Daf Ditty Pesachim 55: Broodiness

When Art goes bounding, lean,

Up hill-tops fired green
To pluck a rose for life.

Life like a broody hen

Cluck-clucks him back again.

But when Art, imbecile,

Sits old and chill
On sidings shaven clean,
And counts his clustering
Dead daisies on a string
With witless laughter….

Then like a new Jill

Toiling up a hill
Life scrambles after.

Lola Ridge1

Broodiness: Definition2
the feeling of wanting to have a baby or a child:

the quality in a hen of being ready to produce eggs and sit on them:

1
Dublin Poet, 1873-1941, an anarchist poet and an influential editor of avant-garde, feminist, and Marxist publications best
remembered for her long poems and poetic sequences. She, along with other political poets of the early Modernist period, has been
coming under increasing critical scrutiny at the beginning of the twenty-first century.
2
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/broodiness

1
2
MISHNA: Rabbi Meir says: With regard to any labor that one began before the fourteenth of
Nisan, he may complete it on the fourteenth before midday. However, one may not begin to
perform that labor from the outset on the fourteenth, even if he is able to complete it before
midday. And the Rabbis say: The practitioners of only three crafts are permitted to perform
labor until midday on Passover eve, and they are: Tailors, barbers, and launderers, whose
work is needed for the Festival. Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda says: Even shoemakers are permitted
to work on the fourteenth.

GEMARA: A dilemma was raised before the Sages: Was it with regard to labor for the purpose
of the Festival that we learned in the mishna that Rabbi Meir permits completing labor on the

3
fourteenth, but labor that is not for the purpose of the Festival may not even be completed?
Or perhaps it was with regard to labor that is not for the purpose of the Festival that we learned
that Rabbi Meir permits completing labor on the fourteenth, but with regard to labor that is for
the purpose of the Festival, we may even initiate it. Or perhaps, with regard to both labor that
is for the purpose of the Festival and labor that is not for the purpose of the Festival,
completing, yes, it is permitted, but initiating, no, it is prohibited.

4
Come and hear a resolution to the dilemma from that which we learned:

However, one may not begin work from the outset on the fourteenth, even if it is a small belt,
or even a small hairnet. What is the meaning of the term even in this context?

Isn’t it that even with regard to those items that are for the purpose of the Festival, completing,
yes, it is permitted, but initiating, no, it is prohibited?

And by inference, with regard to labor that is not for the purpose of the Festival, we may not
even complete labor that was begun previously. This supports the first possibility cited above.

5
It was stated in the mishna that the Rabbis say: The practitioners of only three crafts are
permitted to perform labor until midday on Passover eve. It was taught in explanation of their
opinion: The tailors may perform labor on Passover eve, as a layperson is permitted to sew in
his usual manner during the intermediate days of the Festival. Since this type of labor is
permitted during the intermediate days, when the prohibition against labor is more stringent than
on Passover eve, one may be lenient on Passover eve as well.

Barbers and launderers may perform labor on Passover eve, as one who arrives from a country
overseas or one who leaves prison who did not have time to cut their hair or launder their clothing
before the Festival may cut their hair and wash their clothing on the intermediate days of the
Festival.

Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: Shoemakers may also perform their labor, because
Festival pilgrims may repair their shoes during the intermediate days of the Festival.

The Gemara asks: With regard to what principle do the Rabbis and Rabbi Yosei disagree? The
Gemara answers: One Sage, Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, holds: We learn the halakha
with regard to the initiation of labor from the halakha with regard to the conclusion of labor; if
it is permitted to repair shoes, it is also permitted to initiate their production.

And one Sage, the Rabbis, holds: We cannot learn the halakha with regard to the initiation of
labor from the halakha with regard to the conclusion of labor; therefore, although it is permitted
to repair shoes, it is prohibited to produce new ones.

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MISHNA: This mishna continues the discussion of the halakhot of Passover eve. One may place
eggs under hens on the fourteenth of Nisan so that the birds will brood until the eggs hatch. And
if a hen fled from brooding, one may restore it to its place. And if a brooding hen died, one may
place another in its stead. Similarly, one may sweep dung from beneath the legs of an animal
on the fourteenth of Nisan. And during the intermediate days of the Festival one may clear it

7
to the sides. Similarly, one may take vessels to the craftsman’s house for repair and bring others
from there even though they are not for the purpose of the Festival.

GEMARA: Now, the mishna stated that placing a brooding hen to sit on eggs is permitted; is it
necessary to mention that restoring a hen to its brooding place is permitted? Abaye said: In the
last clause of the mishna we have arrived at the halakhot of the intermediate days of the
Festival, when placing a hen to sit on eggs is prohibited, yet one may nevertheless restore a hen
that fled, as failure to do so will cause him to incur a loss. On the fourteenth of Nisan, one may
even place a hen to brood ab initio.

8
Summary

Rav Avrohom Adler writes:3

There is a dispute whether one can begin a labor on the fourteenth of Nissan.

Rabbi Meir maintains that if one started to perform labor before the fourteenth of Nissan, he can
complete the labor on the fourteenth. One cannot, however, begin a labor on the fourteenth even
if he can complete it before midday. The Chachamim maintain in any locale, those who practice
three crafts can perform labor on the fourteenth of Nissan until midday, and they are tailors, barbers
and launderers. Rabbi Yose bar Yehudah adds shoemakers. The Gemara concludes that according
to Rabbi Meir, in a locale where the custom is not to work on the fourteenth of Nissan, one can
only perform labor if the labor is for the festival, and the labor must be performed to complete an
unfinished task.

Certain individuals are permitted to perform acts of labor on the intermediate days of a
festival.

