The term broody might not be an everyday word used in the average person’s vocabulary, but for anyone who owns chickens it is a well-known poultry tendency. Broodiness is a behavior a hen can exhibit ...

I’ve tried using a foster broody hen to raise chicks, and it can make brooding chicks easy. To use a hen to hatch eggs (or foster chicks), you first need a broody hen. We’ve heard of different things ...

Hatching your own chicks with a broody hen is an adventure that combines the wonders of nature with the charm of traditional farming. My year/old Easter Egger, Peach, decided she wanted a family of ...

Egg incubators, such as this Brinsea countertop model, offer another way to hatch chicken eggs if you don't have a broody hen. Now, on to working with broody hens. What follows is an adaptation from ...

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. You become adept at combing your fingers through feathers. I’ve got a Buff Cochin hen on my lap who is a giant, ...