My hen is broody. Now what?

It’s normal for hens to go broody. Some breeds — such as Buff Orpingtons, Cochins, or Silkies, and many breeds of bantams — are more prone to go broody than others, but even production breeds can, on occasion, go broody.  Black Stars are a production...

Silkies

History Silkies are a unique breed of chicken, thought to have originated in China or Southeast Asia. The first recorded history of Silkies occurs in Marco Polo’s writings about his travels to Asia in the 13th century, in which he describes chickens with...

What Traits Should I Seek in a Broody Hen?

When selecting a broody hen, you want a hen that will be a good setter and a good mother.  Our Facebook fans helped us come up with these lists of desirable traits and behaviors. A hen with good brooding, or setting traits … is protective of her nest and eggs,...

Breaking a Hen of Broodiness

Usually, when one of our hens goes broody, we let her continue to set so that she can hatch and raise chicks.  Occasionally, though, a hen will go broody at the wrong time. Maybe we don’t have space for her to raise her young, or the weather is too cold and...