Keeping chickens at home for eggs

One of the most instinctive behaviours of chickens is called broodiness. They display this behaviour in cycles usually. Called a broody hen, the bird has an overwhelming desire to sit on and incubate eggs, with the purpose of hatching and mothering a brood of chicks. Keepers of flocks often see this in certain breeds of hens. The broody chicken is dedicated to her task, often to the frustration of the chicken keeper.

What makes my hen broody?

Predicting if a hen will become broody is not always easy. The most likely times that you will find broodiness is during the Spring months and in hens that are in the second year of life. Also if eggs are not gathered on a routine basis, this can encourage broodiness.

The process of selective breeding in some chickens and the creation of hybrids has eliminated or reduced the desire to become broody. It’s always worthwhile doing abit of research and getting information before making the choice of what breeds of chickens to keep. You may choose to avoid breeds that are more susceptible to becoming broody such as Silkies and Pekins.

A sullen hen who chooses to stay on top of her eggs for days or weeks at a time does not contribute to the daily egg production.

When broody, the hen can become very nervous and even angry, deciding to peck at anyone who comes near her nest. Only the intrepid would try to remove eggs she may be nesting on! Obviously, incubated eggs from a hen that hasn't "met" a cockerel are not going to hatch, because they will be unfertilised- a needless waste of the hen's time. Sadly, the chicken is unaware of this and her attempts to hatch her young will be unsuccessful. However, this never lessens her focus on the job!
A hen that dutifully sits on her eggs constantly can actually harm herself and other chickens. The hen often becomes sick because she forgets about her own health needs. They may not even move to eat or drink. Being in one spot all day, they become more susceptible to parasites, especially when it is warm. The other hens that are ready to lay eggs often become agitated when one of the boxes is always taken. They might actually begin to fight over it.

Broody hen makes collecting eggs difficult.

Should you encouraging Broodiness?

You should however not regard broodiness as a negative quality in your birds. If you want to add to your existing flock, what could be more natural than having your hen hatch her eggs? You can encourage hens to incubate eggs by taking a few steps. Place some artificial eggs in a nesting box. If the area is safe and secure from other chickens—and especially predators--your hen will do her job. A dominant hen in the group can and will often exert her power and force a broody hen off her eggs. By preventing these actions, you can encourage a broody hen and achieve success by letting her hatching new chicks.

How to care for your broody hen

Taking care of a broody hen requires a tremendous amount of responsibility and attentiveness. You must keep her fed and hydrated to prevent sickness, which may include physically transporting her to the source of food and liquids.

Your hen should be able to reach food and water without any encumbrances, but please curb your enthusiasm by not placing food in the nesting boxes which will discourage the bird to move, and in all probability it will begin to soil the nesting area.

When a hen starts brooding, you know it is time for prepare treatment and medication to lower the health hazards related to its sluggishness and infestations of external parasites like the red mite.
With negligence towards its intake of food and nutrition, a broody hen starts looking thin, weak and anaemic as its comb loses its luster and turns pale.

Optimistically, 21 days from now your hen should give birth to one or many attractively fluffy chicks as you observe Mother Nature at work once again while it brings them up them with motherly pride and love.
 

Should you discouraging Broodiness?

If a hen becomes broody, it can become contagious within your flock! In this case you need to be proactive and discourage broodiness. You will need to keep an eye out for the subtle signs of broodiness. Collecting eggs each day may solve the problem. If a hen starts spending longer periods in the nesting box, she may become more temperamental. You will find the bird pecking at you and pulling out breast feathers. If you need to discourage your hen from being broody, you can move her to temporary accommodations in a cooler place. Changing the environment and conditions usually takes a brooding hen’s mind off the idea of sitting on her eggs all day. If you allow broodiness to continue, you will find yourself waiting longer and longer before the hen will lay eggs again.

Contributed by Alison Wicks  Headingley, Leeds