the water to lower the temperature to fool the pituitary gland to change it's hormone production. Personally I feel the amount of time needed would be cruel. Don't say you're too soft. You just want your hens to be healthy with good welfare standards. That's a good thing.

[@lindapeterson3483]

Thank you so much for this video! It answered many of my questions about broody hens. This year is the first time I’ve had broody hens. One is a Buff Orpington named KAGA, and the other, a Speckled Sussex named Houdini. While KAGA hatched her chicks in the nesting box, Houdini laid her clutch outside in the bushes. We live in the mountains and have all the predators and I didn’t think she would be safe setting outside, so I moved her and the eggs to a dog kennel in the coop. She didn’t like the move and refused to sit on her eggs after that, so I moved them to an incubator. Oh, and my only rooster is a Buff Orpington. I suspect that KAGA will go broody again in the future since she hatched her eggs, but I’m wondering if Houdini is likely to go broody again in the future, or will this broken cycle tend to break that instinct?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Linda! Your Orpington will very likely brood regularly. Moving your Sussex won't damage her chances of brooding again - but some gens only brood occasionally do its a wait & see job!

[@lindapeterson3483]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you for answering my question! ❤️ I’m new at this broody hen business, so forgive a second question. I love watching the babies and mom together and can see how these babies are thriving at just a week old...already running around outside and gaining more confidence every day. When the eggs hatch in another week, would it be possible to put the new babies in with the mom and older babies or will mom just ignore the newcomers? I’d really like to see them raised by a hen, but is it possible?

[@deborahmartin9672]

Great video! Just wondering if you could please offer me some advice? I have a light Sussex hen that has 5 chicks that are all around 18 days old. She only hatched one and I had to put all her other eggs in the the incubator, I actually put the new chick with the eggs as it appeared she was not going to be a good mum. She slept in a different coop that night but she kept going back to the empty nest the next day so that I put her on the empty nest and that morning put the chick under her and she was great, then when the other two hatched, I put them under her at night, was still really good. Then maybe 3 days later I put another 2 chicks under her at night. She’s been a really good Mum. Another chick hatched in my incubator last night and can hear another one hatching now. If I wait a few days till my new chicks are more active, do you think there’s much chance she’ll accept these new chicks please? There should be just one more hatching very soon also. Your advice would be much appreciated. By the way, I love my Buff Orpingtons Roosters, They are so gentle, best ones I’ve ever had.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@deborahmartin9672 Hi Deborah. It is much better if all the chicks hatch on the same day of course but as that's not an option it has to be worth a try. As you say, wait till they are fast and active & give it a try.

[@lesleycopeland7294]

Hi Fiona, Can you tell me what camera you use in your chicken coop please Many thanks Lesley Copeland

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi Lesley, We currently use an old mobile phone rigged up to a power pack and mini tripod. We would love to use one of the modern action cameras but don't have one yet so are using a low cost option ☺️

[@chrismcclain6329]

I’m in Indiana in the US. what’s the chances of a young hen going broody in October?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@chrismcclain6329 Hi Chris, we've just gad one that hatched in March go broody. It's unusual but not unheard of.

[@chrismcclain6329]

@@EnglishCountryLife ok. Thank you.

[@marycarlton8104]

Your videos are so helpful! We have a free-range (with protection) flock of 18. Even following your advice we've still had no success with broody hens staying faithful to the eggs. Probably because most of our hens are not yet 1 year old, and not breeds who are typically broody. The 2 Rhode Island reds are 2 yr olds and have attempted to sit on eggs (in their own broody coop w/run) but after a few days change their mind. We only have one Buff Orpington and we love her!. She's 2 yrs old and quite a loner, having lost her 3 sisters tragically. We want more Buffs! But she never seems broody so we haven't tried with her. We're considering buying some BO 2-day old chicks and putting our BO hen in the broody coop with them, hoping she'll find a purpose in life :-) What do you think?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Sadly Mary she really needs to be properly broody to have a chance of adopting them. You are right its all about breed. With ours for example 100% of our Orpingtons are broody, 33% of our Legbars and 0% of our Marans. We normally get 80% of our Orpingtons broody. We have had one or two individuals who simply don't brood. We eliminate these from the flock (sold as pets) so that we breed only from bloodlines disposed to brood. I would suggest either raising your Orpingtons under a brooder or buying some older birds with a proven broody bloodline.

[@marycarlton8104]

@@EnglishCountryLife Ok thanks. I think we'll give her a few months to see if she becomes broody and if not, raising some chicks will be plan B. We appreciate you!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@marycarlton8104 Any time! Autumn broodies do happen 🤞

[@rudyvargas9518]

Are all eggs laid while broody fertile...how long will she lay eggs while broody...do broody hensstop laying eggs while broody....

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Eggs are fertile if a hen has been mated in the last 7 days or so. Hens stop laying whilst brooding and incubate for 3 weeks and then raise the chicks before starting to lay again.

