How can I Make My hen go Broody? - Page 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourlittleflock 

the trick to getting a hen to go broody is not wanting them too... When you feed today go out and have a talk with the ladies..... tell them it is winter and you don't want baby chicks running around.

 

every hen/pullet will be sitting tomorrow

  Worked for me....I have little Reba my bantam black cochin hen sitting on her third batch now!

I don't think you can... they go when they want to and not before!

I got a flock of 15 brahmas.... not a broody one among them... so much for having a broody breed, LOL...

Gamehens are supposed to be pretty broody, and can hatch more eggs than a silkie... might be worth a try.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmCoe 

This is a good way to have hens to broody, but the best way to hatch out chicks is with an incubator.  They are much more reliable.  Good luck!
 

 

I dunno.....we've had incubators for what, 100 years or so and hens for tens of thousands. Seems the hens did pretty well before the incubators?

I've got silkies and they love to brood.  Do you have a breed that tends to go broody?  I encourage mine by placing an animal carrier in the coop and I'll cover it with a towel to make it nice and dark.  Sometimes I'll use golf balls for fake eggs so I don't have to worry about eggs.  

It's always worked, and once they stay overnight I pull out the balls or dummy eggs and put in the real ones I've been gathering.  I attach food and water cups to the door of the carrier and once a day I scoop out her poop.  This only works if the carrier is big enough for the hen to be comfortable, she has to have room.

Anyhow, I love this method because I can move the hen around without bothering her if I need too, the others can't bother her, if the coop gets really hot in the summer I can move her where she'll get a breeze and she's pretty safe from predators too.

My silkie that is just now hatching is in a carrier.  When the babies have had 24 hours I'll move them out.

I hate using an incubator.

One of my RIW's is sitting on eggs right now. I have to take her off the nest once a day so she will eat, drink and poop otherwise she won't get off. As soon as I unblock the nest she is back on it in a flash.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourlittleflock 

the trick to getting a hen to go broody is not wanting them too... When you feed today go out and have a talk with the ladies..... tell them it is winter and you don't want baby chicks running around.

 

every hen/pullet will be sitting tomorrow

  my hens respect me too much to do that!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourlittleflock 

the trick to getting a hen to go broody is not wanting them too... When you feed today go out and have a talk with the ladies..... tell them it is winter and you don't want baby chicks running around.

 

every hen/pullet will be sitting tomorrow

  my hens respect me too much to do that!

oops! did it 2X!

I just left about four eggs in their nest and when she got to ten eggs she sat.... six out of ten hatched giving me five girls and one roo.... now i have seven girls and two roos of the Barred Rock type so cute so fun and worth the wait

WhiteCochinLover,

I love that bird in your avatar. He is gorgeous! I want one. What kind is he? I want some eggs. You have more pictures of him?