Broody questions

[Duckchick2011]

I would really like my hen to go broody. I know that only she can decide when or if she does BUT I was wondering, would taking her eggs away from her everyday prevent her from going broody or do they just randomly go broody with or without eggs???

Thanks

 

[junebuggena]

If she's going to go broody, she will do so, with or without eggs.

 

[Duckchick2011]

Thank you ^.^

 

[azygous]

It's the number of eggs laid in succession that triggers the broody hormones. It does not matter whether the eggs are left in the nest or gathered up every day. Once the broody hormones are triggered, the hen will feel compelled to sit on a nest whether or not any eggs are even under her. The hen left alone to sit on a nest will do so for 21 days, and if no chicks hatch, the hormones will revert to normal and she will leave the nest. She'll remain on the nest longer if chicks hatch or are placed under her.

 

[Duckchick2011]

Okay,

So they are similar to ducks in that way. I just wonder how many eggs they have to lay before they do?

My hen made a nest before she laid her egg so I was thinking her "instincts" must be there. I'll just have to hope and pray they kick in.

 

[Paganrose]

A lot of that depends on the breed- some are know for being frequently broody, others occasionally, and some have been breed to not be broody at all.

 

[Duckchick2011]

She's a golden sex-link. From what I understand they go broody from time to time, just not very often. She made a nest before she layed this morning. She worked on it for awhile and was really persnickety about it. Now she is sleeping in it so I'm thinking there is a good chance.

 

[Peeps61]

Sounds like she may be heading that way. My white cochin is broody again, and the other hens have learned to fear her! When I pick her up and put her out of the nest so I can collect the eggs, the other hens scatter in panic trying get away from her, even though she isn't doing anything! It's kind of funny.

 

[azygous]

Three years ago I kept track of my Speckled Sussex hen's broody intervals because I was planning on letting her sit on and hatch some Brahma eggs, and I wanted to know when to start saving the fertilized Brahma eggs for her to sit on. She has been the most prolific broody of my entire flock as well as very predictable since she was so clockwork in her broody spells.

I calculated she went between fifteen and eighteen days between going broody. At the time I didn't count her eggs since I often didn't know which were hers.

But that might give you a general idea of when you might expect your hen to go broody if she does so on a very regular basis like my hen did.

 

[donrae]

When I really want a broody, or have one flirting with going broody, I go ahead and bait the nest with sacrifice eggs. I figure it can't hurt anything. I mark the eggs well with a sharpie so I can easily discard them if/when she goes broody for real and I put the desired eggs under her. Honestly, I can't say if having the clutch has helped trigger a hen to go broody or if she would have anyway....but like I said, I figure it can't hurt anything.