Chickens not sitting on eggs

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julia124

julia124

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Hi I have 9 month old hens and 2 roosters and none of my chickens sit on their eggs or hatch them. Does anyone know why?
 
Because they don't want to/ aren't ready. A hen needs to be broody to sit on eggs. Part of that is the breed and part is the individual hen. Some breeds go broody all the time and others never.
 
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Welcome to BYC!
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We're glad to have you.

Not every breed or individual in a breed will set on eggs. It all depends on the individual bird. Many breeds have had broodiness bred out of them.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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I agree with the above posters. Hens need to go "broody" before they have the desire to set on eggs. This is a hormonal thing. Give them some time to grow up. This coming spring you may get a broody or two if you have the type of breeds that tend to go broody.

Make sure to keep the rooster to hen ratio correct so the hens are protected from over mating. 1 rooster to 8 to 10 hens is fine.

Enjoy your flock and I hope you get some broodies next spring!
 
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If your girls don't go broody - get yourself a silkie and or/ cochin- those breeds tend to go broody. A good broody will hatch any eggs under her, even if you swapped hers out for those of a different breed.
 
Wow thanks for all the feedback! What breeds tend to be broody? I have 2 Americanas, white leg horn, silver Wyandotte, barred rocks, RI red, buff Orpington,
 
I also have a mix breed hen and a mixed rooster both small and both I can't catch and they sleep in a big tree at night I don't know why the first week they slept in the coop and they other roosters and hens don't pick on them....weird huh?!
 

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