how do i get a hen to go broody?

[jed2012]

ive been trying to encourage my bo's to go broody. its also fall. spring is march 21st, summer is june 21st, fall is september 22nd (not sure on that one), and winter is december 21st. its october right now, and im just wondering if they will go broody this year or in spring. i got them in march. it has actually been exactly 30 weeks today, next week they will be 8 months old since the day i got them. anybody know if they will go broody? or any tips to get them to go broody?

 

[Judy]

Wait til spring and hope you have some with that instinct. Or at least that's the most likely time. Good luck!

 

[Gofygure]

Some people put golf balls or wooden eggs in the nesting boxes. Seeing a clutch of them may trigger a broody instinct. Otherwise, I'm afraid you're at the mercy of your hens. They'll decide if and when they would like some babies, and they won't care a bit before then!

 

[jed2012]

so the best thing to do is to wait til spring and hope they'll go broody and but fake eggs in the nest boxes? or should i also try something else?

 

[what did I do]

Well, for us it was deciding to take some chickens to the fair. A week before the fair I had my first broody and I had to break her. The hen did win a big ribbon. As soon as the fair was over I had another broody. I gave the second broody small pullet eggs and 3 hatched. Winter is coming fast and I have 3 chicks out in the barn.

 

[Eggcessive]

Usually it happens in late spring, and all summer. I also have a golf ball in each nest box to encourage egg laying. They will just start staying in one nest box 24 hours a day, but you can't do anything to make them broody, it just happens. Unfortunately it seems to be a contagious disease once one starts, then everyone gets broody. It doesn't matter which breed goes broody because you can put anyone's egg under her by the way.

 

[jed2012]

are they silkies?

 

[jed2012]

Usually it happens in late spring, and all summer. I also have a golf ball in each nest box to encourage egg laying. They will just start staying in one nest box 24 hours a day, but you can't do anything to make them broody, it just happens. Unfortunately it seems to be a contagious disease once one starts, then everyone gets broody. It doesn't matter which breed goes broody because you can put anyone's egg under her by the way.

i would love that!