cant get a broody hen

[bornnraised]

i have 10 hens that all but 2 lay eggs every week i leave 3 or 4 eggs and i sell the rest but the eggs spoil because the hens wont set on them. whats wrong.i need help i want chicks bad.

 

[Veer67]

What kind of chickens do you have? Some breeds almost never get broody or they could be too young.

 

[cafarmgirl]

X2, depends on your breeds. Many hatchery bred chickens that are bred to be high egg producers seldom if ever go broody. My hatchery RIR and BR's have never, ever gone broody, neither have my hatchery EE's. Only thing I've had go reliably broody and stay that way long enough to hatch eggs have been my Buff Orpingtons, and some of my bantams.

 

[Bullitt]

i have 10 hens that all but 2 lay eggs every week i leave 3 or 4 eggs and i sell the rest but the eggs spoil because the hens wont set on them. whats wrong.i need help i want chicks bad.

What breeds are your hens? You have to have a hen that will go broody, otherwise leaving eggs in the nest will not do anything.

If you do not have a hen that goes broody, you can search around and find a broody hen.

I see you are in Kentucky. We are starting to head into fall, so this might not be the best time to hatch out chicks.

 

[bornnraised]

i have 6 hewhampshires,1 barred rock,3 partridge Plymouth rocks, 2 old english game,and 1 dutch

 

[Bullitt]

Old English Game is a breed that goes broody. Maybe you will be able to get one of those hens to go broody.

 

[bornnraised]

will she go broody in the winter

 

[Bullitt]

will she go broody in the winter

It is up to the individual hens.

But you can put light in the coop to make a hen think it is a different time of year. You can also allow the hen to lay a clutch of eggs in her nest.

Maybe you will have a hen go broody. But there is no guarantee.