We learned in the Mishnah that the Chachamim maintain that tailors, barbers, and launderers can
perform labor on the fifteenth of Nissan until midday. A Baraisa states that tailors can begin work
on the morning of the fourteenth even if the custom is not to work on the fourteenth, because even
an amateur tailor can sew his clothing in a normal manner on the intermediate days of the festival.
This is because the fourteenth of Nissan is more lenient than the intermediate days of the festival.
Barbers and launderers can begin labor on the fourteenth of Nissan because one who arrives from
overseas and one who is freed from jail are allowed to cut their hair and launder their clothing
during the intermediate days of the festival. Rabbi Yose bar Yehudah permits shoemakers to
fashion new shoes on the fourteenth of Nissan because the festival pilgrims were allowed to mend
their shoes during the intermediate days of the festival. Rabbi Yose bar Yehudah permits
manufacturing new shoes on the fourteenth because he learns the law regarding beginning an act
of labor (manufacturing shoes) from the law of finishing an act of labor (mending shoes). The
Chachamim, however, maintain that we cannot derive the law regarding beginning an act of labor
from the law of completing an act of labor.

One can place eggs under hens for brooding on the fourteenth of Nissan.

One can place eggs under hens for brooding on the fourteenth of Nisan, and this law applies even
in a locale where the custom is not to work on the morning of the fourteenth. A brooding hen that
ran away can be returned to her place. If the hen died while brooding, one can place another hen
in its place. The Gemara qualifies this last statement to be referring to the intermediate days of the
festival. Although one cannot set a hen on her eggs on the intermediate days of the festival, if the
hen ran away, one can return her to her place, because one can exert himself on the intermediate
days of the festival to prevent the loss of the eggs. Rav Huna maintains that one can only return

3
http://dafnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Pesachim_55.pdf

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the hen to her place if it is within three days of her running away, as she still has her heat, i.e., her
desire to brood, and she is open to continue brooding, and only after three days of brooding,
because the eggs are no longer edible, and if the hen does not return, the owner will incur a loss.
If three days have passed since the hen ran away and her heat has left her, or even if it is within
three days of her flight but within three days when she began brooding, and the eggs are not
completely ruined, one cannot return the hen to her place. Rabbi Ami disagrees and maintains that
even within three days from when she began brooding one can return the hen to her place. Rav
Huna maintains that the Chachamim were concerned about a significant loss, but they were not
concerned about a minimal loss, which is the case regarding eggs that were incubated for less than
three days. Rabbi Ami, however, maintains that the Chachamim were also concerned about a
minimal loss, and the Chachamim allowed the owner to return the hen on the intermediate days of
the festival rather than to sell the eggs at a lower price.

FINISHING "MELACHOS" ON "EREV PESACH": WHO AND WHEN?

Rav Mordechai Kornfeld writes:4

Our Mishnah, Rebbi Meir permits a person to continue to work on the fourteenth of Nisan in order
to finish his work on an object that he started before the fourteenth of Nisan, when the object is
needed for the festival. The Chachamim permit a person not only to finish what he started, but
even to start three specific types of work on the fourteenth of Nisan, until midday: tailoring,
barbering, and washing clothes.

In what type of place do the respective opinions of Rebbi Meir and the Chachamim apply?

Does their argument apply in a place in which the custom is not to do Melachah before midday of
the fourteenth of Nisan (and the Mishnah teaches that certain Melachos nevertheless are permitted
even in such a place), or does their argument apply in a place in which the custom is
to do Melachah before midday (and the Mishnah limits the type of work that may be performed
even in such a place)?

Moreover, if the Mishnah applies to a place in which the custom is not to do work even before
midday, does Rebbi Meir permit one to finish a Melachah even after midday? When the
Chachamim permit one to start three types of work only until midday, do they permit one
to finish work also only until midday, or even after midday?

RI (cited by the ROSH 4:8) is lenient in both cases. He explains that Rebbi Meir and the
Chachamim permit the Melachos they discuss even in a place where the custom is not to do
Melachah before midday. One may finish a Melachah even after midday.

However, the ROSH (ibid.) agrees only with part of the Ri's ruling. The Rosh agrees that Rebbi
Meir and the Chachamim permit their respective Melachos even in a place where the custom

4
https://www.dafyomi.co.il/pesachim/insites/ps-dt-055.htm

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is not to do Melachah. However, all of the acts that they permit -- even finishing a Melachah -- are
permitted only until midday, and not after midday.

However, the Rosh maintains that the Mishnah refers to places where the custom is not to do
Melachah. This appears to be the opinion of RASHI (55a, DH Shalosh, and beginning of 55b, DH
Gomrah), the RA'AVAD (Hilchos Yom Tov 8:19), and most other Rishonim as well. This view
is supported by the Tosefta (3:14). (See below)

RAMBAM (Hilchos Yom Tov 8:19)

But even in a place where they are accustomed to do [work], one should not begin to do new work
on the fourteenth, even though he is able to finish it before midday. [This is] except for three jobs
only that may be begun in a place where they are accustomed to do [work]. And they may be done
until midday. And these are them: Tailors; barbers; and launderers. But [with] other jobs, it is
[only] if one began them before the fourteenth that that he may finish them until midday. For
people do not have a great need for other jobs.

Rambam above, understands the Mishnah in an entirely different way. He understands that the
Mishnah refers to a place in which the custom is to do Melachah before midday on Erev Pesach.
Even in such a place, only the Melachos mentioned in the Mishnah (that is, finishing a Melachah
according to Rebbi Meir, or the three types of work according to the Chachamim) are permitted.
In a place where the custom is not to do Melachah, all Melachah is prohibited without exception.

