🐓 What To Do When Your Hen Goes Broody

How to support her (or stop her!) — plus what we’re doing with our hen Georgia this spring

When one of your hens suddenly stops laying, fluffs up like a balloon, and refuses to leave the nesting box… she might be going broody.

And while it can be a beautiful way to raise new chicks, it’s not always the right fit for every setup.

This spring, our sweet Lakeside Egger, Georgia, went broody for the third time — and this time, we decided to let her try hatching a clutch of six eggs. She’s on day 18 as I write this, tucked into a quiet spot in a retired chicken tractor we used long before our current hoop coop design. We’re hopeful this is her year to be a mama! 🐣

🪹 What does “broody” mean?

A broody hen is a hen who wants to hatch and raise chicks — even if there are no fertilized eggs under her. You’ll know she’s broody if she:

• Refuses to leave the nesting box

• Puffs up and growls or pecks when approached

• Stops laying eggs

• Only gets up briefly to eat, drink, and dust bathe

Some hens go broody every spring. Others never do. Certain breeds (like Silkies and Cochins) tend to go broody more often, while high-production breeds like ISA Browns rarely do.

🐥 Want her to hatch eggs? Here’s how to help:

If you decide to let your hen raise chicks, here are a few tips to set her up for success:

🪺 Give her a dedicated space (but it doesn’t have to be fancy!)

While you can let a broody hen stay in the main coop, it’s best to separate her if possible. Other hens may try to lay eggs in her nest, accidentally break the clutch or harm the chicks after hatch.

You don’t need a separate coop — a wire dog crate, a plastic tote laid on its side, or even a corner of the coop sectioned off with a panel can work. Just add a soft nesting pad (we like aspen) and keep food + water nearby.

Georgia is currently in a very old chicken tractor that we hadn’t used in years — it’s not fancy, but it’s quiet, shaded, and keeps her protected.

🥚 Leave her be

Don’t stress if she only gets up once or twice a day. That’s normal. Just make sure she has access to fresh water, feed, and can get up to stretch and dust bathe.

If you decide to candle eggs, it's best to do it at night when chickens are naturally more calm. Day 7 and 14 are good days to check for development!

🐣 Be patient for hatch day

Most eggs hatch between day 19–21, but some may take a little longer. Resist the urge to intervene unless something is clearly wrong. Remember- it's natural for some eggs not to hatch.

As cruel as it may seem, sometimes mams abandon their babies or turn on their babies after hatch. It's best to have a brooder back up plan and supplies in case this happens.

🛑 What if you don’t want your hen to go broody?

Sometimes, broodiness just isn’t practical — maybe you rely on her eggs, don’t have fertilized eggs to hatch, or don’t want to manage a separate setup.

Here’s how to gently break a broody cycle:

• Remove her from the nest box several times a day

• Block off the nesting area entirely for a day or two

• Use a wire-bottom “broody breaker” crate with airflow — it helps cool her underside and reset hormones

• Avoid dark, cozy spaces that trigger the broody instinct

The earlier you interrupt the behavior, the faster she’ll bounce back to laying.

👩‍🌾 What to feed if chicks hatch

If you’re letting her raise the chicks with the flock, switch everyone in the area to an unmedicated chick starter feed — it’s safe for both chicks and adults, and easier than trying to separate feed bowls.

Keep water dishes low and shallow so chicks can reach them (and don’t drown). Adding marbles or pebbles can help. We use a nipple style water system and simply add a second lower nipple waterer when we have babies. Mama hen will usually show the babies what to do!

Offer small amounts of a calcium supplement, like crushed oyster shells, in an area the hens can reach.

🐔 Integrating chicks with your flock

If you leave mama and babies with the flock from day one (like we did with our hen Marshall), watch for signs of bullying — but know that mama will often protect her babies well.

If your flock is aggressive or the space is tight, you may want to keep her and the chicks in a separate area for the first couple weeks and slowly reintroduce them.

💛 Final thoughts

Broody hens can be such a gift — they do all the work of incubating and raising new chicks naturally. But they can also be a surprise, especially if you weren’t planning to grow your flock!

Whether you’re letting your hen hatch or helping her reset, I hope this post helps you feel more prepared either way.

We’re cheering on Georgia this week and hoping to share happy hatch day news soon. Stay tuned 🐣

— Natalie
Cotton River Farm