Can you force broodiness?

[farmerbrowne]

Just wondered if there was a way to encourage a hen to go broody. I have some birds that I really want more of but can not afford an incubator at the moment. I know you can stop broodiness if you want but wondered if it can go the other way as well

 

[ChicKat]

Just wondered if there was a way to encourage a hen to go broody. I have some birds that I really want more of but can not afford an incubator at the moment. I know you can stop broodiness if you want but wondered if it can go the other way as well

Hi again!

Broodiness is hormonal in chickens -- a lot depends on the breed of the chicken.

• Leaving eggs in the nesting box - MAY be a trigger
• -and increases of calcium in their diet MAY contribute.

In reality, we can't control it -- it would be nice if we could. I would leave FAKE eggs in the nesting box -- so that there is no chance of the eggs going bad, and then if you do have one triggered to become broody, then replace the fakes with eggs that you want hatchlings from - at night and hope she doesn't even notice. Also a good idea to have a broody hen apart from the rest of the flock if at all possible.
Good luck.

 

[farmerbrowne]

Thank you I am defiantly going to pick up some fake eggs!

 

[aart]

Thank you I am defiantly going to pick up some fake eggs!

I wouldn't count on it, even tho some breeds are more likely to be broody....I've used fake eggs all along for 18 months now, only 2 broodies to date.

 

[ChicKat]

I wouldn't count on it, even tho some breeds are more likely to be broody....I've used fake eggs all along for 18 months now, only 2 broodies to date.

So -- there is no way to really tell if the fake eggs influenced your broody hens... however, I'm curious about how many eggs you left in the nesting box. There is a theory that the hen will lay eggs until her clutch is complete--- so there has to be a certain number. When we take out eggs every day -- the number is never reached.

I left one egg in each coop in a nest box -- as a message to the chickens -- 'eggs go here' -- and all my hens are super good about always laying in the nesting boxes. maybe my set up, maybe my breeds, etc. But I have friends who get eggs all over the place --


which breeds comprised your two broodies -- and did they use the nesting box(es) where you left fake eggs ? And of course, how many did you put in the nest. Thanks for info.

 

[aart]

Quote: Just one or two fake eggs/golfballs in each of 4 nests for 'bait' to spread the love, they still lay mostly in one or two nests,
but no standing in line or crowding in on top of each other.

I guess if you had a whole pile of fake eggs left in a nest it might trigger broodiness, but I kinda doubt it, just think it's hormonal more than anything.
Tho if one was 'slightly' broody, it might tip the scales to full on broody. The only to know for sure would be to try it......and even then it could be inconclusive.

One broody was a 2yo light brahma last summer (I broke her in a wire cage) and the other was a 2yo australorp/cochin mix this winter that hatched out 7 in frigid temps.

 

[ChicKat]

Just one or two fake eggs/golfballs in each of 4 nests for 'bait' to spread the love, they still lay mostly in one or two nests,
but no standing in line or crowding in on top of each other.

I guess if you had a whole pile of fake eggs left in a nest it might trigger broodiness, but I kinda doubt it, just think it's hormonal more than anything.
Tho if one was 'slightly' broody, it might tip the scales to full on broody. The only to know for sure would be to try it......and even then it could be inconclusive.

One broody was a 2yo light brahma last summer (I broke her in a wire cage) and the other was a 2yo australorp/cochin mix this winter that hatched out 7 in frigid temps.

I agree it is hen hormones...and I think that all we can do is tip the scales -- maybe -- You hear about people who don't want broodies being gone for a weekend and the eggs accumulate, and lo and behold the hen has gone broody.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I believe you might be able to influence some if they are in the mood but certainly cannot force. I’ve tried adding a golf ball a day to a nest until I had a dozen to fifteen several times then leave them for a while. I’ve had a hen go broody once doing that but that was in a separate nest, not the one with the extra golf balls. Go figure. My hens are a barnyard mix that do go broody so the instincts are there.

One time I left for a few days and came back with two hens acting broody, setting on nests after dark. The nests were full or eggs. The girl that used to take care of the chickens when I was gone said she did not collect the eggs because she was afraid of the hens. That leaves the question, did they go broody before or after the eggs accumulated? I think the girl didn’t collect the eggs to start with but I’m not sure. That’s not what she said. When I removed all the eggs except the golf ball I always have in the nest both hens abandoned the nests and went back to the roosts. No more broody symptoms.

Some hens seem to go from Normal to Full Broody Mode practically instantly. There is no messing around with those girls. However, I’ve seen several that go partly broody, displaying some of the symptoms but not kicking into full broody for several days, maybe more than a week and sometimes not at all. I think these are the ones that can be influenced. If you toss these from a nest, that might be enough to break them. If you give them extra eggs they may be more prone to stick. One time I had a hen pretending to be broody but was not full mode. I locked her in her nest at night, left her locked in the nest all the next day and the following night, then let her out the next morning. She was full broody mode. Did locking her in there cause her to kick into full broody? I’ll never know for sure but maybe.

Farmerbrowne, you can certainly try accumulating fake eggs and see what happens. It won’t hurt and might help.

Good luck!

 

[aart]

Well, I put all my fake eggs(6) in one nest when I gathered eggs today and will add a couple a day for a week or so.....we'll see what happens.
If they start waiting in line and fighting over that nest tho....experiment is over. I am at capacity and I already think the older hens are pushing out the younger ones.

 

[aart]

Well, I put all my fake eggs(6) in one nest when I gathered eggs today and will add a couple a day for a week or so.....we'll see what happens.
If they start waiting in line and fighting over that nest tho....experiment is over. I am at capacity and I already think the older hens are pushing out the younger ones.

Well, this was a bust....literally....
......only 2 eggs laid with all the fakes, well 3 as one must have dropped onto the fakes and broken, only found one small shell fragment and big mess.
7 other eggs laid in the 3 other nests with no fake eggs in them.