MAGID MISHNEH supports the Rambam's ruling on logical grounds. If the Mishnah refers only
to a place in which it is customary not to do Melachah on Erev Pesach, then it is irrelevant whether
one may finish a Melachah (according to Rebbi Meir) or start one of the three Melachos (according
to the Chachamim). One merely follows the local practice: If the custom is not to permit even these
Melachos, then obviously one may not act leniently, and if these Melachos are not prohibited by
the local custom, then obviously one may perform them.

The Mishnah must be discussing whether one may perform Melachah where no custom prohibits
it.

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The SHULCHAN ARUCH (OC 468:5) above, cites the Rambam's opinion. The REMA cites the
more lenient opinion of the other Rishonim.

THE PROOF THAT ONE MAY NOT FINISH A "MELACHAH" THAT IS

NOT NEEDED FOR THE FESTIVAL

Our Daf discusses whether one may finish a Melachah on the fourteenth of Nisan that is not
needed for the Yom Tov, and whether one may start a Melachah on the fourteenth of Nisan that is
needed for the Yom Tov. The Gemara proves from a Beraisa that both acts are prohibited, and that
one is permitted only to finish a Melachah that is needed for the Yom Tov.

The Beraisa states, "Rebbi Meir says that one may finish a Melachah on the fourteenth that is
needed for the festival, but a Melachah that is not needed for the festival is forbidden, and one may
do Melachah on Erev Pesach until midday in a place where the custom is to do Melachah."

The Gemara infers that "only 'in a place where the custom is to do Melachah' is it permitted, but
not in a place where the custom is not to do Melachah. We learn from here [that Melachah is
permitted on the fourteenth only when it is needed for the festival]."

The Gemara's statement is difficult to understand. Why is it necessary for the Gemara to infer from
the second half of the Beraisa that one may not finish a Melachah that is not needed for the festival
("Makom she'Nahagu In, Lo Nahagu Lo")? The first half of the Beraisa says explicitly that "one
may not finish a Melachah that is not needed for the festival."5

MAGID MISHNEH (Hilchos Yom Tov 8:19) and other Acharonim point out that the Gemara's
statement here provides proof for the RAMBAM's interpretation of the Mishnah (see previous
Insight). The Rambam understands that one is permitted to finish a Melachah that is needed for
the festival only in a place where the custom is to do Melachah on the fourteenth of Nisan.

The first part of the Beraisa does not state this point explicitly. The first part of the Beraisa can be
understood to mean that one may finish a Melachah in all places, as long as the Melachah was
started. The Gemara therefore proves from the end of the Beraisa that all of the laws of the Beraisa

5
TIFERES SHMUEL on the Rosh (4:8:3); SEFAS EMES and others

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(including the allowance to finish a Melachah that was already started) apply only in a place where
the custom is to do Melachah on the fourteenth.

However, most Rishonim reject the Rambam's approach and permit one to finish a Melachah even
in a place where the custom is not to do Melachah on the fourteenth of Nisan (see previous Insight).

According to their view, why does the Gemara need to infer the law from the second part of the
Beraisa, when the first part of the Beraisa states it explicitly?

The RAN explains that the Gemara's intention is to prove that starting a Melachah is prohibited
under all circumstances -- even if it is necessary for the festival -- in a place where the custom is
not to do Melachah. This Halachah is not apparent from the first part of the Beraisa.6

RASHI (DH Lo) seems to have a different approach. He explains that the Gemara's intention is to
infer that one may not finish a Melachah that is not necessary for the festival. According to Rashi,
why does the Gemara need to infer this from the second part of the Beraisa, when the first part of
the Beraisa says it explicitly?

Perhaps it is not clear from the first part of the Beraisa that one may not finish an unnecessary
Melachah even before midday. The Beraisa might refer to after midday (like the Mishnah,
according to the understanding of the RI; see previous Insight). The Gemara therefore finds it
necessary to prove from the end of the Beraisa, which discusses what may be done before midday,
that one indeed is prohibited to finish a Melachah that is not needed for the festival.

RABEINU DAVID, the CHIDUSHEI HA'RAN, and other Rishonim seem to have a different
text in the Gemara. Their text appears to be the text of the Berlin Manuscript, as recorded by
the DIKDUKEI SOFRIM. In their version of the Gemara, the phrase "Asur v'" is absent.
Accordingly, the first part of the Beraisa makes no mention of the Halachah with regard to a
Melachah that is not needed for the festival.7

Accordingly, the Gemara indeed must cite proof from an inference from the end of the Beraisa.
This may also be Rashi's text as well, and it may also be the intention of the Ran.8

6
Although the first part of the Beraisa only permits finishing a Melachah that is necessary for the festival where the custom is not
to do Melachah, which implies that one may not start a Melachah, perhaps the Beraisa also maintains that one may start such a
Melachah. It mentions "finishing" a Melachah only to emphasize that if the Melachah is not needed for the festival, it may
not even be finished, as the Beraisa concludes.
7
According to this text, the Beraisa reads, "Rebbi Meir says that one may finish a Melachah on the fourteenth that is needed for
the festival, but a Melachah that is not needed for the festival one may do on Erev Pesach until midday in a place where the custom
is to do Melachah." The words, "is forbidden, and" are omitted after the words, "but a Melachah that is not needed for the festival."
8
HAGAHOS of the RE'EM on the Semag, Mitzvah Lo Ta'aseh #75; MENACHEM MESHIV based on the OR CHADASH; see
also MAGID MISHNEH who alludes to this as well.

