Brooding hens.

[chickpash]

I have 7 hens and none of them ever seem to be interested in brooding. I have had them for over a year and they are all around 2 yrs. old. Will they ever get broodie???

 

[007Sean]

Howdy Happy to have you join the family. Enjoy your time here at BYC!
Sometimes that's just the way it goes...don't give up hope though.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

None of mine have been interested in going broody. Some breeds just aren't good at it.

 

[lazy gardener]

What breed are they? Many hatchery chickens have the broodiness bred out of them. So, your chances of getting a broody hen are somewhat based on the breeds you keep, but also the strain/or line they were bred from. Broodiness is a hormonal state, and there is not much you can do to influence it's occurrence, IMO.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Broodiness has been bred out of many breeds to become egg producing birds. Some still carry the broody gene however, some breeds more than others. It's all hormonal driven, usually a broody will start in the first year of life.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to ours!

 

[Plip]

I have 7 hens and none of them ever seem to be interested in brooding. I have had them for over a year and they are all around 2 yrs. old. Will they ever get broodie???

Welcome Chickpash! Glad you're here!

What breeds do you have? As @rjohns39 said, some breeds virtually never go broody. And it's usually the breeds that are sold as layers that don't go broody (because they've been bred not to so they can keep laying!).

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. As others have already said it all depends upon the breeds that you have and upon the strains that they are from. If they have laid for a full year and not gone broody, your chances that they will are diminished.

 

[ronott1]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

Broodies can be quite rare for the reasons posted above

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings and welcome to BYC! So glad you joined us. There's a wealth of info, knowledge and experience shared in the multitude of threads. Since you're wanting (and not getting) a broody hen, you may want to search the hatching threads and get an incubator. Browse around and see what interesting stuff you can find. By all means post away when the desire strikes you, especially if you have questions (provide as much detail/info as possible and pictures truly help)... With all the great folks here, generally someone will respond in no time at all. Please make yourself at home!

Hope you enjoy the site!

 

[drumstick diva]

Silkies and cochins are among the frequently broody breeds. Doesn't mean every one will do so but as a whole they are the leaders. Silkies may lay a couple eggs and then decide to go broody and attempt to hatch. They may go broody also throughout the year.

Sometimes their instincts are so strong they will try hatching, rocks, sticks or nothing at all. People often buy fertile eggs to slip under a "sitting broody." if she accepts them she will hatch and raise the chicks as her own.