She knows what they're for. Why won't she use them??

[gritsar]

Pretty much everyone in BYCland knows that I'm broody-challenged. I couldn't get a broody if my life depended on it.

This morning I brought all the golf balls out of the nestboxes up to the house to sanitize and clean them.

Heard an egg song just a bit ago and decided to take the golfballs back out to the coop. Chloe, a light brahma hen, was standing in a nest. I gently took her fresh-laid egg out of the nestbox and replaced it with 13 golf balls. Chloe looked at them for a sec, then sat down on them and spent a good five minutes adjusting them and herself to cover them; softly clucking the whole time.

So, she knows what they're for but the broody switch doesn't turn on. I can't figure out why.

 

[b.hromada]

You're lucky! A couple of mine seem to go broody, all the time.

 

[danischi24]

My silkie is broody more than she isn't-I worked it out. Approx 2 weeks not broody. 3 months broody.

 

[Mrs. K]

gritsar - I am with you. Everyday, no one is sitting on a nest. Everyday, I say, "Please someone go broody" Everyday, they get rid of that egg and jump down, free of responsibility.

Two of these girls were raised by a hen, someone needs to do it. I do not want to mess with baby chickens after I had a hen raise them. Just as much fun to watch, and no work.

I tried the piling of fake eggs in one nest. No go either. I let them build a nest in the corner, and they love to lay there, but nobody stays

Ugh! I am trying to be sympathetic with those of you who have them all going broody, and yest it is nice to have enough eggs to bake with......BUT

You are not alone Gritsar

 

[chickenlittle32]

If you were closer, I'd give you a broody...or 4....lol I have 7 broody hens....1 turkey hen, and 2 mallard hens.....

and an incubator full of eggs lol

 

[elmo]

How about getting a few more hens just for brooding? Silkies are supposed to be very broody, and from my own limited experience with Old English Game bantams, that breed seems to be very broody, too. Plus they have lovely personalities, are quite hardy, and come in many beautiful colors and patterns. They just can't sit on huge clutches like the "full figured gals."

 

[gritsar]

Mrs. K :

gritsar - I am with you. Everyday, no one is sitting on a nest. Everyday, I say, "Please someone go broody" Everyday, they get rid of that egg and jump down, free of responsibility.

Two of these girls were raised by a hen, someone needs to do it. I do not want to mess with baby chickens after I had a hen raise them. Just as much fun to watch, and no work.

I tried the piling of fake eggs in one nest. No go either. I let them build a nest in the corner, and they love to lay there, but nobody stays

Ugh! I am trying to be sympathetic with those of you who have them all going broody, and yest it is nice to have enough eggs to bake with......BUT

You are not alone Gritsar

I know! I have tried every trick in the book. I had two hens play at going broody and I silently prayed that they would stick with it, but no.
Every time I hear of a new "fool-proof" method I try it with no luck. I have a supposedly broody breed, so I just don't understand!

Elmo, see my thread under the RR category about breaking down and buying silkie chicks. I had it all planned, but Ideal is sold out of silkies on the week I am having my chicks shipped. Looking at the game hen chicks, but they don't really appeal to me. Oh well, perhaps one of the turken chicks I've ordered will grow up to be the world's best broody.​