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A shoemaker may work on erev Pesach, because pilgrims who come to Yerushalayim may have
their shoes fixed on Chol HaMoed.9

‫תוס' ד"ה עולי רגלים מתקנים מנעליהן‬

Tosfos proves from here that one is forbidden to repair shoes on Chol ha'Mo'ed.)
.‫ דלא התירו אלא לעולי רגלים דווקא‬,‫מהכא משמע בהדיא דאסור לתקן מנעלים בחוה"מ‬

From here it is clearly implied that one may not repair shoes on Chol ha'Mo'ed, seeing as they
only permitted it for the Olei Regalim.

.‫ שמא יקרעו יותר‬,‫ואין לומר דדבר האבד הוא‬

Neither can one say that it causes a loss (a Davar ha'Aveid, which is permitted on Chol
ha'Mo'ed), since they might tear more.

.‫דהא יכול לקנות חדשים‬

Seeing as one can purchase new ones.

‫ שכן כותב גיטי נשים‬,‫ ופריך 'אלא מעתה לבלר לישתרי‬,‫( מייתי הך ברייתא‬.‫ובפרק מי שהפך )מ"ק יג‬
.‫(? ומשני שפיר‬:‫ כדתנן בפרק אלו מגלחים )שם יח‬,'‫ושוברים‬

The Gemara in Perek Mi she'Hafach (Mo'ed Katan 13.) cites this Beraisa, and asks 'A Sofer
ought to be permitted to write on Chol ha'Mo'ed, seeing as he writes Gitei Nashim and receipts,
as we learned in the Mishnah in 'Eilu Megalchin'? And the Gemara answers appropriately.

Tosafos notices that only the p i l g r i m s w h o c o m e t o Yerushalayim are allowed to fix

their shoes on Chol HaMoed. Others are not allowed, even if the shoes might rip further if not
fixed, because they can buy new ones, and fix the torn ones after Yom Tov.

Rosh (Moed Kattan, 1:#17) explains that if a rip gets bigger, this is not defined as a ‫האבד דבר‬
unless the shoe will be completely ruined.

9
https://dafdigest.org/masechtos/Pesachim%20055.pdf

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Mishna Berura (541:10) writes that even according to the Rosh, if the tear will be irreparable, it
may be be fixed on Chol HaMoed. But if new ones can be bought, this is preferable.

Meiri (ibid., 13a) argues with Tosafos, pointing out that not everyone has enough money to buy
new shoes.

Placing a Hen to Brood on Erev Pesah

Steinzaltz (OBM) writes:10

One of the activities that might be restricted on erev Pesah involves an egg farmer who prepares
nests or coops for his birds. The Mishna teaches that hens can be put on eggs to warm them for
hatching on the 14th of Nisan; similarly, if a hen has abandoned her post on the eggs she can be
returned to it, or if the hen dies another can be brought as a replacement. These activities are not
true melakhot, but they do involve a certain amount of hard work to accomplish.

Gemara: Now, the mishna stated that placing a brooding hen to sit on eggs is permitted; is it
necessary to mention that restoring a hen to its brooding place is permitted? Abaye said: In the
last clause of the mishna we have arrived at the halakhot of the intermediate days of the Festival,
when placing a hen to sit on eggs is prohibited, yet one may nevertheless restore a hen that fled,
as failure to do so will cause him to incur a loss. On the fourteenth of Nisan, one may even place
a hen to brood ab initio.

10
https://steinsaltz.org/daf/pesahim55/

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Rav Huna follows this by teaching that the bird can only be returned to the nest within three days
of leaving d’akati lo parah tzimra minei – because the hen has not yet lost its warmth, but after that
the hen cannot be returned.

When birds, including chickens, sit on their nests and warm their eggs, it is not a simple act of rest
for them. “Brooding” (degira in modern Hebrew) involves a complex hormonal change in the
chicken that gets the bird to sit for weeks on end in a single place, ready to fend off any attackers.

This condition is brought about by a number of factors, including the season and the physical touch
and feel of eggs against the body. In many birds, the body temperature rises (some specific areas
on the body become warmer) as part of the hormonal change.

In the event that the bird loses its natural inclination towards brooding, returning it to the nest
within a short time may successfully restart its instinct for remaining on the nest, due to the contact
with the eggs.

If the bird is not returned shortly after leaving the nest, it may not be possible to return it to
brooding.

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Broodiness11

Broodiness is a physiological state or maternal behavior exhibited by hens who want to be mothers.
Their physiology and behavior will change towards fulfilling this goal. A broody hen will
continuously sit on a clutch of eggs in order to incubate them to hatch. During this time, she may:

Sit in the nest box all day and all night, even if there are no eggs to sit on.

If she sees an egg, she will take it and put it underneath her.

Stop laying eggs.

Eat and drink less.

Pluck feathers from her chest and abdomen (referred to as brood patches), which is done to help
improve heat transfer from her body to the eggs.

Produce abnormally large droppings.

When disturbed, she’ll often get defensive and/or make characteristic clucking sounds.

Prolactin (PRL), one of the pituitary hormones, plays an important role in the onset of broodiness.

When levels of this hormone increase, it inhibits the production of gonadotropin, which is what
stimulates ovarian follicles (what eggs are made from). When an actively laying hen is injected
with prolactin, it causes her to stop laying eggs and go broody within a couple of days.

Certain environmental conditions stimulate the onset of broodiness in hens. Warm weather, letting
eggs accumulate in the nest box, reduced exposure to light, and seeing baby chicks can induce
broodiness.

