Broodiness

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I have a dozen heritage RIRs, one of whom goes broody each spring. LOL not the same one each time and only one each spring. I'm trying to figure out how to encourage more broodiness since I would really like this flock to become more self-sustaining instead of relying on the incubator. Anybody got any ideas that might work?

Thanks for any and all advice!

Rusty

 

[Yardmom]

Are you sure it is a different birds each time? Hatching the eggs of the one who goes broody could sway the odds of getting a broody bird a bit. "Forgetting" to pick eggs can also help tilt things towards broodiness, but no for sure way to get the broody hormones going.

 

[JedJackson]

There's really not much you can do to encourage broodiness. They either do it or they don't. Some breeds, and even some strains of normally broody breeds, just don't have the instinct.

Some things to consider-- overall health makes a difference, as does optimum nutrition. Also, artificial lighting may have an adverse effect on broodiness.

Since I have a mixed flock, I don't have much trouble. Cochin bantams and silkies are fairly reliable brooders, and there are many more.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Are you sure it is a different birds each time? Hatching the eggs of the one who goes broody could sway the odds of getting a broody bird a bit. "Forgetting" to pick eggs can also help tilt things towards broodiness, but no for sure way to get the broody hormones going.

Should have mentioned that everybody is banded. My bad. I'm so dumb about this that it never occurred to me to HATCH the rest of the broody's eggs after her initial clutch hatches. That might help.
Certainly can't hurt. The broody clutch usually happens in April and the hen doesn't start laying again for awhile--but there's still time afterwards to collect for the incubator! I'm gonna try that this year!

It's amazing to me how hard it is to get Reds to sit their own eggs!

TY!

R.