Can you make a chicken go broody?

[Top Rooster]

Lately I've been having a lot of eggs and I was wondering if I could make a chicken go broody to see a little chicken family see how it goes but none of the hens go broody I have 2 buff orphingtons and other chickens 1 rooster if you know a way to make a chicken go broody please tell me thanks

 

[nchls school]

In a post above I've described how to induce a hen to go broody; this I have been doing for many years. I have read many posts that relate that this can not be-that a hen goes broody only when her hormones are ready. This I believe, but the production of hormones can be made to happen. I look to wild birds; all of them have a set clutch size. A robin lays four eggs and then broods-a loon lays two eggs and then broods- a hummingbird and pigeons lay two eggs and then brood-button quail lay eight to ten eggs and then brood-etc. When the clutch is laid hormones are produced and the bird broods. The difference between our chickens and wild birds is that one is natural and the other is not. Wild birds will not brood an empty nest-chickens often do, but like wild birds chickens with maternal instincts will go broody when they have a full clutch. Yes. Hen do go broody when eggs are collected; it just isn't something that can be planned.

This spring I decided to test my method with a number of hens over the summer starting in April. First I started with four hens; each has become broody two or three times this summer all using the procedure described in my previous post. Then I tried this with a serama pullet who just started to lay-six eggs later she became broody. Eight days ago another serama started to lay and, again, she started to brood this morning after laying six eggs.

In total I used six hens-serama, silkie, and mixed breed. They became broody within 2 days of when I thought they would; seramas excluded as I did not know their clutch size. I can't be positive this will work with other breeds that are known to brood as I don't have all those breeds, but I believe it will.

Six hens all broody using dummy eggs placed in their nests; one for each egg laid as the eggs were laid. Hormones-yes, but eggs induce broodiness.

I wonder-these hens that go broody-its it always in a flock setting where a number of eggs are in the nest until collected? Has anyone had a single hen with no other hens laying go broody when her eggs were collected? I do not know the answers. I know that when I collect eggs each day and do not put dummy eggs in the nests it is impossible to know when broodiness will begin.

 

[picklesbuddy]

Hmmm I haven't ever heard of making a hen go broody bit of making them not broody. Maybe just keep her in a dog crate with eggs and comfort and maybe she will go broody!

 

[nchls school]

This year, like the two years before that, all of my hens have gone broody multiple times. I only have a few but I'm fairly sure it will work for you too. I used this method recently with four hens; two silkies, one mutt crossbreed, and a serama. Within two weeks the serama, one silkie, and the mutt have started to brood. The other silkie has six eggs today and will go broody in another week when she has 10-12 eggs. Here is what I do-If I want a broody fast I put a hen that is laying in a good sized pen with a nest box. When she lays I leave the eggs in the nest. When there is app 12 eggs the hen will go broody. The pen needs to be as big as possible. Sometimes I replace the eggs with dummy eggs if I have use for the real ones; one egg for each egg that is laid. Giving a hen a nest full of eggs will not make her broody; the nest has to gradually fill as the hen lays.

A similar method can be used in the coop with a whole flock. Each day as you collect the eggs put ONE dummy egg in the nest where you want a broody (you might end up having more than one hen go broody doing this). When the clutch is complete the hens will go broody that are using that nesting site. In a coop setting do not leave real eggs as they might get broken leading to egg-eating.

Some people believe broodiness is caused by a hormonal change and that is right, but it is the presence of eggs that cause the hormonal change. Hormonal changes do not happen overnight and that's why giving a laying hen a nest full of egg immediately doesn't work. The build up of a clutch has to be gradual.

Keep in mind that many breeds no longer have the broody instinct and will not brood no matter what you do. Also, clutch size varies. My serama went broody after laying just six eggs. Chicken clutch size usually is more than that; 10-15 eggs being way more common than 6. Try the coop method and see what happens. Please post the results. Good luck.

 

[Top Rooster]

OK thx

 

[Top Rooster]

Oh and can chickens do twins because I have a few double yolkers

 

[junebuggena]

You can not induce broodiness. It is controlled by hormones, and there is nothing that can be done to trigger it. Some breeds are very prone to going broody, other breeds will never go broody.
Leaving a bunch of eggs in the nest might encourage a broody-prone hen to brood in that spot, but it isn't the cause of the broodiness. A broody hen will sit on just about anything; eggs, rocks, or even nothing at all.
There are many people that collect their eggs frequently and never let a clutch build up. Their hens will still go broody, despite the lack of presence of eggs.

 

[JeanR]

It is the laying of a :"clutch" that gradually brings on the broody hormones, so leaving an egg is is wasteful of an egg that you might rather have for breakfast. Some hens lay a clutch of 30eggs or more--how wasteful to leave those eggs in a nest (but a hen who steals a nest hidden outside, may lay that many! And few hens can not cover that many eggs when they do set , so less are likely to hatch.) However, it is usually pullets that lay that many eggs before setting, and older hens will lay fewer--like 10-15 before setting, so leaving eggs in the nest --better false eggs, while not "making" them become broody, will have you thinking that is why she is now setting. A good broody will set on an empty nest, when her clutch is finished---even if you gather her egg every day that she lays--when Mother Nature says SET--she SETS!. However, what ever works for you--that is good! But, Make a hen go broody, you cannot, only Mother Nature (with the individual hen) determines it! A good broody is a real treasure!

 

[nchls school]

Yes. Broodiness can be induced in breeds that have the normal broody instinct. They will go broody on an empty nest, that is true, but it can not be relied upon. I have tried this with many hens over the years (five this year and all went broody-more than once) and the only only ones it did not work on are the "egg production" hens.

Double yolkers rarely hatch as there is not enough nourishment in the egg for two developing embryos, but on those rare occasions when they hatch they are twins.

 

[nchls school]

Hmmm I haven't ever heard of making a hen go broody bit of making them not broody. Maybe just keep her in a dog crate with eggs I have tried this a number of times and it did not work. Putting a bunch of eggs in front of a nonbroody hen will not make her broody. and comfort and maybe she will go broody!