Battling Broody Hens

For every chicken keeper, trying to stop your egg layers going broody can be a constant battle. Whilst man has done their absolute best to create a species that continuously supplies us with eggs, it is in the hens deepest biology to procreate, and this means incubating. On an industrial scale, with farmers who have no time for broody hens, chickens will simply be discarded, but for those keeping poultry in a smaller or more free range setting, there are ways to break the cycle.

The battle against broody hens starts when selecting the breeds you wish to keep. Many feathered feet varieties will be likely to attempt to incubate, the Silkie being one notorious variety, whilst other bantams or showcase types also offer lower eggs yields and an increased desire to sit. If egg yield is of high importance try choosing varieties such as the Rhode Island Red, Light Speckled Sussex or perhaps the Orpington. However, every hen of any variety may wish to sit at some point and the best course of action is to catch it early.

The obvious choice for the unsentimental owner is to despatch the hen concerned. This solves the problem of the broodiness, and whilst you loose one of the egg laying birds, you acquire a bird for the table.

At the other extreme of the scale, leaving the bird to incubate can also be an option. Allowing her to hatch fertilised eggs, though loosing one of your egg layers for a number of months, will allow you to enjoy the experience that comes with raising chicks. Once matured, cockerels can then be used for meat birds, whilst hens can be passed to friends or merged with your own bustling flock.

Alternatively isolate the hen from her environment and try and break the cycle. It is important to do this as soon as possible after you start seeing broody signs such as unwillingness to leave the nest box, or a change in the hens demeanour and vocalisations. A chemical change within the birds body at the time of incubation causes her underside to become warmer than normal, and breaking this change can set your hen back to the path of laying. Isolate her in a pen with nothing but water and feed. Many keepers use wire mesh flooring so that air can circulate beneath her feet but this is not a necessity. Without a nesting box and material, and with only her basic needs met, a hens broodiness can often be broken within three to four days, whereupon she can be replaced back into the flock.

Breaking a hens broodiness is not an exact science. It can take time and perseverance that many keepers simply don’t have, but don’t think that because your hen is broody you simply have to give up. By catching it quick and taking appropriate action your hen will be laying again in no time.