When do hens start sitting on eggs?

[AJ666]

Im not planning on hatching any, but im just wondering.
All my girls are about 6.5 months old. They started laying about a month ago, but my EEs just started, if it matters.

 

[ND]

Only if and when they get the notion to. Some breeds are more prone to going 'broody', others just about NEVER do. (the broody trait has been bred out of many production layer breeds. Broody hens don't lay while broody and for some time afterward.)

It's a hormonal thing, really...and if the 'mood strikes', they'll go broody and want to sit. Age doesn't have much to do with it... some have laid one egg and gone broody nearly immediately after that. Others will never go broody their entire lives.

 

[Silkie Sue]

if they are a broody type chicken they will probably start sitting after laying about 12 or 13 eggs, they should not be allowed to try to hatch all of them, i have found that their first try is not very successful, i would leave them 4 or 5,,,, if you wanted babies

:

 

[magicpigeon]

Quote:
Oh, <expletive deleted>. My second time mother silkie is on 25 because she co-owns a terracotta pot with my partridge. That said, she is quite a flattened chicken (eta blame it on my rooster) and can easily fit them all under

 

[johnjohn4794]

i have black sex-link chickens will they sit. i have 3 hens and 1 roo the hens what lay all the eggs an one nest box i put eggs in the other ones but they still go to the one what shuld i do so they can start to sit on them

 

[Nicole01]

I had a couple go broody or would have gone broody before they turned 1. The oldest 3 just turned 1 this past week!

I have one hen, my oldest EE lay on every single egg that's laid until I come and get it. She kicks the other hen off before they are done "resting" and checking over what they laid. My EE immediately cleans the others hens egg and lays on top.

I grab the eggs through out the day. Not all of mine sing the egg song after laying, just a couple do, so I keep a mental track of their schedule and grab them right away.

I spend a lot of time with my hens, they have been a blessing to me.

 

[jimmycagle]

I have 8 hens that I have had since last year, do I leave the eggs for a couple of days so that they will start sitting?

 

[aart]

I have 8 hens that I have had since last year, do I leave the eggs for a couple of days so that they will start sitting?

Welcome to BYC @jimmycagle !

No, don't leave real eggs in nest, gather them everyday.

Mixed opinions whether leaving eggs in nest will spur a hen to become broody, it might, but I have doubts.
It's hormonal and either a hen will go broody or she won't....a truly broody hen will brood on fake eggs, rocks, .....or nothing at all.

 

[FarmerMiah]

My EE has been laying for about 9 days and she has gone broody. I left two eggs in there for her on 9/15 (marked with an X so I know which ones) and gather the rest. We will see how she does. She is 5 months old. The RIR's leg one egg every day. I was thinking of slipping one of their eggs into the EE's nest. Thoughts?

 

[aart]

My EE has been laying for about 9 days and she has gone broody. I left two eggs in there for her on 9/15 (marked with an X so I know which ones) and gather the rest. We will see how she does. She is 5 months old. The RIR's leg one egg every day. I was thinking of slipping one of their eggs into the EE's nest. Thoughts?

Are you sure she's broody...in nest all day and all night?
There are some cautions against hatching pullets eggs, might want to search on that.

You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? She may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread