Can you MAKE a hen go BROODY?

[junebuggena]

would this work I want to do it

You can try, but bare in mind, a hen that broods in winter is unusual. Not saying it isn't possible, just not likely, especially if your potential broody is young and hasn't ever gone broody before.

 

[shortgrass]

You can try, but bare in mind, a hen that broods in winter is unusual. Not saying it isn't possible, just not likely, especially if your potential broody is young and hasn't ever gone broody before.

I HAVE to disagree lol, as I just had a 5 month old broody hatch out a chick a month ago, and I just finished a hatch with TWO broodies, just 6 months old, and it was blizzarding for most if it lol... I got one more chick 4 days ago.

The first was a cochin, the second a silkie, and the last broody was a Wyandotte, of all hens, totally shocked me lol

On second thought, not really disagreeing; I think I just have weird chickens ha-ha

 

[Happy Bird]

That is right. I have seen my grandma done it a few times...especially when the hens first time broody. But I have not try it either.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

I'm wondering if I can induce the natural hormone by tricking my broody hens into thinking that it's really warm weather and time to be broody in November.

I live in Vancouver BC so the winters are not usually harsh but I was considering moving them into a furnace room in wire dog crates and heating it and giving natural daylight by special light bulbs.

Anyone try this?

 

[junebuggena]

I'm wondering if I can induce the natural hormone by tricking my broody hens into thinking that it's really warm weather and time to be broody in November.

I live in Vancouver BC so the winters are not usually harsh but I was considering moving them into a furnace room in wire dog crates and heating it and giving natural daylight by special light bulbs.

Anyone try this?

Warm weather has nothing to do with brooding hormones. It's usually triggered by the change amount of daylight. Mine usually go broody in the end of summer or early fall instead of the spring. One of my Australorps just hatched her second batch of chicks in 4 months. Another one is half way through her second time brooding this year.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

In that case I should bring them in and continue to let them think summer continues... They each have been broody 3x this year. although I am little worried about having them Broody again. usually I just let them go twice a year.

 

[thejaxx]

Winter brooder?

My Cuckoo Maran!

She went broody in November and I tried to wait her out, I finally ordered some eggs (4 Carolina Blue Sex-Links) in Jan, then Feb 19th rolled around (1 bad egg):

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I'm having a trial right now with making a broody hen accept 3 two day old chicks. She's been broody for 2 months so when my breeder hatched the type of chicks I wanted I got them today. i pulled her off her fake eggs and put her out in the yard. I broke some eggs and put the clean shells in her box, then I put the 3 chicks in there. I went and got broody and put her in the large coop. I left one fake egg in there. She immediately got all huffy to find chicks in her favorite box. She jumped up into the box and immediately pecked one of the chicks hard on the head. I thought ok she's new to this. Then she stuck her head into the broken egg shells. She started to shove the broken egg shells under her tummy, and pulled the last fake egg under her. When the chicks tried to get close she pecked one again, Im not sure if it was the same one. So I pulled all the broken shells and the fake egg out of the box. She got really mad and grabbed that same chick by the head picked it up off the ground and shook it like a dog with a bone. Scary. I pulled the chicks out and set up a brooder box with heat lamp in the garage. The one chick that got shook is looking a little wobbly and hasn't drunk on it's own. Ive been dipping its beak in Electrolytes. I hope it did not hurt it's neck. The broody hen is a white Silkie, known to be good Mother's. She is always going broody and I usually break her in a cage, but I tried this experiment and it is not going well. I'm too afraid to try and stick them under her after dark. OH Well I guess she just love her eggs.

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm having a trial right now with making a broody hen accept 3 two day old chicks. She's been broody for 2 months so when my breeder hatched the type of chicks I wanted I got them today. i pulled her off her fake eggs and put her out in the yard. I broke some eggs and put the clean shells in her box, then I put the 3 chicks in there. I went and got broody and put her in the large coop. I left one fake egg in there. She immediately got all huffy to find chicks in her favorite box. She jumped up into the box and immediately pecked one of the chicks hard on the head. I thought ok she's new to this. Then she stuck her head into the broken egg shells. She started to shove the broken egg shells under her tummy, and pulled the last fake egg under her. When the chicks tried to get close she pecked one again, Im not sure if it was the same one. So I pulled all the broken shells and the fake egg out of the box. She got really mad and grabbed that same chick by the head picked it up off the ground and shook it like a dog with a bone. Scary. I pulled the chicks out and set up a brooder box with heat lamp in the garage. The one chick that got shook is looking a little wobbly and hasn't drunk on it's own. Ive been dipping its beak in Electrolytes. I hope it did not hurt it's neck. The broody hen is a white Silkie, known to be good Mother's. She is always going broody and I usually break her in a cage, but I tried this experiment and it is not going well. I'm too afraid to try and stick them under her after dark. OH Well I guess she just love her eggs.

I think you'd best plan on brooding those chicks in a brooder box. It's much easier to sneak chicks under a broody at night with as little light and commotion as possible. She will then (hopefully) think those chicks hatched under her. By taking her off the nest and putting her outside, she came back to something entirely different than what she left. There is no fooling her into thinking that they hatched under her. At this point, I wouldn't try putting them under her again. I would also try to break her broodiness if she's been that way for two months. That's a long time to go with barely moving to eat or drink.

 

[junebuggena]

I'm having a trial right now with making a broody hen accept 3 two day old chicks. She's been broody for 2 months so when my breeder hatched the type of chicks I wanted I got them today. i pulled her off her fake eggs and put her out in the yard. I broke some eggs and put the clean shells in her box, then I put the 3 chicks in there. I went and got broody and put her in the large coop. I left one fake egg in there. She immediately got all huffy to find chicks in her favorite box. She jumped up into the box and immediately pecked one of the chicks hard on the head. I thought ok she's new to this. Then she stuck her head into the broken egg shells. She started to shove the broken egg shells under her tummy, and pulled the last fake egg under her. When the chicks tried to get close she pecked one again, Im not sure if it was the same one. So I pulled all the broken shells and the fake egg out of the box. She got really mad and grabbed that same chick by the head picked it up off the ground and shook it like a dog with a bone. Scary. I pulled the chicks out and set up a brooder box with heat lamp in the garage. The one chick that got shook is looking a little wobbly and hasn't drunk on it's own. Ive been dipping its beak in Electrolytes. I hope it did not hurt it's neck. The broody hen is a white Silkie, known to be good Mother's. She is always going broody and I usually break her in a cage, but I tried this experiment and it is not going well. I'm too afraid to try and stick them under her after dark. OH Well I guess she just love her eggs.

Just because a hen is prone to brooding does not mean that she's going to be a good mom. I've got one hen that is great at sitting and hatching, but is completely clueless when it comes to taking care of chicks.