any tricks to get a broody hen?

[Mrs. K]

I am broody challenged. Last year, I had a dear one do it, and I swore that was the only way to raise chicks, all the fun, and none of the work.

I would dearly love to get another 8-12 chicks going. However, none of my hens are the least interested.

Any wives tails? Any ideas? mk

 

[ranchhand]

LOL, infinite patience. I waited 18 years for a broody. I chose all the breeds that rarely go broody.

 

[gritsar]

I waited two years on my supposedly broody breed *brahmas* to go broody. Tried all the tricks.
Broke down and called Ideal this morning to add two silkies to my order. By goodness! This time next year I best have a broody on the farm.

 

[HawaiiHorseGirl]

A clutch of plastic eggs helped my turkey hen go broody.

 

[CMV]

Quote:
There is definitely something about the sight of multiple eggs that triggers the broody thing. I had a house sitter this past spring who didn't realize my duck was hiding her eggs. She had 10 eggs in the house by the time I came back. I also had a broody goose sitting on them. Holy cow! Broody hens are bad enough, but a broody goose will take your hand off if you're not careful.

 

[Mtn Cur]

I would just trade my non broody hens for the posters on here that have broodies and don't want them. Everybody is happy.

 

[tdgill]

i have 10 eggs in one nest, no signs of broody yet. Wondering if my breaking my first broody last year was a mistake! She was not a year old yet and I was not ready for chicks yet. lol. Thinking if I had let her raise some babies the first time, that maybe just maybe she would be more likely to go broody in the future.

Is it possible that even though my hens feel secure enough to lay their eggs in the nest that they dont feel it is a safe place to hatch?

 

[Chefmom]

Be careful what you wish for!! I had one hen go broody and the disease quickly swept the whole flock. At one time I had 12 hens vying for their favorite nests in various places. 9 of them completed the job and had peeps, but had to be kept separate from the rest of the flock (I had several nasty roosters) AND separate from each other.

And I also had a hen disappear and reappear 5 weeks later, I think she failed with her nest in the woods, but she still wanted babies. She was a BIG hen and fought (rooster style) through the fence with the other mothers for the babies. Then, if the babies got mixed in with the OTHER babies, the mothers were ticked, so I had to be vigilant about separating everyone.

Needless to say, it was a Summer of great drama, only one peep was a casualty by another mother, BUT Mother Nature had the last laugh. I ended up with 75% boys!!!! Very few layers, but the freezer was full.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's about the surest way. I am not a big believer in leaving eggs in the nest in the hopes of triggering a broody. #1. Because I have tried it, with 24 eggs more than enough for my big fat hens to cover, a mixture of fake and real. It didn't work. #2. Because leaving real eggs in the nest is a good way for them to get broken and have your chickens discover how tasty eggs are.
If a hen is going to go broody, she will do so on a rock.

 

[georgialee]

Get a bantam cochin or silkie... seriously. Two of mine have been broody for about 2 months despite me taking their eggs away, etc. 2 of my 4 bantam chochins have been broody multiple times and they're just over a year old. And both of my silkies have - same age.

eta: actually, if you're close to me I'll sell you one or two for a great price