Are Hens Less Broody With Laying Mash???

[TommyVT05]

My hens...none of them are broody yet. 3 have laid so far, 2 stopped and have seen no sigh of egg sitting. Does the diet have to do with it? I had hens in the past that I didn't give laying mash to and they LOVE sitting...
- Tommy

 

[silkiechicken]

It will depend on the breed and the strain of which your birds are from. Food, as long as it meets their nutritional requirement has nothing to do with it as it's all in their little heads.

 

[kstaven]

None of the breeds in you signature list are commonly heavy broodies.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I've never had a problem with the hens being on a layer and going broody...but I have brahmas, buff orps and blue orps.....

 

[MissPrissy]

I don't think the breeds you have go broody as and often as a lot of other types of chickens - say orpingtons for example. Feed type does not induce broodiness.

 

[TommyVT05]

Thanks!

I know that some Phoenix and Longtailed birds don't go broody but I know for SURE that Jungle Fowls are! 99% of the time, they hatch their batches because they must do so in the wild to reproduce correctly right? Here, I have TWO Jungle Fowl hens that are laying...one stopped a couple days ago...and havn't gone broody.

I guess it could be that its too early in the season?
Its been raining a lot here last week but this week and for a next couple weeks...its should be in the 70s daytime and 50s nightime.

- Tommy

 

[NYREDS]

Their decision to go broody has more to do with length of daylight than anything else-triggers a hormonal change. It's a bit early for them to want to set right now. There are exceptions of course-like the R I Red Bantam hen of mine that's been clucking all winter!
Some breeds are more likely than others to go broody. I don't know about Jungle Fowl as I've never raised them. Modern Game Bantams however tend to go broody. The problem is they can only cover 3 or 4 eggs.

 

[ginasmarans]

Some of the game breeds will only go broody after they lay their clutch(group of eggs). This can take up to 3 weeks. If you have this breed, leave the eggs alone. If you keep collecting them,they will never think they have a clutch. Also,alot of these breeds know their own eggs and will not hatch out eggs belonging to other hens.

 

[RioLindoAz]

I read that hens go broody when they are stressed out and need a vacation. But it is a posibility That Mash distracts them from going broody

 

[TommyVT05]

Lol.

Cool

Thanks all!

- Tommy