Broody Hen Thread!

[South OH Chicks]

Can someone tell me how to make a hen broody?

 

[microchick]

First off, some hens are genetically more geared to be broody than others. Cochins, Silkies, some of the bantams, Buff Orpingtons, EEs for instance all are reputed to be broody birds.

Personally, I have two Buff O girls that have gone broody for me with fair regularity. Twice I had good luck triggering the urge in them by piling fake eggs in a nesting box and leaving them until one of them just couldn't resist the urge to park her fluffy bottom on them. I've read others saying that method doesn't work at all for them but it has for me in the past and might be worth a try for you if you have a breed that is prone to broodiness.

Good luck.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

As soon as one of Spunky's chick made the I'm free Chirp Chirp nothing would do but for Peep Peep to get to it no matter that it had to go through stroyform so yep Peep Peep got put back into the incubator so more pictures of Peep Peep and the new chick cuddling up.

 

[nchls school]

First off, some hens are genetically more geared to be broody than others. Cochins, Silkies, some of the bantams, Buff Orpingtons, EEs for instance all are reputed to be broody birds.

Personally, I have two Buff O girls that have gone broody for me with fair regularity. Twice I had good luck triggering the urge in them by piling fake eggs in a nesting box and leaving them until one of them just couldn't resist the urge to park her fluffy bottom on them. I've read others saying that method doesn't work at all for them but it has for me in the past and might be worth a try for you if you have a breed that is prone to broodiness.

Good luck.

X2. Putting a fake egg in the nest each day one is laid seems to promote broodiness. The slow buildup of eggs in the nest seems to work better for me than putting a bunch of fake eggs in the nest all at once. This also seems to work better if the hens have an unshared nest. If the nest is not shared the eggs can be left in the nest as long as your weather permits this.

This procedure is what I use with my bantams. 100 % of my hens brood.

 

[microchick]

NCLS school! That's a bunch of broodies and chicks! All recent? What are your hens? Seramas or English?

 

[nchls school]

NCLS school! That's a bunch of broodies and chicks! All recent? What are your hens? Seramas or English?

Two are recent. One about three weeks ago. I've two more with new chicks. Four other hens have clutches started and will be brooding soon. Two others, hopefully, will be hatching in a week or so. They are serama. One picture shows my Japanese bantam with a clutch of serama chicks hatched back in time. No shortage of broody hens here. I brought in the house a tiny serama hen this morning who was brooding two EE eggs. One chick had hatched and the other is coming out the wrong end and having difficulties. The wife is trying an assisted hatch; so maybe.

 

[PD-Riverman]

yes. I would like to know how to set up a broody breaker cage. I took the ping pong balls out and moved her over a bit.. but did not pull her out of the nesting box. I checked in early this morning (before light) and she was back in the same spot sitting on nothing.
I really appreciate the help

I think its already been stated-----a elevated wire bottom cage with nothing for her to lay on or roost on. I use a rabbit feeder hanging on the side as well as hang a water container on the side but if the cage is where she can stick her head through----as stated you can put the food and water outside where she can reach it. Important---Nothing to lay on----no bricks or blocks under the cage to hold it up. You can hold it up off the floor/ground by not allowing the bricks or blocks to be no more than a inch under the edge of the cage. I got mine hanging on wall. 3 Full days minimum ---if you put her in on Saturday noon. Sunday noon will be day 1, Monday 2, Tuesday noon 3rd day. Good Luck

 

[ALY1313]

16 paws-yes, she used the bowl as her nest box and hatched the chicks in it. I have fourteen older chicks from this hen and her identical sister paired with a frizzle rooster. Some of the chicks are frizzle silkied serama-really quite unique; curly haired chickens!

my friend couldn't get hers to lay in the nesting boxes she had , so she used a bucket and turned it on its side in a secure area then set some hay in the bottom. They loved it !

 

[ALY1313]

I'm so pumped because I'm getting some Cochin bantams from Murray McMurray hatchery in June!!!!!! e does anyone know if they are good broody mamas? Because I would love to breed them . btw sorry for the last post , i meant to quote someone else

 

[twinsmom6]

did it - broody hen broken for now.. dog kennel with roost and food/water accessible. thanks for the advice