How to get my hens to go broody

[Pipers chicks]

So, I have 3 hens, a Barred Rock and two mixes, I would love if one of them would go broody and would adopt some chicks. I sell chicks and would love if one of the hens would do some of the work! What can I do to encourage them to set. They started laying in the hay shed so I let them be thinking one might set, but after a while they left that place and started laying in a straw pile. They just seem to be laying but not setting. Any other ideas?

 

[pineapple416]

Not sure what to tell you...mine are the same way. Last week one of my hens went super broody for the first time (Cochin hen) and I was thrilled. I already had eggs in the incubator but I saved more fertile eggs and gave them to her. She was doing a great job and I closed off her own brooding box away from all the other chickens. Then yesterday I went to check on her and found 2 eggs pushed to the side, cold, and she was sitting on the other 3. I was upset, but thought maybe she just had too many eggs, as she is a small chicken. Then the next day I found her eggs scattered all over the nesting box, slightly warm still, and she completely abandoned them. I rushed them to the incubator but not sure if they survived. So while broody hens can be great, this is not the first of many unsuccessfully hatch attempts I have tried, so now I'm trying to hatch with an incubator.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The most sure way is to keep breeds that are prone to go broody.
Most breeds have had the propensity to go broody bred out of their genes. But even some of those occasionally go broody. Leghorns aren't supposed to go broody but I've had both white and black leghorns sit.
Some Plymouth Rocks may go broody but not often. I've had a lot of Plymouth rocks over the years and none had ever gone broody.
Out of over 30 breeds, the only ones I've had go broody and raise chicks are Ameraucanas, Penedesencas, Orpingtons and Leghorns.
For the most dependable setters, I'd choose bantam Cochins and Silkies.
Other breeds to try are games, brahmas, australorps, sussex, aseels, sumatras, dorkings, delawares, hollands, cubalayas, javas, langshans and malays.

There is no magic stimulus. Having a good dark comfortable nest with a bunch of fake eggs may change the hormones to cause a hen to want to raise a family.
It sounds like your birds don't have nest boxes. Is that true?

 

[Pipers chicks]

They usually lay in the coop. I have no idea why they decided to lay in other places.