Can You Make A Hen Go Broody?

[newchickens2009]

I've read somewhere before that someone incourages their hens to go broody alot. Is there something that you can do to make them broody or is it just up to the hen?

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

It's really up to the hen, but you can try to intice her by leaving a clutch of eggs, (or dummy eggs) that she can see. She may then go broody.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
What breed of hen do you have. Some breeds are very prone to broodiness, others have had it mostly bred out of them.

 

[newchickens2009]

I have dominiques, e.e, a deleware (which are laying) and a 25 week old buff orpington which hasn't started to lay yet.

 

[Kittymomma]

Your orpington might go broody eventually, but it's unlikely that leaving eggs in the nest box will get you anything besides old and maybe broken eggs. The only breed I've really heard that working on is broody prone silkies and I don't have any of those so that is strictly second hand. I don't have either of your other breeds, but I'm pretty sure the Dels are not usually considered a broody breed, don't know about the Dom's.

 

[bison]

The breed page of BYC says that B.O. are more likely to go broody than your Delawares... I posted this not long ago wondering the same thing and got one good reply. Maybe it'll help your questions.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=300033

 

[newchickens2009]

Thank you all for the fast feed back. Have a great day and GOD BLESS!!

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Starve them. . .

It is what the industries do. Of course I would never actually advise this - It is entirely cruel and terrible, but sadly does work.

On the lighter side - I hear that getting them plenty fake eggs work, but the best thing to do is wait for the right time (early winter) when their food goes down, and they feel less inclined to lay. Also remember that some breeds aren't as broody.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Starve them. . .

It is what the industries do. Of course I would never actually advise this - It is entirely cruel and terrible, but sadly does work.

On the lighter side - I hear that getting them plenty fake eggs work, but the best thing to do is wait for the right time (early winter) when their food goes down, and they feel less inclined to lay. Also remember that some breeds aren't as broody.

Huh? The industries use incubators and do their best to breed broodiness out. A hen that is broody is a hen that is not laying eggs. A malnurished bird will not lay well and will not just go broody. A broody bird will sometimes finish up in a poor state because she does not eat properly on the nest. That is particularly true for a hen that has had a failed hatch or that has been trying to brood with either no eggs or infertile eggs and has stayed in the broody state for longer then the usual three weeks.