cant get my RIR hens to set on their eggs

[13 chickens]

Had my RIR hen for 3 years and she wont sit on her eggs, what should I do?

 

[sourland]

Not all hens will go broody, and evidently broodiness is not part of her DNA. You may have to get some hens from a broody breed/strain.

 

[thomasboyle]

Sourland is correct. Many breeds have broodiness bred out of them. If you are in the business of eggs, you don't want a hen to go broody as she will stop laying. None of my RIR's are broody, but my white leghorn's are, so I have had them hatch duck eggs when the mother duck would stop sitting after 2 weeks. The leghorn sat for 28 days (a week longer than chichen chicks) and she raised her own brood of ducks.

You also want to make sure she has a quiet area to sit, so make sure there are other nesting boxes if you have other chickens. A brightly lit area will discourage sitting.