When will a hen go broody?

[tigmata]

I have 5 Buff Oph hens and one rooster. They are all the same age, one year old April 6. One has gone broody for the second time while the other four have not gone broody at all.

Is there some way to make a hen go broody or will she go broody when the time is right? Could the four never go broody?

I'm in North Central Texas and the weather has been hotter than normal for the time of year. The coop is well ventilated and there are two waterers (one gallon each) available and they get a good pellet, some scratch and whatever bug comes out of the garden.

The first time the one hen went broody was this past November, yes November. She hatched a chick, but it didn't survive. Today she hatched a chick and it is doing just fine. She has three more eggs under her that have yet hatched' but hope and anticipation run high.

Any thoughts from y'all?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
First off,

from Connecticut!

As for broodiness, it is a hormone-driven, instinctive thing and not something that can be induced or encouraged. Some breeds are more broody than others and individual birds within any breed can vary in their propensity to go broody. It's just the luck of the draw!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

I have 6 BAs, known to be a bit broody by breed. Only one of mine has ever decided to set, and this is her third go~ since she started laying, last September!!!!

I am raising her future mate right now, but he is only 8 weeks old, and not quite ready for Fatherhood.
Alice Ann will always have a place with us, as our Broody Hen, and once she gets a chance to actually set a clutch of fertilized eggs, I think she will be a good Mamma. She has faithfully turned and rearranged golf balls, and, later, nothing at all. But so far, it has only cost me eggs and some serious frusitration on her part. I feel so bad for her ...in her wire-bottom cage, cluck...cluck...clucking under her breath.

I have heard that being broody is a heritable trait, so I will be keeping this in mind when I collect fertile eggs for future chooks. I really only need one solid broody.