how many eggs does it take...

[Southernbelle]

I've got broodies out the wazoo!

Right now, I have 3 sitting on eggs, 2 raising chicks, 3 that just weaned their chicks and started laying again and 2 that have been laying for a while and will probably be broody soon. I maintain a flock of Silkies just so I don't have to buy an incubator.

All my broodies are Silkies. Mine seem to take a few months between cycles. They'll lay for a while, then get the urge to brood, so they'll sit (I always give them eggs.) They sit for 3 weeks and hatch out chicks - then it takes about a month or 2 before they begin laying again, then they lay for about a month (maybe longer) then go broody again.

So from the start of one broody cycle to another is anywhere from 3-5 months. If your girl hatched her babies recently, she's nowhere near ready to go again. Leaving eggs in the nests is a waste of good eggs - if they're really broody - they'll sit on air. If you want more broodys you should get lots more Silkies

I have 10 Silkie hens and someone is always broody year-round.

 

[Katy]

One thing to remember is setting on eggs takes a toll on them and having them continually set on eggs isn't really the best thing for the hen.

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
I always wait until they start acting broody. If I see a hen sitting on a nest at feeding time and she doesn't get up to see what I brought - that's my first clue because treats are always more important than just laying an egg, but not for a hen with her eggs. Next clue, is to go down at night - if the same hen is now sleeping in that box - she's broody. I still give them a few days to make sure they're serious before I give them eggs.