Certain chicken breeds have a genetic predisposition for frequent broodiness. Silkies, Cochins,
Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Icelandic, Iowa Blue, Nankin, Delaware, game fowl hens, Dutch
bantam, New Hampshire, Indian game, Pekin, Belgain Bearded d’Uccle, Booted bantam, and
Sussex are well known for their broody behavior, and reputation for being excellent mothers to
newly hatched chicks.

Breeds that were selectively bred for excessive egg production, such as the white Leghorn, rarely
show broody behavior.

This is because broodiness is undesirable for the egg industry, because they artificially incubate
eggs through hatcheries.

11
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/broodiness

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How to tell if a hen is broody?

Put an egg in front of her, a broody hen usually can't resist moving the egg underneath her. Often,
if the hen is picked up and placed somewhere else, she will fluff out her feathers and just proceed
to nest in that very location for a few moments, before eventually making her way back to her nest.

Clinical Signs

Hen sits in nest box for prolonged periods of time

Treatment

No treatment is needed, just let her be.

Support Scientific References

1Shimmura, Tsuyoshi, et al.. Persistent effect of broody hens on behaviour of chickens Animal Science Journal (2015)

2Markos, Shishay, B. Berhanu, and D. Tadelle. Incubation and Brooding Practices of Local Chicken Producers in Ethiopia: The
Case of Western Zone of Tigray. Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare (2014)

3Geng, A. L., et al. Effects of photoperiod on broodiness, egg-laying and endocrine responses in native laying hens British poultry
science (2014)

4Jiang, R-S., et al.. Association of polymorphisms for prolactin and prolactin receptor genes with broody traits in chickens Poultry
Science, Volume 84, Issue 6 (2005)

5Dunn, I. C. Genetic mapping of the chicken prolactin receptor gene: a candidate gene for the control of broodiness British poultry
science 39.S1 (1998)

6Sharp, P. J., et al.. Relationships between prolactin, LH and broody behaviour in bantam hens Journal of Endocrinology 118.2
(1988)

7El Halawani, M. E., et al.. Regulation of prolactin and its role in gallinaceous bird reproduction Journal of Experimental Zoology
Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology 232.3 (1984)

8Sharp, Peter J., et al.. Aspects of the neuroendocrine control of ovulation and broodiness in the domestic hen. ournal of
Experimental Zoology (1984)

9Lea, R. W., et al.. The possible role of prolactin in the regulation of nesting behaviour and the secretion of luteinizing hormone in
broody bantams. Journal of Endocrinology 91.1 (1981)

10El Halawani, M. E., Burke, W. H., & Dennison, P. T.. Effect of nest-deprivation on serum prolactin level in nesting female
turkeys. Biology of Reproduction, 23(1), 118-123 (1980)

11Ramsay, A. O.. Variations in the development of broodiness in fowl Behaviour (1953)

12Burrows, W. H., & Byerly, T. C. Studies of prolactin in the fowl pituitary. I. Broody hens compared with laying hens and males.
Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 34(5), 841-844. (1936)

13Riddle, Oscar, Robert W. Bates, and Ernest L. Lahr.. Prolactin induces broodiness in fowl American Journal of Physiology-
Legacy Content 111.2 (1935)

18
Reproductive management of poultry

Colin G. Scanes, ... Michael T. Kidd, write:12

Approaches to reduce broodiness

It is advantageous to suppress broodiness (maternal behavior) and the consequent decrease in egg
production in poultry. Broodiness has been effectively genetically eliminated in commercial
chickens irrespective of whether broilers or laying hens.

Approaches that could reduce the unfavorable effects of broodiness in turkeys include: genetics
and active or passive immunization with antisera reducing available prolactin. Administration of
antisera to turkey prolactin increased egg production in turkeys.

An alternate approach is active immunization. Similarly, egg production was markedly increased
in turkey hens actively immunized against VIP (with VIP being conjugated to keyhole limpet
hemocyanin) due to impairment of prolactin release and consequently reduction in incubation
behavior(s).

It was hoped that antisera could also enhance reproduction in males. Young male chickens
exhibited multiple changes after active immunization against both inhibin and VIP. These included
increases in semen volume and spermatozoa mobility together with spermatozoa concentrations.

In contrast, this improvement in reproductive performance was not seen in old roosters actively
immunized against both inhibin and VIP.

Antibody approaches do not appear to be widely adopted due to expense of registration.

Pituitary Gland

Broodiness is due to the secretion of the hormone prolactin by the anterior lobe of the hypophysis.
Prolactin injection in hens provokes egg laying to stop within a few days, vitellum reabsorption,
ovary regression (hens only have a left ovary) and finally broodiness. However, attempts to stop
broodiness by the administration of several hormones have failed because this state, once evoked,
requires time to revert.
Prolactin injections inhibit the production of gonadotropin hormone, a hormone that
stimulates ovarian follicles which is produced in the frontal lobe of hypophysis.
Castrated males can go broody with baby chicks, showing that broodiness is not limited to females,
however, castrated males do not incubate eggs.

12
Animal Agriculture, 2020: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/broodiness

19
Contrary to common opinion, the temperature of broody hens barely differs from that of laying
hens. Broody hens pluck feathers from their chest, using them to cover the eggs. As a consequence
of this, they develop one or several patches of bare skin on the ventral surface. These reddish, well-
vascularized areas of skin are usually called brood patches. which improve heat transfer to the
eggs.

