Broody Curiosity....

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve tried leaving fake eggs (golf balls) in a nest several times, increasing them one a day until I have over a dozen, then just leaving them for a few weeks. I’ve done the same with regular eggs, marking them so I know which ones are to be left. One time I got a broody hen when I did that, but she went broody in a different nest. I don’t think that counts.

I leave one golf ball in the nests at all times and collect all the eggs daily. My hens go broody on that one golf ball, and they are not Silkies. When I was growing up on the farm we collected all the eggs every day and did not use any fake eggs. Hens went broody anyway. When the broody hormones hit, they are going to go broody. Until the hormones hit they won’t. I don’t know what causes the hormones to hit, but it is not a requirement for the eggs to build up in the nest. That much I am sure of.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I leave a box with 3 fake eggs and they lay in it and 2 other boxes... the BJG went broody in one of the 2 other boxes they lay in.. the BR started laying in her own spot in a dog house.. I collected the eggs every day and both went broody on air

no one has gone broody in the box w/fake eggs.. yet anyway

I guess we all need air!

The one BJG I got... ended up being blue and the same size as my leghorn.

Scammers selling barnyard mix and lying.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I’ve tried leaving fake eggs (golf balls) in a nest several times, increasing them one a day until I have over a dozen, then just leaving them for a few weeks. I’ve done the same with regular eggs, marking them so I know which ones are to be left. One time I got a broody hen when I did that, but she went broody in a different nest. I don’t think that counts.

I leave one golf ball in the nests at all times and collect all the eggs daily. My hens go broody on that one golf ball, and they are not Silkies. When I was growing up on the farm we collected all the eggs every day and did not use any fake eggs. Hens went broody anyway. When the broody hormones hit, they are going to go broody. Until the hormones hit they won’t. I don’t know what causes the hormones to hit, but it is not a requirement for the eggs to build up in the nest. That much I am sure of.

I guess I won't spend time trying to manipulate them, then!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Go ahead and try. That way you know for yourself.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Go ahead and try. That way you know for yourself.

Nah... I believe you.

Anyways... it's always the animals manipulating me into what they want me to do!

Chickens can be just as demanding as dogs.

I just go with the flow and adjust as needed to make sure everybody stays healthy. I used to be hopeful I could ever get a broody... never thought I would actually have to break broodies! But with a flock of almost 50, I see a lot more (of everything) than when I had only 3....

I learn something new everyday (if I can)!

 

[BusyStFarmer]

Not if you're collecting eggs everyday. I collect everyday. I do have false eggs in the nest but not a crazy amount like 2-3. My BO went broody on a nest she was hiding. Same for another mix girl I have. The silkies are the only ones who go broody with no eggs, for me. And they don't need to have a rooster to go broody. But I wouldn't let a broody sit without reason as it is hard on their health and bodies.

All my girls tried their broody thing within only 2-3 months after POL... they don't care what age they are, if the eggs are theirs or even if they are fertile. You can encourage or discourage broodiness with different things.

Do you have any boys or fertile eggs? or is that very much just a curiosity with no intention of hatching? I do not have any roos. I am looking to order eggs from a hatchery that I will incubate and perhaps if one of my hens is broody I would like to giver her some. I am looking to add some "pure hens". I got my first hens cheap because I wanted to make sure I would love the hen life and I do so I am ready to expand.

I may not like hatcheries... but I personally have zero interest in breeding mixes of mixes with no selection for carcass size, egg color & size, or laying ability.... but everyone has different reason they do what they do. And if he isn't using hatcheries are his own birds brooding or is he hatching everything himself? Some are breeding with themselves and raising their own young. Others he gets as eggs from people he knows which he hatches and throws out with the flock to grow up and then to collect eggs and what not. Not that it's important... just that you are more likely to get SOME broodiness if they are using broodies.

I have chicks hatching today!

Broke 2 broodies silkies 2 weeks ago and another Silkie started sitting a few days back... tried to put her in a different location but she keeps going back to the same box. Will try to stick my hatching chicks under her tomorrow night probably, since she shows commitment.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Glad you love the hen life! I do to.

If you get hatching eggs... will you have plans for the cockerels?

Lots of feed stores have many different breeds of chicks in right now. I love having a variety of eye candy on pasture. And collecting different colored eggs makes me feel like a child opening a gift ever day!

I can tell.... that you had best beware of chicken math! I have a family of 3, started with 3 birds.... Have gone up to 48!

It can be addictive... and it might lead to quail math or goat math... so just.... jump right in! I'm not an enabler, though.

 

[BusyStFarmer]

Glad you love the hen life! I do to.

If you get hatching eggs... will you have plans for the cockerels?

Lots of feed stores have many different breeds of chicks in right now. I love having a variety of eye candy on pasture. And collecting different colored eggs makes me feel like a child opening a gift ever day!

I can tell.... that you had best beware of chicken math! I have a family of 3, started with 3 birds.... Have gone up to 48!

It can be addictive... and it might lead to quail math or goat math... so just.... jump right in! I'm not an enabler, though.

I am planning on purchasing a house soon so there will be more room for activities (ex: chicken utopia).

I already do love my girls dearly. I had chickens when I was WAY younger but haven't had any since last year so it's a new experience all over again. I was always good at math (;