Can I make A RIR set eggs?

[donjr]

I have hatchery birds. In three years have not had one go broody.

 

[austinandkara]

RIR are not a "broody" breed, meaning they will not go set their eggs. They have been bred to be layers, which means that they were selected to breed based on which ones did not retain the broody instinct. That is fantastic if you want to collect and eat the eggs. If you want a hen that will hatch chicks, though, there are plenty of other breeds that do have the broody "gene." Here is a site where you can specify what you want in a chicken and it will give you a list of breeds: http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

 

[CCourson05]

The RIR is supposedly a poor broody, yet great mother... Not sure how they deciphered that, but that is what I have read.

 

[schellie69]

Hatchery RIR are breed for egg laying a breeder who works with RIR would have a strain that would go broody and therefor be a good mother. Most hatchery stock does not go broody often. There is no real way to make a hen go broody.

 

[donjr]

What about a Buff Orphington?

 

[gryeyes]

Buff Orps are said to go broody more often than some other breeds and they are very good mothers. My BO went broody about a month after she started laying! She managed to hatch and raise my very first GrandChick, who has been laying for the last few months. Buffy has not gone broody since.

I had a Welsummer go broody and hatch four chicks last year, too. I think she's broody again; she's sharing the nest box with a broody Silver Sebright hen.