When a chicken is described as "broody," it means she has entered a maternal behavioral state driven by hormones, where she wants to sit on eggs to incubate them and hatch chicks. This behavior involves the hen spending extended periods in the nesting box, often refusing to leave even for food or water, and showing protective or aggressive behavior toward anything approaching her nest
. Key characteristics of a broody hen include:
- Consistently sitting on a clutch of eggs (fertile or not) and trying to keep them warm by fluffing up her feathers and sometimes plucking feathers from her chest to create a soft, insulated nest
- Reduced eating and drinking, leading to weight loss and dull feathers due to the long incubation period (typically about 21 days)
- Vocalizing with distinctive clucking or growling sounds to defend her nest
- Increased aggression or pecking when disturbed or when someone tries to remove her from the nest
- Stopping egg laying while broody, as her focus shifts entirely to incubation and chick rearing
Broodiness is a natural reproductive instinct found more commonly in certain breeds such as Silkies, Cochins, and Orpingtons, while many modern high- production breeds have been bred to minimize this behavior
. In summary, a broody hen is one whose maternal instincts have triggered her to incubate eggs and raise chicks, characterized by persistent nesting behavior, protective aggression, reduced feeding, and physiological changes to support incubation
