how do i get my hen to go broody?

[chickalator]

im tryin to hatch some black tailed japanese uner a rhode island red bantam. i gave her dummy eggs yesterday, and today it looks lik she has plucked out a couple breast feathers. is this a sign?

 

[mothersin2ition]

Not sure if you can make any hen go broody, but there is a good chance yours will. Bantams are known for being great setters, if I remember correctly. Our only Bantam just hatched a clutch this week for us, and she has been a phenomenal setter!
Good luck!!

 

[chickalator]

thanks!

 

[swtangel321]

There is no way to make a hen go broody, it's just one of those "female" things that happen (at all the wrong times it seems) how great it would be if we could just ask our hens nicely to sit on eggs and raise chicks for us !!!!! Do you have a bator ??? Also how old is your hen ???

 

[shelleyd2008]

There was another thread I saw on here about a hen that was plucking her feathers while she was brooding. I am pretty sure the reply said they do this to keep the eggs warmer.

 

[TerrasCritters]

I have read quite a few times you can, put a basket over them 4 days before you expect eggs (shipped or just want to set some), only letting them out twice a day for food and water (5-7 minutes each time) and by the end of the 4th day, they should be broody.

But sounds like your hen just might already be catching onto what you have in mind for her.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[thepetpaw]

My hen went broody on wooden eggs....It took me about 1.5 weeks to get some fresh eggs for her to sit on and sitting she is. It is so crazy but she has been trying to hatch eggs for about 6 weeks now. the first batch were wooden and the second set was infertile so I hope she will be able to hatch at least one chick from this batch and this has been continuous - she hasnt stopped sitting for nearly 2 months....She is due to hatch her (borrowed) eggs next Monday - wish us luck...she is so determined!!!!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
My dad has a game hen that was so determined, that after all her eggs but 3 exploded beneath her, and dad took the others (that were also no good) out from under her, and ran her off the nest, she STILL sat the (now empty) nest!! He felt so sorry for her, that he put a dummy under her so she would stay on long enough for him to go buy some chicks!! They are 3 months old, and THEY are now leaving HER!!! She wants to be a mom so bad!!!

 

[bearcat73]

I'm gonna try to talk my bantam cochin into being broody. lol She was last week but there were no eggs for her to sit on, but she didn't leave the nest for days. I just ordered some eggs yesterday and I'm going to put 3/4 in my bator and set the other 1/4 under her if I can convince her. I'm going to put her in the brooder box with a nest and food and water and maybe a few golf balls until my eggs get here. Wish me luck!

 

[LocoPollo]

I wanted my hen to go broody so she could hatch some extra eggs that i had. After days of frustration, I finally put all the eggs that she had layed (I let them collect in hopes of making her broody) plus all the extra eggs I had into her nest and locked her in - about 16 eggs or so. Lo and behold, she went and sat on them in about ten minutes and has been hatching them ever since. I guess I just got lucky, but it seems the full nest of eggs set her off.