Colin G. Scanes writes:13

23.6.3.2 PRL and Incubation Behavior and Broodiness

It is generally believed that in vertebrates, prolactin (PRL) is predominantly synthesized and

released by pituitary lactotrophs and plays important roles in many physiological processes via
activation of PRL receptor (PRLR), including water and electrolyte balance, reproduction, growth
and development, metabolism, immuno-modulation, and behavior. 14

However, there is increasing evidence showing that PRL and the newly identified ‘prolactin-like
protein (PRL-L)’, a novel ligand of PRL receptor, are also expressed in a variety of extra-pituitary
tissues, such as the brain, skin, ovary, and testes in non-mammalian vertebrates.

In birds, incubation behavior and broodiness are controlled by PRL. Administration of PRL
induces broodiness (chickens: Riddle et al., 1935; turkey: Youngren et al., 1991). Incubation
behavior is completely suppressed in turkey hens actively immunized against PRL (Crióstomo
et al., 1998). In turkeys, PRL acts centrally to increase nesting activity and together with sex
steroids to induce incubating behavior (El Halawani et al., 1986; Youngren et al., 1991). Similarly
in bantam chickens, PRL increases incubation behavior, with increased nesting behavior in
previously nest-deprived birds (Sharp et al., 1988). A positive feedback loop between PRL and
incubation is envisaged.

Release of PRL and hence plasma concentrations of PRL are very high when birds are incubating
their eggs (chickens: Sharp et al., 1988; turkeys: El Halawani et al., 1988; Wong et al., 1991).
Circulating concentrations of PRL are also elevated during incubation in wild birds, for instance
in both male and female Manx shearwater (Riou et al., 2010). Furthermore, the plasma
concentrations of PRL fall rapidly if incubation behavior or nesting is interrupted (El Halawani
et al., 1980; Tong et al., 1997).

13
Sturkie's Avian Physiology (Sixth Edition), 2015
14
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/

20
15

Dan L. Cunningham writes:16

Broodiness is a condition in which laying hens have a desire to set their eggs. When hens go broody
they stop laying eggs and marshal their physiological and behavioural resources for incubating
and hatching chicks.

This is a favourable condition if one wants to produce chicks through the natural nesting process. It

15
Kathy Shea Mormino in: https://the-chicken-chick.com/broody-breaker-when-hens-mood-to-hatch/
16
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/controlling-broodiness-in-backyard

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is, however, a detrimental condition if one is only interested in maximizing egg production. If one
wants to achieve maximum egg production from their flocks, then one must minimise the incidence
of broodiness. Broodiness can reduce egg production by as much as eight to 10 eggs per hen.

Broodiness is controlled by several factors including genetics, endocrinology and the environment.
Fortunately, the environment can be a significant contributor to broody behaviour and, as a result, can
also be manipulated to discourage this condition.

The following are two methods that may be used to alter the hen's environment to discourage broody
behaviour:

1. Broody pens or coops

Broody females are placed in an isolated pen or coop similar to the laying pen except there are no nest
present. Removing the hens from visual and physical stimulations provided by nest and nesting
material will help discourage this behaviour. In addition, it will help prevent producing hens from
observing and adopting the broody behaviour of their flock mates.

The hens should be held in this isolation pen for seven to 10 days before moving them back to the
laying pen.

Depending on the number of hens with broody behaviour, multiple broody pens may be necessary.
Rotating hens between pens with different feed and water locations and without nest will discourage
nesting behaviour. This procedure of pen rotation may have to be repeated several times to stop the
broody condition.

2. Broody pens plus light

Light intensity and duration are important factors in stimulating egg production. It has been well
established by poultry scientists that low levels of continuous artificial light, i.e., 0.5 foot candles for
12 hours or more, will provide enough stimulation for maximising egg production.

Thus, the use of artificial light to stimulate egg production and break broody conditions in hens has
been in use for many years. Using light stimulation in conjunction with a broody pen is more effective
than simple pen rotation methods.

With this procedure, the coop or pen is equipped with a light(s) hung approximately four feet above

22
the floor. Using 60 to 100 watt bulbs will provide the needed light intensity. Light should be provided
for a minimum of 12 hours per day while the hens are in the broody pens.

Using pens or coops with wire floors will also discourage broody behaviour. Wire floors will not
provide the hen the sensory materials, e.g. dirt or grass, to facilitate nesting behaviour.

Summary Points

• The incidence of broodiness decreases egg production. On the average, egg production is
reduced by 8 to 10 eggs each time a hen becomes broody.
• Inspect nests regularly and keep records on birds that you suspect of becoming broody.
• Remove broody birds as soon as possible and place them in a broody pen.
• Provide artificial light, if possible
• Maintain the birds in the broody pens for a minimum of 7 days before returning to the laying
pens.
• Repeat this process as needed.

If a broodiness control programmed is conscientiously followed, egg production will be increased in

your flock.

23
 Byron c. 1816, by Henry Harlow

The Byronic hero

The Byronic hero is a variant of the Romantic hero as a type of character, named after the
English Romantic poet Lord Byron. Both Byron's own persona as well as characters from his
writings are considered to provide defining features to the character type.17
The Byronic hero first reached a very wide public in Byron's semi-autobiographical epic narrative
poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage (1812–1818). Historian and critic Lord Macaulay described the
character as "a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a
scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection".
Byron's poems with Oriental settings show more "swashbuckling" and decisive versions of the
type. Later works show Byron progressively distancing himself from the figure by providing
alternative hero types, like Sardanapalus (Sardanapalus), Juan (Don Juan) or Torquil ("The
Island"), or, when the figure is present, by presenting him as less sympathetic (Alp in "The Siege
of Corinth") or criticising him through the narrator or other characters. Byron would later attempt
such a turn in his own life when he joined the Greek War of Independence, with fatal results,

17
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byronic_hero

24
though recent studies show him acting with greater political acumen and less idealism than
previously thought. The actual circumstances of his death from disease in Greece were
unglamorous in the extreme, but back in England these details were ignored in the many works
promoting his myth.
The Byronic hero had a significant influence on later literature, in English and other languages.

