# Starting to get broody?



## Olof (Jun 16, 2013)

How do you know when a chicken is starting to get broody? I'm hoping I get one broody out of my 5 hens this spring to hatch out some eggs I want to order. I have tried to hatch chicks on my own with very sad outcomes.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

Olof said:


> How do you know when a chicken is starting to get broody? I'm hoping I get one broody out of my 5 hens this spring to hatch out some eggs I want to order. I have tried to hatch chicks on my own with very sad outcomes.


hatching can be tough but some have figured it out

i can only hatch well when i am using the woodstove in the house

once warm weather shows up i can't hatch well at all

it's just too humid

a broody hen will stay on her eggs almost 24 hours a day

she will also puff up when you try to remove the eggs under her

what breed are your hens?

some breeds are more prone to going broody than others

goodluck
piglett


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## Olof (Jun 16, 2013)

I have a buff Orpington, an Australorp, a black ameraucana, a Cream Legbar, and a polish

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Chicken Forum mobile app


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## kirsten4chickens (Nov 26, 2013)

A broody will always love to stay in her nest, with eggs or without for almost the whole time. She will start to refuse food also, because she wouldn't like to leave her nest for the rest of her life. You should break the habit of a broody hen once you have detected some telltale signs which were already mentioned. One good thing you can do when a hen starts to get broody is to separate her from the rest and let her live outside the coop. Make sure she has her own cage, situated in a well lighted area. You can do this for a week, then try to bring her back to the coop. If she still practices the same broody habit, take her back to the isolated cage until she gets out of the broody feeling.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Problem with breaking is that the hormone cycle has not completed and they will go right back to being broody. Its best to give at least a single egg, let them finish the cycle. This is especially true for young females.


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