There has got to be a way to make your chicken broody!

[Chicken Charlotte]

Please! Any ideas??? Something I could try?????

 

[jm93030]

what breed is this hen you want to get broody?


some breeds dont ?

and some do even without eggs?

 

[Chicken Charlotte]

Quote:
I am not sure about one but she has gone broody before about three times, the other one is red but she is not a rodilen red though. I used to have 12 but they all got eaten *long story*

 

[jm93030]

Silkies are the best to get broody after raising the babys
if you can get one she will get broody at least 4 times a year

one way to try to get your hen broody is by not collecting the eggs, if you dont colect the eggs sooner they may sit on them

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

If she's been broody before you can leave a bunch of eggs in there and she may try to sit....

Some breeds don't ever go broody....others will every now & then....

I'm not familiar with Rhode Island Reds and them going broody...I know my Orloff bantams, Cochins (all sizes), Wyandotte bantams, Sumatras and Light Sussex have all been broody this spring. I let the Sussex sit and she smothered all of the chicks/eggs.

The cochins all hatched theirs out and I took the Sumatra eggs away & finished them in the bator. The Orloff bantam & Wyandotte bantams are sitting now...so we'll see how they do.

 

[skillswife]

Need them to lay eggs

That's what did it for my hen. I don't think RIR's go broody as often as some others. Mine is a Millie Fluer D"Uccle that is broody right now.

 

[njduck]

commercial production birds rarely go broody. it has been bred out of them. They never sit on eggs on commercial farms. Buff orphingtons sit the best out of all the larger breeds I have. My sex links, RIR, barred rocks hardly ever set on eggs.

 

[Buckguy20]

There was a great article about forcing broodiness in Backyard Poultry Magizine earlier this year. You may be able to find it on line.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Personally, I disagree with the 'silkies are the best' when it comes to broodiness. I have more luck getting OEGB, cochins, and 'mutts' to go broody than I ever do with my silkies. Plus, the 1 silkie hen I have that DOES go broody is a total idiot and usually ignores her chicks to the point that they starve or freeze to death. Currently I have 2 hens who are silkie/cochin mixes and 1 hen who's an OEGB/d'uccles mix. All 3 of these hens are last year's hatchlings and are on their 3rd set of chicks this year. My LF OEG hens are also good broodies, I have 1 with her 2nd set for the year. However, she was the first bird to go broody this year so it took her a while to get back in the 'swing' of it. Definitely most any bantam will go broody but I would look for other alternatives than just silkies.

 

[pgpoultry]

I don't believe that broodiness can be 'forced' as it is due to a hormonal change within the bird. Maybe some of the heavy hints suggested will encourage hens.

I keep Brahmas amongst other birds and they always are broody in the summer. Several of my hens barely lay any eggs in the summer, and my broodiest will hatch 4-5 clutches per season. Maybe get a Brahma or two?