letting a hen go broody

[chickenmama109]

hi

i have a flock of 12 11 pullets and 1 rooster 8 hens are laying they are 5 to 6 months old

i want to let one go broody people say to put fake eggs in there box but if i put fake eggs will i have to buy eggs and put them under her or will she lay more eggs and hatch those

and will the other hens mess with the eggs or chicks will the rooster mess with them

and what breed will go broody
i have
7 rir
1 white leghorn
1 barred rock
not sure what the other to are one is a bantem little and gray and the other is light brown

thank you so much

 

[chickens really]

Your Chickens are young....Chickens go broody by hormones..Eggs do not need to be in a nest..
Your Bantams will probably go broody....

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Just buy two eggs from the grocery store for each nest that your hens are laying in. Mark these infertile eggs well and leave them in the nest, while you gather and remove all the eggs that your hens or pullets are currently laying. That way there are two eggs in each nest for your hens to sit on once they go broody. Then remove the bait eggs and add 12-15 fertile eggs to the nest for your hens to sit on and hatch.

Just forget about the white leghorn ever going broody but with a rooster in the flock her eggs will hatch as well as your RIRs.

 

[chickenmama109]

if i just keep there eggs in there will they go broody

 

[Pork Pie]

if i just keep there eggs in there will they go broody

No need to put eggs anywhere. Broodiness is hormonal. Once you have a girl that refuses to leave a nest box (apart from 10-15 minutes per day) and remains in the box overnight then she's broody.

 

[chickens really]

if i just keep there eggs in there will they go broody

No....Hormones cause Hens to go broody...They do not need eggs to bring on the broodiness....

 

[FarmerFrank]

Pretty much what everyone said about hormones. If your hen does go broody, have a plan to move her and the chicks once they hatch. Chicks will get stepped on or pecked by other non broody hens and the rooster.

 

[chickens really]

Pretty much what everyone said about hormones. If your hen does go broody, have a plan to move her and the chicks once they hatch. Chicks will get stepped on or pecked by other non broody hens and the rooster.

Not true in most cases....All my Momma Hens and Chicks are put back into the Flock when my Chicks are a few days old..Momma Hen protects them and my Rooster tidbits for them...All my introductions have had zero issues....

 

[FarmerFrank]

Not true in most cases....All my Momma Hens and Chicks are put back into the Flock when my Chicks are a few days old..Momma Hen protects them and my Rooster tidbits for them...All my introductions have had zero issues....

My personal experience has been the opposite when I tried leaving them in. I have RIRs, may be a difference in breeds or I just have mean chickens!

 

[chickenmama109]

I don't want to buy eggs what do I do to get here to lay here eggs and then go broody