How to get hens to brood & do I separate them?

[Couchmo]

I WANT a couple hens to set. What are the best ways to encourage broodiness? Should I separate these hens from the rest of the flock? Any & all advice appreciated

 

[sourland]

First of all, what breeds do you have. Many breeds rarely go broody. Some feel that allowing a hen to accumulate a clutch will inspire broodiness. Generally you just have to wait until their hormones program them to set. Some allow hens to set in a flock environment. I prefer to have them set someplace where they can not be disturbed by flock mates.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Yeah, you can't make any hen go broody when you want them to. All mine decided to wait until the hottest time of the summer last year to go broody and I ended up with a LOT of rotten eggs. If that happens again this year, I'll just give them incubator babies.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Right now I have Ameraucanas, Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Production Reds, Highline Browns & a few incubator hatched mixed breeds. I’ve got some Wyandottes on the way. I currently have about 50 hens & roosters & they all free range together.

Your BAs and BOs have the best chance of going broody, but I've heard of chronically broody Ameraucanas.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I've had only 2 broody BOs from hatchery stock (out of 8 girls) one only went broody in her second summer. The first went broody at 7 months. I also had 1 leghorn go broody in her second year and raise 5 chicks for 4 months.

 

[Spartan22]

I've read this elsewhere. Is this a common problem with hatchery stock, or do you think it's because people tend to get dual purpose, or egg layers?

Couple of hatchery White Leghorns (known for not being broody) went broody on me the first year with chickens, which at that time I didn’t want them to go broody since I only want eggs and I was so new to chickens. Fast forward to my 5th year (which was last year) 2 of my Black Australorps, 2 RIRs, 2 of black Copper Marans, Olive Egger and an eight month old BCMs (8 total, ages less than a year to 3 yrs old) went broody almost simultaneously. I gave them all black Copper Marans eggs. It was fun to see them hatched and raised chicks, definitely maturity matters. The 3 yr old RIR by far the best mom-they’re fierce protective and motherly that even adopted the other chicks that was abandoned @2 wks old by young moms, all of these hens were hatchery except the BCMs and Olive Eggers.

 

[Chelsea-85]

I believe that hens would like to imitate sometimes. I have two pullets, one went broody about 15 days ago, now the other pullet is broody too.

 

[Couchmo]

First of all, what breeds do you have. Many breeds rarely go broody. Some feel that allowing a hen to accumulate a clutch will inspire broodiness. Generally you just have to wait until their hormones program them to set. Some allow hens to set in a flock environment. I prefer to have them set someplace where they can not be disturbed by flock mates.

Hello..As mentioned some never go Broody. Certain breeds though definitely are prone to broodiness. I wait till my Hens start to Brood and commit for a bout 3 to 4 days. Then I crate her separate from the others or other Hens will deposit eggs in her nest too. Plus Broody Hens like privacy.

Right now I have Ameraucanas, Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Production Reds, Highline Browns & a few incubator hatched mixed breeds. I’ve got some Wyandottes on the way. I currently have about 50 hens & roosters & they all free range together.

 

[chickens really]

I never had hatchery Birds go Broody for me. Only breeder stock from other Broody Hens.

 

[Couchmo]

Hello..As mentioned some never go Broody. Certain breeds though definitely are prone to broodiness. I wait till my Hens start to Brood and commit for a bout 3 to 4 days. Then I crate her separate from the others or other Hens will deposit eggs in her nest too. Plus Broody Hens like privacy.

All hatchery stock? The Orpington might go Broody for you.

The AMERAUU

All hatchery stock? The Orpington might go Broody for you.

The Ameraucanas are from a breeder, the BAs are hatchery, BOs & PRs probably hatchery, Highline Browns surely hatchery & we incubated some of our own eggs.