How do I get her to stay on the egg?

[ARose4Heaven]

My young hens started laying eggs last week. But they take off and abandon them. This was OK at first, I just ate them But now I would like to see somebody raise a chick. How do I get a hen to care for her eggs, not just walk away?

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi Connie! The hens won't stay on the eggs unless they are broody.
What breeds do you have? Some breeds are more inclined to be broody than others.

Lisa

 

[Akane]

You can't. They either go broody or they don't. It's the hen's choice. All you can do is make a comfy desireable nest and maybe leave some fake eggs or golf balls in there so they have something to sit on. Some breeds are more likely to go broody than others. Some breeds seem to sit on eggs more than they lay them and others may never sit on eggs. Most will not sit on eggs their first season of laying. If you got them this year they probably will not go broody until next year.

 

[Judy]

I would have said that the hen must go broody on her own, too, until I read a thread about a fellow who claims to be able to make his go broody. I have not tried this, and don't believe I would, but here it is, anyway:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=176282

 

[ARose4Heaven]

I have red sex-links that are the ones which have started laying. They were hatched March 30th. l

My Orps are 2 weeks younger, and haven't started laying yet...although, I do have one of them that spends a lot of time snuggling into the wood chips under the nesting boxes..no eggs yet though.

I guess I am just too anxious as a mommy. I saw a saying on a church sign the other day that probably applies...

"Patience is a subject that carries a lot of wait."

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Hello......I started off with red sexlinks also and then my MIL brought three hens for me a RIR and a PR and a little bantam ...that was in the fall and the following spring I noticed my little bantam...named after my MIL started to stay in the nest box and grumble at any other chicken that looked her way...I didnt have a rooster so I knew the eggs were not fertile so I went to another person that had a bunch of free ranging chickens and Roosters and bought 6 eggs and during the night in the dark I took the old eggs out from under her and placed "X's" on the fertile eggs and slipped them under her...Marked the calender and waited and waited until one day I had given up I thought the eggs were duds and when I went in the coop and was bending over talking with the other girls I could hear cheep cheep cheep!!! and thats when I did the baby dance !!!! moral of the story ....get a little bantam.....I heard silkies are good broody hens ....good luck...plus I just wanted to tell you I learned to do this by asking questions on this site...

 

[Akane]

If you know you really want to hatch out chicks frequently then go find someone with an adult silkie or cochin. Those are known to go broody the most often. Most other bantams will also sit fairly frequently. My japanese bantams are my only breed to go broody so far.

 

[Judy]

Ah, I forgot. Here is an article about broodies that lists the really broody breeds:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

Cochins are an "often goes broody" breed, but not as dependable as some others.

Henderson's breed chart also addresses broodiness, by breed.

 

[Akane]

Maybe standard cochins are different but bantam cochins rank right up there at the top of the broodies according to everyone I've talked to. The old english game bantams would be another one that's easy to find. The rest I see listed in that article are a bit less common and you'll probably have to look online to get them which means unless you want to spend a fair bit of money to ship an adult buying eggs or chicks and waiting another year for them to grow.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
True, about having to wait. I bought some Kraienkoppes from my feed store last year when I had no idea what I was buying, really. They are great. Love to forage, great broodies and mamas, gentle, friendly -- Look much like a brown leghorn, lay a light beige egg. Last year I had 3 of them sharing mothering a nest and single chick. I only have one left. The feed store orders from Ideal. I've never owned a Cochin.