3 Broodies Last Year, None This Year - Common?

[serinat]

I had three successful hatches under broody chickens last year, the first having started in early May. We're going into mid-May, and I have not one broody. Is this common? Those broodies from last year are still around, just not getting broody.

I'd love to have a broody before 5/18, when my chicks and poults are due, LOL.

 

[pruitt514]

It all depends on the chickens. They go by there own rules with regards to broodiness. It can be fustrating that why I bought a incubator.

 

[serinat]

Yeah, I hate not having any broodies. I bought the Brinsea Eco to hatch my turkeys, because I didn't want to wait for a broody hen (and I didn't want to risk her abandoning my expensive turkey eggs). But now that poults and chicks I set are almost due, I sure would love a broody hen to sneak some of the chicks under. They do such a better job than I do....

I have done everything I can to encourage broodiness. Plenty of nest boxes, including a small travel dog crate that is nice and enclosed. All nest boxes have wooden eggs for them to sit on. The days have been long and warm. Now I just wait.

 

[BooBear]

Fill the incubator and they will all go broody. I already had to break 3 from their spell. I am letting Mrs. Grumpy go through with it as I plan on sneaking the chicks from my incubator under her.

They all went broody a week after I filled up the bator.