Also, the best way to get a broody is not to want a broody, lol. I have a Light Brahma in my current flock who went broody last fall (ripe old age of approx. 7 months ) - I gave her 5 eggs, she hatched those five and definitely proved herself as a mother in her raising of them. That was my test run for her - I had plans. This spring the time came to start thinking about making the additions to the flock (I like a multi-generational flock), and I was really, really, REALLY hoping she'd make it easy on me and go broody so I could just slip some day-olds under her (wanted sexed pullets and breeds I didn't already have in the flock, plus had since rid the flock of the rooster so no fertile eggs w/out buying them). Nope, she had ZERO interest in the idea - I finally gave in and bought chicks to start in the brooder myself. Fast forward about 8 weeks and guess who up and went broody- nope, sorry, don't need a broody right now -- what I need is for you to get your fluffy butt off the nest and get back to your other job of laying eggs. To be fair to her, it is more natural for them to want to brood in the late spring/summer than during the time that is convenient for us (early spring - especially if adoption is in the plans due to the peak availability of chicks at that time), so I can't really fault her for her timing.
So funnyAlso, the best way to get a broody is not to want a broody, lol. I have a Light Brahma in my current flock who went broody last fall (ripe old age of approx. 7 months ) - I gave her 5 eggs, she hatched those five and definitely proved herself as a mother in her raising of them. That was my test run for her - I had plans. This spring the time came to start thinking about making the additions to the flock (I like a multi-generational flock), and I was really, really, REALLY hoping she'd make it easy on me and go broody so I could just slip some day-olds under her (wanted sexed pullets and breeds I didn't already have in the flock, plus had since rid the flock of the rooster so no fertile eggs w/out buying them). Nope, she had ZERO interest in the idea - I finally gave in and bought chicks to start in the brooder myself. Fast forward about 8 weeks and guess who up and went broody- nope, sorry, don't need a broody right now -- what I need is for you to get your fluffy butt off the nest and get back to your other job of laying eggs. To be fair to her, it is more natural for them to want to brood in the late spring/summer than during the time that is convenient for us (early spring - especially if adoption is in the plans due to the peak availability of chicks at that time), so I can't really fault her for her timing.
Like Mare said, certain breeds are more broody than others. You have a lot of hybrids, and broodiness has been bred out of them in favor of egg production. That's not to mean that none of them will brood, though. Given the list you had, I think your best shot at a broody would be the Easter Eggers. You can't make one go broody, but you can tempt them. Like mentioned before, you can tempt them with wooden eggs. For myself, and this is only me, if I want one to brood I will choose one nest box to only collect eggs once a week. I will let them pile up in one nest for a week, and if no one sits on them, I will take them out and start over with fresh eggs. Half of my Easter Eggers will brood, and I have one barred rock that will. I also raise silkies, and they live to brood. If you had a place for a few of them, they are brooding machines. I can't keep mine off the nest"I don't want her to go broody, I don't want her to go broody."
So funny
And so true
Like Mare said, certain breeds are more broody than others. You have a lot of hybrids, and broodiness has been bred out of them in favor of egg production. That's not to mean that none of them will brood, though. Given the list you had, I think your best shot at a broody would be the Easter Eggers. You can't make one go broody, but you can tempt them. Like mentioned before, you can tempt them with wooden eggs. For myself, and this is only me, if I want one to brood I will choose one nest box to only collect eggs once a week. I will let them pile up in one nest for a week, and if no one sits on them, I will take them out and start over with fresh eggs. Half of my Easter Eggers will brood, and I have one barred rock that will. I also raise silkies, and they live to brood. If you had a place for a few of them, they are brooding machines. I can't keep mine off the nest
