How to Make a Hen Broody?

[lmadeline146]

How do I go about getting a hen broody? We currently have none and want to hatch some eggs. Also, if we want 6 hens, how many eggs should we let the hen brood on?

 

[nuthatched]

You can't make a hen broody, it's a hormone thing.
If you want 6 female chicks, you need to set at least 12 eggs and your average hen can only fit about 8. so you best get a 12+ egg incubator.
Do you have a rooster? What are your plans for the excess cockerels? They're often hard to rehome.
edit for spelling

 

[Auntiejessi3]

What kind of hens do you have? With hatchery birds, or any bird for that matter, there is no guarantee that they will go broody as they often try to breed that out of them. The estimate is 50% chance of pullets, 50% chance of cockerels, but really you could end up with all cockerels, there are no guarantees. If you search broody in the search bar there are a few threads where people have tested whether they could make a hen go broody, non I've read have had success. You could try and put a clutch of golf balls in a nest and see if it entices any takers, but again there is no guarantee. Good luck!

 

[lmadeline146]

You can't make a hen broody, it's a hormone thing.
If you want 6 female chicks, you need to set at least 12 eggs and your average hen can only fit about 8. so you best get a 12+ egg incubator.
Do you have a rooster? What are your plans for the excess cockerels? They're often hard to rehome.
edit for spelling

We have 2 roosters, and if we get extra cockerels we know a few people looking for roosters for their flock and they said they’d gladly take one or two. I’ve also been looking at backup plans like giving the cockarels away for free on social media groups for backyard chickens near where I am.
Are incubators more work than having a hen go broody? I’m worried about the chicks not having a mother to guide them into the flock and whatever hens do with their chicks.

 

[Chicken poppy]

How do I go about getting a hen broody? We currently have none and want to hatch some eggs. Also, if we want 6 hens, how many eggs should we let the hen brood on?

A hen goes broody because of hormones. The urge to hatch and be a mom. You cannot force that, however you can stimulate it.
Get breeds that often go broody. Some popular ones are: Japanese bantams, bantam cochins, Silkies, Seramas, Orphingtons.

Create a dark, semi secluded space for your hen. Somewhere dark and not super hot or cold is ideal for a broody hen. I find if theres a egg in the nest they are more likely to go broody.

Depends on the breed. For some Japanese bantams, i would do like 10 because they have something called a creeper gene, causing many to die before hatching out of the egg.
9 Is probably a good amount. You can expect about 3 to be duds, you could do 10 if you would like.
You can expect roughly 3 of those to be roosters.
Out of 6 eggs though, i only got 1 rooster so sometimes you can get lucky.

 

[Sussex19]

You can't make a hen go broody, but leaving 5 or 6 fake eggs (or golf balls) in the nest may help if she has the genetics for it.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Seems all I have to do is bring them home.

It gets tiresome really.

 

[Aunt Angus]

We have 2 roosters, and if we get extra cockerels we know a few people looking for roosters for their flock and they said they’d gladly take one or two. I’ve also been looking at backup plans like giving the cockarels away for free on social media groups for backyard chickens near where I am.
Are incubators more work than having a hen go broody? I’m worried about the chicks not having a mother to guide them into the flock and whatever hens do with their chicks.

With incubatos, you can hatch when you want. Hens go broody on their own schedule.

And good job figuring out a plan for your boys ahead of time!

 

[Chicken poppy]

We have 2 roosters, and if we get extra cockerels we know a few people looking for roosters for their flock and they said they’d gladly take one or two. I’ve also been looking at backup plans like giving the cockarels away for free on social media groups for backyard chickens near where I am.
Are incubators more work than having a hen go broody? I’m worried about the chicks not having a mother to guide them into the flock and whatever hens do with their chicks.

Honestly, yes, incubators are more work.

A broody hen is the mom and incubator. Not only does she turn and hatch the eggs, she also guides the baby chicks. She introduces them into the flock, shows them new things, and quite honestly, its beautiful to watch.

A incubator is great because with a broody hen you can’t put however many eggs you want and you are limited to chicken eggs.
But a incubator requires turning (if its not automatic) and everything the hen does you must do.

The chicks WILL scream 24/7 when you are not with them. The mom doesn’t leave them so they will cry for you to sit with them. Its heart breaking and tiresome for most.

To simplify, they both have pros and cons

Broody hen: Does all the work, some go broody a lot more then others, beautiful to watch. You can’t hatch quail or ducks, just chickens.

Incubator: Hatch whenever you would like, how often you want, whatever breed, though the work is tiresome and often heartbreaking.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Honestly, yes, incubators are more work.

A broody hen is the mom and incubator. Not only does she turn and hatch the eggs, she also guides the baby chicks. She introduces them into the flock, shows them new things, and quite honestly, its beautiful to watch.

A incubator is great because with a broody hen you can’t put however many eggs you want and you are limited to chicken eggs.
But a incubator requires turning (if its not automatic) and everything the hen does you must do.

The chicks WILL scream 24/7 when you are not with them. The mom doesn’t leave them so they will cry for you to sit with them. Its heart breaking and tiresome for most.

To simplify, they both have pros and cons

Broody hen: Does all the work, some go broody a lot more then others, beautiful to watch. You can’t hatch quail or ducks, just chickens.

Incubator: Hatch whenever you would like, how often you want, whatever breed, though the work is tiresome and often heartbreaking.

Great post!

One thing: You can hatch pretty much anything under a broody IF she's serious about it and will stay put long enough for them to hatch.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-hen-raising-ducklings.1286273/