my Christmas wish

[jayke563]

all I want for Christmassssssss Is a broody hen,oh all I want for Christmassss is a broody hennnnnnn lol my Christmas song parody do u like it lol e

 

[nchls school]

all I want for Christmassssssss Is a broody hen,oh all I want for Christmassss is a broody hennnnnnn lol my Christmas song parody do u like it lol e

This year, like the two years before that, all of my hens have gone broody multiple times. I only have a few but I'm fairly sure it will work for you too. I used this method this year with nine hens; three silkies, one mutt crossbreed, and five serama. Here is what I do-If I want a broody fast I put a hen that is laying in a good sized pen with a nest box. When she lays I leave the eggs in the nest. When there is app 12 eggs the hen will go broody. The pen needs to be as big as possible. Sometimes I replace the eggs with dummy eggs if I have use for the real ones; one dummy egg for each egg that is laid. Giving a hen a nest full of eggs all at once will not make her broody; the nest has to gradually fill as the hen lays.

A similar method can be used in the coop with a whole flock. Each day as you collect the eggs put ONE dummy egg in the nest where you want a broody (you might end up having more than one hen go broody doing this). When the clutch is complete the hens will go broody that are using that nesting site. In a coop setting do not leave real eggs as they might get broken leading to egg-eating.

Some people believe broodiness is caused by a hormonal change and that is right, but it is the presence of eggs that cause the hormonal change. Hormonal changes do not happen overnight and that's why giving a laying hen a nest full of egg immediately doesn't work. The build up of a clutch has to be gradual.

Keep in mind that many breeds no longer have the broody instinct and will not brood no matter what you do. Also, clutch size varies. My serama went broody after laying just five or six eggs. Chicken clutch size usually is more than that; 10-15 eggs being way more common than 5 or 6. Please post the results. Good luck.

During the last two months I have been collecting my silkie’s eggs twice a day; none have gone broody; no eggs in the nest-no broodiness.

 

[jayke563]

This year, like the two years before that, all of my hens have gone broody multiple times. I only have a few but I'm fairly sure it will work for you too. I used this method this year with nine hens; three silkies, one mutt crossbreed, and five serama. Here is what I do-If I want a broody fast I put a hen that is laying in a good sized pen with a nest box. When she lays I leave the eggs in the nest. When there is app 12 eggs the hen will go broody. The pen needs to be as big as possible. Sometimes I replace the eggs with dummy eggs if I have use for the real ones; one dummy egg for each egg that is laid. Giving a hen a nest full of eggs all at once will not make her broody; the nest has to gradually fill as the hen lays.

A similar method can be used in the coop with a whole flock. Each day as you collect the eggs put ONE dummy egg in the nest where you want a broody (you might end up having more than one hen go broody doing this). When the clutch is complete the hens will go broody that are using that nesting site. In a coop setting do not leave real eggs as they might get broken leading to egg-eating.

Some people believe broodiness is caused by a hormonal change and that is right, but it is the presence of eggs that cause the hormonal change. Hormonal changes do not happen overnight and that's why giving a laying hen a nest full of egg immediately doesn't work. The build up of a clutch has to be gradual.

Keep in mind that many breeds no longer have the broody instinct and will not brood no matter what you do. Also, clutch size varies. My serama went broody after laying just five or six eggs. Chicken clutch size usually is more than that; 10-15 eggs being way more common than 5 or 6. Please post the results. Good luck.

During the last two months I have been collecting my silkie’s eggs twice a day; none have gone broody; no eggs in the nest-no broodiness.

thank u I'll try it out I have 2 silkies and I really want a broody silkie so right now I have 7 golf balls in there is that enough? she I put more in day by by day? thank u