What does it mean when a chicken is broody?

Broodiness is a natural chicken instinct that happens to some chickens every year, and others not at all. It switches on as soon as they’re old enough to lay, between five and eight months old.

Their hormones kick in overtime, much as women’s do when they’re pregnant, and they focus all of their energy into hatching eggs.

The telltale symptom of a broody hen is a sudden display of motherly instinct: sitting on a nest to keep the eggs warm for several hours a day, putting the babies’ needs in front of hers and making sure the eggs are well protected.

This is all fine and dandy if your chicken does have eggs to hatch, but sometimes, a chicken will sit on unfertilized eggs or even imaginary eggs.

Hens raised without roosters can’t lay fertile eggs, but they can still go broody and attempt to sit on a clutch of eggs.

Warm weather and a hormonal imbalance, caused by no doing of the flock owner, will spur a hen to turn broody for weeks on end, waiting for non-existent chicks to hatch.

The 6 most broody chicken breeds

Certain breeds of chickens are more broody than others. This is actually good to know if you want to hatch your own eggs every year, but it’s also useful for predicting which hens in your flock may be out of commission each summer.

1. Cochins

Cochins have a strong tendency to turn broody every year during their prime egg-laying years. They are big, fluffy, and sweet, and since they don’t lay as prolifically as other breeds, Cochins make great mothers and pets.

2. Silkies

This petite breed is incredibly docile, almost like the chicken version of a lap dog. They’re probably tied with Cochins for being the broodiest chicken breed, so expect them to take a break from laying when this happens.

3. Buff Orpingtons

Another sweet, lovable bird with a docile personality, Buff Orpingtons have that natural motherly instinct so they’re prone to going broody. Since they also happen to be very productive layers, this is something to watch for in peak season if you depend on a steady supply of eggs.

4. Buff Rocks

The Plymouth Rock breed is one of the most docile breeds (do you see a trend happening here?) and known for following its keepers around. I used to have a Barred Rock that would always try to jump in my lap! But this cuddly tendency is what also makes them more likely to go broody (the Buff Rock hen, in particular).

5. Brahmas

Brahmas are hefty, fluffy chickens with feathered feet. They tend to go broody in early summer, especially if there’s another hen in the flock that goes broody. Brahmas are a great choice if you want a devoted sitter, but because of their size, be sure to watch them after the eggs hatch so they don’t accidentally trample their chicks.

6. Sussex

The Sussex is one of the oldest chicken breeds, and a very friendly and reliable layer. These chickens go broody every year (sometimes quite early) and also make great mothers, so if this is what you want, you can count on them to hatch a clutch of eggs.