Broody hen

A broody hen is one whose hormones have shifted her instinct from laying eggs to hatching them, whether or not the eggs underneath her are actually fertile. A broody hen stays on the nest almost constantly, fluffs up and often growls or pecks when disturbed, plucks some of her own breast feathers to line the nest, and may only leave briefly once a day to eat, drink, and relieve herself.

Some breeds go broody far more often than others, and a hen can go broody on unfertilized eggs, golf balls, or an empty box just as easily as on a fertile clutch, since the behavior is triggered by instinct rather than by what is actually beneath her. Keepers who want chicks can let a broody hen incubate fertile eggs herself, which usually works well since she handles turning and temperature on her own.

Keepers who do not want chicks usually break broodiness by removing her repeatedly from the nest or using a wire-bottom cage that cools her underside, since broodiness that drags on can leave a hen thin and dehydrated if she is not eating and drinking enough. A common mistake is leaving a broody hen for weeks without checking on her condition, or repeatedly pulling eggs out from under her without addressing the underlying drive, which often just prolongs the standoff.