[@donnakuhl2419]

I have leghorns...I have a broody hen..but she sits on up to 12 eggs for five days and then seems to abandon them for an entire day or two..also Ive noticed my rooster has 5 hens and mates often with all of them..the hens lay down, open up their hind end, all pink, but rooster parts do not match hen parts..he seems to be about 5 inches off from the hens private parts...they are 8 months old..i Raised them from chicks..not sure the eggs are even fertilized..I spend at least 2 hours a day with my chickens..what do you suppose?

[@donnakuhl2419]

thank you for your wisdom..from Missouri USA

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi! The best thing to do is to test the eggs to see if your rooster is doing his job or isn't quite aiming well. The good news is that he only has to succeed once for any egg from that hen to be fertilised for the next 7 days. This video will show you how we test fertility kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6DTkHpvqt-CjKM

[@the_hearthfire]

As the weather has been warming up one of my hens has been sitting on the nest longer before and after laying. Sometimes 4-5 hours daily, even when she doesn’t lay an egg. She has also begun to screech at the other hens when they come in the coop, and will peck at them when they come close. The days haven’t lengthened too much yet, so maybe that’s why she hasn’t stayed on the nest too long. Do you think she could be getting broody?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It's very possible. Are you able to feel whether she has plucked any feathers from her breast area? This will be the biggest giveaway that she's preparing to brood.

[@Damselfly54315]

why do my Buff Orpingtons seem more red than urs? they are the same kind, just seem to have more reddish tones...

[@EnglishCountryLife]

There are different colours in various strains from blonde to dark red. Ours get lighter through the year as sunlight bleaches their feathers

[@Damselfly54315]

@@EnglishCountryLife mine are not Red, just tinted sort of, lol, beautiful birds, but still very young and they aren't in bright sun, and love the fluffy butts, lol Thanks, appreciate you💗

[@chriswearing50]

At the end of the video you said ` broody hen 101`. I`ve seen 101 mentioned a lot but have no idea what it means. Can you enlighten me please ? TIA :-)

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi! It just means a topic for beginners so in this case for anyone that has never experienced heir hens brooding or has their first broody hen. I hope that helps

[@chriswearing50]

@@EnglishCountryLife It certainly does.Thanks. :-)

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@chriswearing50 Anytime 😊

[@Picar70]

Heheh chubby chicken

[@EnglishCountryLife]

They are just heavily feathered rather than fat but they're still gorgeous

[@farkleberry471]

How do you tell your female Orpys apart? They look the same, at least on camera.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

The video being released tonight (27th Aug 21) will give you the information you need 👍😊 It's all about leg rings.

[@tdnr]

Hello! I have a question, My hen acts like a broody hen before she lays an egg she screams pecks and put eggs under her. But then when she lays her egg she acts like a normal hen. Is this normal?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It's normal for hens with rising levels of Prolactin to still lay eggs but start to exhibit broody tendencies before they properly "fall broody".

[@tdnr]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks

[@phyllislucia]

Don't forget that a rooster is also needed to make a hen go broody!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Orpingtons will brood whether or not there is a cockerel present. Clearly a cockerel is required for fertilised eggs, but the hen will go broody without fertilised eggs or incubate eggs from another source, even duck eggs!

[@shawkylabay8043]

💚🐔💚

[@elizabethkernohan2263]

How to stop a hen going broody ?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Sorry Elizabeth if the weather is warming up and the days are longer the hormone levels will rise in a hen with broody tendencies. All you can do is break the broodiness not stop it.

[@ryanmace7613]

Are pekin chickens notorious for going broody? because I have got three hens and a cock and want the to have chicks this year.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Pekins are a breed known for going broody. Good luck

[@edwardthomas9671]

You can make a hen go broody if you leave the eggs in the nest

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Eggs in the nest won't on their own cause the pituitary gland to excrete higher levels of prolactin required to stimulate broodiness.

[@chrishamilton-wearing3232]

Dear chicken chappies. Something for Fabulous although I'm sure that Handsome has all the gen as well. Anyway, our white chicken, chicken Nina, has gone broody. And of course this is pointless as the eggs are all infertile, I did try to tell her she was wasting her time but she insisted on carrying on, although this tòok the form of some fairly enthusiastic pecks. We have researched on line what to do but would really value advice from the doyenne of all things chickeny. 🙂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 Do you want her to hatch chicks for you Chris?

[@chrishamilton-wearing3232]

@@EnglishCountryLife No, we don't have a cockerel, all the eggs are for us and our gite guests.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 I understand but you can buy in fertilised eggs by post & let her incubate them.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 If you don't want her to brood you can give her some rubber eggs for a few days then remove them, this makes her think a predator stole the clutch

[@chrishamilton-wearing3232]

@@EnglishCountryLife Ah, ok. I should have said that we don't want to raise chicks, we just want to stop her from being broody especially as it is so hot here. 30 degrees today heading towards 40 by the end of the week.

[@billyyg6548]

I had a hen she was broody all season and didn't even hatch eggs we had to slaughter her😔

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Sorry to hear that

[@Pixie3p14]

Haha love the out takes

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks!