Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Broodiness
Springtime can trigger a chicken's instinct to incubate, and when a hen gets into par-
enting mode, she becomes what's called “broody.”
Broody
is a term that means the gal
has set on a nest and doesn't plan on moving until what's under her hatches. Some flock
owners regard this as a trait to be coveted and respected. Broody hens bring chicks in-
to the world, after all, and what better way to increase your flock than with a volunteer
grain-fed incubator. Other folks feel a broody hen is a nuisance. Since a hen that sets is
no longer laying, she stops producing and gets in the way of easily collecting eggs for
use or sale.
If you want to discourage the hatching impulse, repeatedly remove a broody hen from
the nest and make sure no eggs accumulate in her spot. Often the absence of eggs, plus
being placed back on the ground or outside the coop, is enough to kick the PTA-mom
habit. You can also try moving or covering her nesting site.
If one of your hens is still dead set on hatching a clutch, your choice is either to let the
broodiness run its course (which will last two to four weeks), or to break her habit in a
broody coop.