The initial version of the type in Byron's work, Childe Harold, draws on a variety of earlier literary
characters including Hamlet, Goethe's Werther (1774), and William Godwin's Mr. Faulkland
in Caleb Williams (1794); he was also noticeably similar to René, the hero
of Chateaubriand's novella of 1802, although Byron may not have read this. Ann Radcliffe's
"unrepentant" Gothic villains (beginning in 1789 with the publication of The Castles of Athlin and
Dunbayne, a Highland Story) also foreshadow a moody, egotistical Byronic "villain" nascent in
Byron's own juvenilia, some of which looks back to Byron's Gordon relations, Highland aristocrats
or Jacobites now lost between two worlds. For example, in Byron's early poem "When I Roved a
Young Highlander" (1808), we see a reflection of Byron's youthful Scottish connection, but also
find these lines:
As the last of my race, I must wither alone,
And delight but in days, I have witness'd before:
These lines echo William Wordsworth's treatment of James Macpherson's Ossian in "Glen-
Almain" (1807):
That Ossian, last of all his race!
Lies buried in this lonely place.
Thus Byron's poem seems to show that a brooding, melancholy influence not only from
Wordsworth but also from Macpherson was very much on his mind at an early date.
After Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, the Byronic hero made an appearance in many of Byron's other
works, including his series of poems on Oriental themes: The Giaour (1813), The Corsair (1814)
and Lara (1814); and his closet play Manfred (1817). For example, Byron described Conrad, the
pirate hero of his The Corsair (1814), as follows:
That man of loneliness and mystery,
Scarce seen to smile, and seldom heard to sigh— (I, VIII)

He knew himself a villain—but he deem'd

The rest no better than the thing he seem'd;
And scorn'd the best as hypocrites who hid
Those deeds the bolder spirit plainly did.
He knew himself detested, but he knew
The hearts that loath'd him, crouch'd and dreaded too.
Lone, wild, and strange, he stood alike exempt
From all affection and from all contempt: (I, XI)

25
Byron's influence is manifest in many authors and artists of the Romantic movement and writers
of Gothic fiction during the 19th century. Lord Byron was the model for the title character
of Glenarvon (1816) by Byron's erstwhile lover Lady Caroline Lamb; and for Lord
Ruthven in The Vampyre (1819) by Byron's personal physician, John William Polidori. Edmond
Dantes from Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo (1844), Heathcliff from Emily
Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1847), and Rochester from Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre (1847) are
other later 19th-century examples of Byronic heroes.

Broodiness: The Need to Conceive

Mother Nature just doesn't play fair.18

Broodiness refers to feelings of longing and the urge to have a baby. The reasoning behind
broodiness is somewhat debated by the scientific community. Many theories suggest that
broodiness is the result of changing hormones, suggesting women's bodies are biologically
programmed to procreate. This theory is supported by the fact that most women begin to feel
broody around the same point in their lives, generally between their early to late 20s, but this can
vary depending on the individual. On the other hand not all women experience this at the same
age, in fact some women do not experience these feelings at all.

This gives weight to the idea that broodiness is an emotional reaction. That some women simply
want a baby, whether this is because they feel like something is missing, want someone to care for
or they want someone to love who will love them in return. This theory is supported by the fact
the majority of women who do not experience broodiness generally do not want or do not like
18
AZZYNESS E in CHILDREN / PARENTS: https://vocal.media/families/broodiness-the-need-to-conceive

26
children. On the contrary, the physical symptoms women describe when broody are unlikely to be
caused by emotions alone.

Broodiness in older women is often considered a reaction to aging. A woman's fertility begins to
decline rapidly around the age of 35, thus extreme broodiness maybe a subconscious reaction for
worries that they may be unable to conceive if they wait much longer. There is a distinct lack in
reliable research as to why women experience broodiness. However, whatever the reason, research
does strongly support that broodiness is a real and surprisingly common phenomenon.

Women describe broodiness as an overwhelming desire to create a baby. Women can feel that they
are not 'whole' or their lives are incomplete without a child, regardless of their circumstances or
what they have accomplished in their lives so far. Being broody is generally not a pleasant feeling,
as it is associated with feelings of emptiness, longing, and sadness. The desire to bare a child can
be so strong that some women have described the sensation as almost physically painful.

Some women experience feelings of loneliness, emptiness, and even depression due to feeling
broody. When trawling through the internet I have found many women desperately seeking help
on how to combat these feelings. Hundreds if not thousands of women, seeking
to alleviate broodiness without actually having a baby. For some of these women these feelings
strike when it isn't the right time for a baby, they physically cannot have a baby, or already have
the amount of children they want.

Relationships can be affected when experiencing broodiness, not only with significant others but
with friends and family members who already have children. This is because being around people
who have children or are pregnant can trigger emotions such as jealousy and sadness, which may
cause resentment. The best way of coping with these feelings is talking to those around you. By
ensuring they understand how you're feeling they maybe able to relate and are less likely to take
any bitter feelings personally. They may even appreciate you offering to hold or take care of their
little ones if they need a break, making this a win/win situation for all involved.

There are many triggers which may make a woman feel this way. One of the most obvious triggers
are hormones. Hormone levels play a big part in how we feel, both physically and emotionally.
Thus women are more likely to feel broody whilst ovulating, as this is when they are most fertile.
It is unlikely to be a coincidence that fertility is at its peak between 21 and 28 years of age, which
is when women are most likely to begin experiencing the need to conceive.

