i have 47 chickens of 11 breeds and i cant get any of them to go broody at all one time i left the eggs in with my duccles she had 20 eggs and she had them for 4 week and she never set had 26 eggs in the silkies nest box that was 3 weeks old they wouldnt set what am i doing wrong! is there a way to get them to set or do they just have to do there thing
Unfortunately hens set when they are ready and not one minute before. It is hormonal. How old are your hens? They seem to like the spring and summer better for setting. Jean
You really have to wait on the hens. If you give up on them and let them "do their thing", sure as the world, one will go broody for you! If you can't wait, then you might want to do what has already been suggested and invest in a good incubator.
I'll trade ya! I've had at least one broody for the last 5 months. Right now I have 2 and one went broody just a few months ago. Silly girls. Good thing we don't really need all the eggs we get.
I have learned, with my Buff Orps...if they get too much corn, thier body temp goes up...and they go broody. I cut almost ALL corn from thier diet...I will do my hatching inside when its cold out there!
Hens going broody is a instinct that only mother nature can control. Thinking you can make a hen go broody is futile. Sometimes folks do things for the flock that they think made them go boody, however chances are, they were going to be broody anyway, without any help! I've had great broody moms that hatched eggs and were wonderful moms....never to go broody again, especially when i needed them most. Hope this helps some? bigzio