Broody hens are often the least active chickens in your coop but the most docile ones.
Depending on whether you’re more interested in hatching chicks or egg production, broody hens are a great asset.
So, do Araucana chickens go broody?
Araucana hens go broody regularly. Though they are not as excessively broody as the Silkie, for example. This breed makes attentive mothers to brood chicks after they hatch as well. Still, when they go broody, Araucana hens will lay fewer of their beautiful blue eggs.
Are Araucana Hens Broody?
Anyone with experience raising layers will tell you the broodiness trait varies from bird to bird.
Certain breeds of chickens do go broody more often than others, though.
Araucanas are moderately broody. They go broody regularly but are not constantly found in the nesting box.
They also have a good motherly instinct.
So, if you like hatching chicks and letting the natural instincts of your hens lead the way, this might be your new favorite breed.
This being said, Araucanas are not as strong of layers as some other breeds.
The more often a hen goes broody, the fewer eggs she can lay for you.
Araucanas produce around 150 eggs per year, for example.
However, Ameraucana hens lay closer to 250 eggs yearly and go broody less often.
Now, this big of a difference isn’t entirely caused by broody Araucanas.
But the broodiness trait does make a difference!
Further Reading: Araucana chicken egg guide
Araucana Personality
Araucanas are mostly a calm breed of chicken. When they get broody, they spend a lot of time in the coop.
This breed gets a bad rap for being flighty and nervous. However, the truth is they simply have a lot of energy.
If they don’t get a lot of socialization from a young age, they tend to become flighty and nervous.
You might see a range of personalities among different chickens of this breed because people raise their birds differently.
When I was a kid, my little brother and I chased the chickens across the yard.
We just wanted to pick them up and hug them, but the birds obviously didn’t understand what we wanted!
Instead, we made them scared of us by accident.
By contrast, my older sister was always calm around them but also spent a lot of time in the chicken yard. Our Araucanas (and many other breeds) warmed up to her before long.
I tell you this because I think we have a lot of sway in how our birds turn out.
Even though chickens have distinct personalities, we still get to make them feel safe or unsafe.
Araucanas are flighty sometimes. But if they get used to you, they will feel and act more comfortable and less nervous.
Learn more about Araucana chickens’ noise level and if they’re the right fit for you.
What Makes Hens Go Broody?
Once your pullet has the ability to lay, she has the ability to go broody.
This usually means a bird goes broody for the first time at 5-10 months of age.
If they reach this age in the cold months of the year, your adventurous chickens probably won’t start laying until Spring.
Some birds’ mothering instinct is strong and leads them to go broody often.
But your average layer only tends to get broody once or twice per year.
We can often predict when our hens will go broody because it happens consistently in the warmer months of spring.
This is the natural instinct of most chicken breeds because the warm weather of springtime is a good environment for new baby chicks.
Some varieties go broody even in the cold months, though. This includes Silkies and other extremely broody breeds.
Recognizing a Broody Hen
Because Araucanas are such adventurous chickens, it’s much easier to tell when they go broody.
Here are some of the signs of a broody mama hen:
- Production is down
- Less active
- Sitting on eggs
Araucana chickens have excellent egg production. But more importantly, they have a beautiful blue egg color.
When they slow down on laying, you’ll notice.
Remember, even cold hardy chickens often stop laying so well in the winter.
If your birds’ excellent egg production disappears in November or December, it’s probably because of the weather.
Plenty of high-production breeds of chicken are active foragers, and the Araucana is no exception.
When their motherly instinct starts to take over, you’ll find your Araucana spending more time in the chicken coop.
Since this breed has a strong tendency to forage and roam the chicken yard, it’s noticeable when they get less active.
Finally, broody hens guard their eggs and may even get mad when you go to collect them.
A hen who normally spends her time foraging is most certainly going broody if you find her sitting on a clutch of eggs.
Caring for Broody Chickens
You know your chickens best, so be on the lookout for changes in their usual behavior.
If your hen starts to go broody and you want to take advantage, here’s how to care for her:
- Provide clean water
- Provide her own bowl of food
- Protect from flock
Once you’ve given your broody mama some fertilized eggs to sit on, you need to help her stay safe and healthy for the next several weeks.
Giving her access to food and her own clean water is crucial.
A broody hen should not be fighting for layer feed at the feeder.
In fact, it’s a good idea to protect her by separating her from the rest of the flock altogether.
This prevents other birds from stealing from her food bowl or messing with her clean water.
Furthermore, it will keep her and her new baby chicks safe from potential bullying.
Araucana Mamas
Araucanas are versatile birds which are active foragers but don’t just go broody in the spring like some breeds.
Instead, they have strong maternal instincts and do great with batches of chicks.
A hen who spends a lot of time in the coop or sitting on her Araucana chicken eggs is likely going broody.
Separate her from the flock with her own food and water to keep her safe until your new chicks hatch.