just a few question's about broodyness

[old geezer]

...no roo is in my flock-----right now all but 2 hens readly squatt--

--to go broody--would it be preferable to have a roo {or borrow one from farmer friend } ,how can i actually tell if a hen goes broody----

---also if i place a couple of fertilized eyys in one of the nest box , and leave them there , would a hen tend to go broody---

-------reason for these question's--wife does not want a roo ,,,,or any more chicken--

----i can see her reason as i get 7 to 8 eggs a day now---so i figure to let a couple of fertilized eggs hatch , and tell her , they must have been hidden in the deep straw litter and one of the hens just hatched them---trust me--she'll believe it-----

---any help would be great.......

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[SmartyChick]

A hen does not have to have a roo to go broody and she usually doesn't go broody right after she starts to lay, it happens a month later at the least IF it happens at all. There is no way to make a hen to go broody. You can encourage them to go broody by leaving eggs (fertilized or not) in the nesting boxes and not collecting them.
You can tell your hen is broody when she doesn't come out of the nesting boxes and makes crazy noises. She will steal eggs from everyone else and come out once a day screaming to eat and drink and poop a ginormous stink poop. Once you notice your hen is broody you can order fertalized eggs online or from a local farmer and sneak them under her.

Happy broodying!

 

[old geezer]

...thanks--very very helpful

 

[Lisa202]

My first broody hen just hatched a chick which died at 5 days old. Then she hijacked some more eggs and started sitting again, but quit after 5 days.

I'm not sure if you can't make a hen go broody, she just decides on her own...whether there are eggs in a nest or not (fertile or non fertile)

When they do go broody they will stay on eggs with this glazed look in her eyes. She'll get mad if you take her off the nest or even if you try to touch her. Mine growled, I've heard that others' peck at them. Mine was very sweet and let me do what I wanted, but she did let me know, verbally, that it bothered her. If you take her off the nest, she'll run right back onto it. Her body will also look round and flat while she's sitting (that's what mine did anyway)

Mine started laying at 16 weeks old and went broody at 19 weeks old. But so far, she's the only one that has gone broody and now they are all 24 weeks.

You really can't miss that a chicken is brooding...it's very obvious. Maybe if your wife sees another little chick she'll change her mind?