Advice on helping a hen go broody?

[Jman45]

So I have just added another three hens to my flock today for a total or 1 rooster and 5 hens. I’m hoping that they will go broody and hatch some babies out. Is there anyway I can help encourage this behavior cause I’ve had chickens for only around a year and this i have yellow. There all around the age where they should set but I don’t know if they will.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

You can encourage a hen to go broody by placing ceramic eggs in the nest boxes but there is no way to force it. Good luck!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Unfortunately, you can’t make a hen go broody. It will happen when one of your girls is ready......good luck!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Generally, giving them a dark, secluded place to lay their eggs helps... but only a little. What breeds do you have and where did you get them? Many chickens don't go broody simply because they were bred that way.

 

[Chicka_deee]

You can lock the chicken in a small coop with a nesting box, but personally I think it’s cruel..

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

You can lock the chicken in a small coop with a nesting box, but personally I think it’s cruel..

That won’t induce broodiness actually. It just increases the stress of the chicken

 

[Chicka_deee]

That won’t induce broodiness actually. It just increases the stress of the chick.

That makes sense....

 

[Jman45]

Generally, giving them a dark, secluded place to lay their eggs helps... but only a little. What breeds do you have and where did you get them? Many chickens don't go broody simply because they were bred that way.

I have yellow buffs

 

[sylviethecochin]

I have yellow buffs

Well, good news; those are noted for going broody.

Good luck.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have kept chickens for years, and I tend to get broody's during the summer days. I think the amount of daylight must have something to do with it, most often mine will go broody the last part of May or early part of June.... and then in the fall, September/October, though this year, I had an end of July broody.

If you get one to go broody... WAIT a few days. Sometimes the hormones take a bit to really go into lock down on the nest. I don't know how many times, I have had one set, get all excited and add eggs to the nest, only to have her leave the nest for two days. Then go to a real solid setting, but the eggs were ruined. So wait till she is tight.

Longest 21 days ever!