Another common trigger is seeing a baby, whether this is in person or on TV. For me personally
the worst trigger is hearing the cries of a newborn, it makes me feel like my heart is crying with
them and accompanied by a strange, indescribable twinge or contraction within my womb. There
are a lot of women who claim to experience this feeling, none of which describe it as enjoyable.

27
Falling in love makes men broody
Linda Geddes writes:19

Falling in love really does make you broody – especially if you are a man. New lovers show greater
activation of brain areas related to parental attachment when they see a baby than single people.

This was particularly pronounced in men, hinting that babies may be on their mind from the outset
of a relationship. Alternatively, “men may be worried about their partner’s desire for children, and
their increased attention to infant stimuli is based on apprehension and the need to be more
guarded”, says Ruth Feldman of Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, who led the research.

Feldman’s team used electroencephalography to monitor the brain activity of 65 volunteers,

including new parents, new lovers and singles as they viewed pictures of infants – including the
parents’ own babies – along with neutral pictures.

When viewing unfamiliar babies, parents and new lovers showed greater activation of brain areas
associated with parenting, such as the nucleus accumbens, anterior cingulate and amygdala, than
singles. The response was even greater in parents viewing their own child.

19
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21466-falling-in-love-makes-men-broody/#ixzz6jKO1Xqeo

28
Mothers and male lovers showed slightly greater activation of these brain areas than fathers and
female lovers.20

“This suggests that even though the lovers don’t know it, they are physiologically getting ready to
respond to infants,” says Helen Fisher of Rutgers University in New York, author of Why We Love.

It also overturns a common assumption that men are less interested in babies than women. “It
shows that we really don’t understand men,” says Fisher.

Personality counts

Fisher has just published the results of a survey of 6000 men and women in the US, which found
that men are significantly more likely to make a long-term commitment with someone they didn’t
feel sexually attracted to if that person has all the other qualities they were looking for.

“Men fall in love faster than, and just as often as, women,” says Fisher. “They’re more likely to
want to move in and start a more socially visible relationship in the first year than women, and
men are 2.5 times more likely to kill themselves when a relationship ends.”

In a separate study, Feldman and her colleagues found that falling in love also appears to buffer
people from negative emotions. They showed 55 new lovers and 57 single people six video clips,
including two selected to trigger positive emotions and two that would trigger negative emotions.
Electrodes were used to monitor the volunteers for signs of stress.

While single people showed signs of stress when watching the negative films, new lovers seemed
to be unaffected by them.21

“There is something about this euphoria of falling in love that is like a protective buffer, so we
don’t really respond to negative emotions,” says Feldman.

This may have evolutionary significance: by suppressing negative emotions, new couples find it
easier to form a trusting bond with one another. “We need a calm state to allow ourselves to fall
in love, otherwise there’s no sense of safety,” says Feldman.

“It shows that love is important and can reduce stress,” adds Paul Zak of Claremont Graduate
University in California. He suggests that high levels of the hormone oxytocin, which has calming
effects, are probably responsible.

20
Biological Psychiatry, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2011.11.008
21
Emotion, DOI: 10.1037/a0024090

29
How ruminating and brooding impacts our physical and mental
health.
Guy Winch Ph.D. writes:22

It is natural to reflect on painful experiences or worries. By going over such scenes in our minds,
we hope to reach new insights or understandings that will reduce our distress and allow us to move
on. But this natural process of self-reflection often goes awry such that instead of attaining an
emotional release, we simply play the same distressing scenes in our head over and over again,
feeling even sadder, angrier, or more agitated, every time we do.

We replay the scenes of a painful breakup and reanalyze every nuance of that last conversation,
we go over the play-by-play of the last moments before we were impacted by trauma or loss, we
relive all the meetings in which our boss criticized us in front of our colleagues, or play out various
versions of an angry confrontation even when it is one we might never have. The urge to ruminate
and brood can strike at any moment, taking over our thoughts when we are commuting to work,
when we’re in the shower, when we’re making dinner, or when we’re trying to get our work done.
Before we know it, our mood is ruined and our emotions feel rawer than ever.

The 7 Hidden Dangers of Getting Caught in a Ruminative Cycle

Ruminating is considered a maladaptive form of self-reflection because it offers few new insights
and it only intensifies the emotional and psychological distress we already feel. It might seem
obvious that such ruminative cycles are emotionally distressing but less apparent are the significant
risks they pose to our mental and physical health.

1. Ruminations create a vicious cycle that can easily trap us. The urge to ruminate can feel
truly addictive such that the more we ruminate, the more compelled we feel to continue
doing so.
2. Rumination can increase our likelihood of becoming depressed, and it can prolong the
duration of depressive episodes when we do have them.
3. Rumination is associated with a greater risk of alcohol abuse. We often drink to take the
edge of the consistent irritability and sadness that result from our constant brooding.
4. Rumination is also associated with a greater risk of eating disorders. Many of us begin
using food to manage the distressing feelings our ruminations elicit.

22
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201306/the-seven-hidden-dangers-brooding-and-ruminating

30
5. Rumination fosters negative thinking. Spending such a disproportional amount of time
focusing on negative and distressing events can color our general perceptions such that
we begin to view other aspects of our lives too negatively, as well.
6. Rumination fosters impaired problem-solving. As an example, one study found that
women with ruminative tendencies who found a lump in their breast waited two months
longer than non-rumintators to schedule a breast exam.
7. Ruminating increases our psychological and physiological stress responses to such a
degree that it can actually put as at greater risk for cardiovascular disease.

31