Hen not broody? Or am I just impatient??

[dancingbear]

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Somehow I missed the ages before. Yes, as Airheart said, they have to grow up and start laying, before they brood. That's way too young for such behaviors, for any breed. Young pullets who have just started laying don't usually brood right away, either.

 

[kobesmom81]

That little stinker! Last night DH took out the eggs to put them in the incubator. For some reason he left one in the nest, not sure why but he did. So we had eight eggs and took seven out. Today she laid one. We were outside and everyone was going through their nightly roosting routine and I was sitting on the couch with the silkies in my lap. DH says "You'll never guess what Mama is doing." I asked if she was laying another egg cuz if she was I wanted to see. "Nope," he says, "she's sitting on the two eggs." So, we gave her back her other eggs, which she took in with open arms, well open wings I guess. And now she broods!

 

[KellyHM]

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I beg to differ. I decided I needed a broody, so I stuck a couple eggs in my Silkie's nest. That was 4 days ago and she has been STUCK to that nest for 2 days now. I'm not saying it works every time, but they can sometimes be persuaded!

 

[dancingbear]

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I beg to differ. I decided I needed a broody, so I stuck a couple eggs in my Silkie's nest. That was 4 days ago and she has been STUCK to that nest for 2 days now. I'm not saying it works every time, but they can sometimes be persuaded!

I'd say you have one of those "extreme" brooders. I once had a banty hen that would go broody if I left eggs in a nest. But I can't say I "made" her do anything. She just had a lot of "mommy hormones" at work.

From what I've been reading on here and other forums, silkies are notoriously strong brooders. Her hormones kicked in when she saw the eggs. I can't say about silkies, I haven't raised them, but most hens aren't so easily influenced. It's still a hormone thing.

It's nice when it works out the way you want, though. Happy hatching!

 

[cwc362]

my uncle used to have a hen that would set anytime. All he had to do was fill up a nest with eggs on it and off she would go. I think she was a little barnyard bantie mix . I mean anytime you sat her on nest of eggs she would set. I used to have a muscovy duck kind of like that. Every time i left her eggs and there got to be more than 5 or 6 she would set. I could never set chicken eggs under her though, she would always break those- Wayne

 

[ThiefPouter06]

My game hen just went broody today in the cats house. Now they are sitting in the rain.

Its also about 50 degrees right now.