Brooding hen: how to help your hen hatch?

Some breeds are known for brooding, like Australorps or Cochins. Although there's no point in forcing your hens to brood, certain behaviours can encourage them to do so in an ideal environment, when they decide to! So, how do you know if your hen is ready to brood? How long does brooding last? How can you help her to fertilise in optimum conditions? Find out in this article...

Changes in a hen's behaviour before brooding

With a modicum of experience, it's possible to tell if your hen is about to brood. In fact, in addition to certain physiological changes, she will adopt a completely new behaviour. .

Psychologically speaking, a hen ready to hatch will be very protective of her nest. Since having a quiet space is her priority, she will not hesitate to utter cries of protest if disturbed. So there's no need to enlist its help in the fight against CPB. This is not the time!

How long does hen brooding last?

Has your hen started brooding? That's because she has noticed the presence of several eggs in her nest! Her maternal instinct activated, your hen will now incubate for 21 days: this is known as the incubation period.

During this time, it's admirable to see how well the hen takes care of her eggs. As well as turning over regularly to distribute the heat perfectly, the hen only allows herself a half-hour break each day to stretch, hydrate, feed and relieve herself.

Hens don't just lay eggs, they also take care of them.

Hens don't necessarily lay fertilised eggs. But since nature is amazing, there's a way to find out for sure. From the 7ᵉ day of brooding, take advantage of the rare absences of the barnyard queen to analyse one of her eggs. Do you notice a red dot or vessels accompanied by a dark mass? Then incubation is at an advanced stage, with hatching expected in a fortnight!

Hatching hens: how to improve brooding comfort

To improve the comfort of your broody hens, it's imperative to place them in the best conditions. To do this, unlike manufacturers who discourage brooding, you can support them by:

• finding a rather warm, confined but sufficiently ventilated brooding area
• dropping fresh straw or hay at the nest (or nest box)
• avoiding any activity that is stressful for your hen
• ensuring that your hens can have physical and visual contact with her eggs at all times to encourage the secretion of hormones that are essential for brooding