Broodies?

[Maya Vance]

So I have three chickens: a sapphire gem, a cinnamon queen, and an EE. They all live in a snap-lock coop with some weird wooden structures in the yard we made when we were trying to build a coop. They get free time from around 7 in the morning to 7 at night.
I really want three more chicks in the spring. Do you think any of my current chickens could go broody by the? Then we wouldn't have to prep the brooder again.

Otherwise, we could always borrow a heat lamp from a neighbor.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Geez, I’m hoping for the same thing, but, it’s not something you can create, I guess. You can encourage her, by placing fake eggs in the nest, and then once she sits, place real ones under her!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Geez, I’m hoping for the same thing, but, it’s not something you can create, I guess. You can encourage her, by placing fake eggs in the nest, and then once she sits, place real ones under her!

From what I’ve heard, but I’m NO expert, the breeds you have are harder to get to get to go broody...but still worth a try. You can use golf balls, even fake Easter eggs.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

From what I’ve heard, but I’m NO expert, the breeds you have are harder to get to get to go broody...but still worth a try. You can use golf balls, even fake Easter eggs.

I’ve also heard, that maybe using a curtain to make it more private, placing some calming herbs, like lavender???( you’ve got me on that one) and perhaps putting a dusting of DE under the think layer of straw or bedding to ensure she knows it’s bug free...take this info for what it’s worth...maybe nothing...lol. These are tips I intend to use on my Buff and orph

 

[DobieLover]

No offense intended but absolutely none of the above will encourage a pullet or hen to go broody. It is entirely controlled by hormones.
Although the breeds you have typically do not go broody, any chicken can go broody. But it's rare they will do it on your time table.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Before you get anymore, what are the dimensions of their coop? It's recommended the minimum space in a coop 4sq ft per chicken, 10 sq ft per chicken in a run ... Helps preventing "over crowding" and problems within your flock.

2x @DobieLover ... Broodiness is an breed/individual "issue" ... If you want 3 more chicks in the Spring, purchase them and integrate, make sure you have sufficient space for them in the coop or you will probably have issues.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

No offense intended but absolutely none of the above will encourage a pullet or hen to go broody. It is entirely controlled by hormones.
Although the breeds you have typically do not go broody, any chicken can go broody. But it's rare they will do it on your time table.

Ohhhhh...this is allll stuf that I looked up on the internet to ry to encourage mine to do that....glad to know so I don’t waste mine time !