When will my hens go broody?

[16Chickens Keeper]

I'm wanting chicks but I don't want to order/ buy some and I want some of my hens to hatch their own. Except I was wondering when is the average time of the year they would broody. I have 3 hens most likely 2 years old, 10 hens a little more than a year.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Maybe never.
Broodieness is sometimes genetic (some chickens go broody more than others) and sometimes individual (individuals within a breed may not conform to that breeds broodiness levels). Some breeds almost never ever go broody and some go broody multiple times a year.

If they are going to go broody it'll be sometime in spring/summer. But you can't induce broodiness, and you can't expect any of your hens to go broody just because.

 

[16Chickens Keeper]

ok thx for the information

 

[sourland]

What breeds do you have ?

 

[Chickassan]

You might have to get a few hen breeds that are prone to go broody if you want to hatch chicks that way.
Buff orphingtons, silkies, and based on personal experience faverolles go broody quite often.
If you've never used a broody, read up on it. It is a very neat experience but you really need to know what to expect since it is also really, really, really wierd too.

 

[TheBeardie]

Most breeds won't go broody, Silkies are notorious for going broody. If you want to hatch your own chicks, look into breeds that typically go broody. Even with broody breeds you could end up with one that doesn't want to brood.

I noticed my mixed breed girls had a tendency to go broody more often than a specific breed. It would most likely be in the spring when they go broody. I've had a black tailed white Japanese bantam try to brood in the middle of winter though.

You have a rooster, correct? It's important to ask, sometimes people don't even have a roo and expect fertile eggs! Do you want to deal with all of the cockerels you'd end up with? If you're willing to prossess them or have an separate all male flock than it won't be a problem. Even when cockerels are free it's hard to get rid of them, so think about how you would deal with the extra cockerels.

My last hatch was about half male, which is average. Don't just think about right now think about in a few months time when all the cockerels start to over breed your girls.

I hope you get some cute puff balls soon!

 

[16Chickens Keeper]

Hello, Yes I do have a rooster, I have 4 RIR's, 2 Barred Rocks, Colden Comets, a EE and 2 mixed hens. And I know I will be buying 2 or 3 silkies when they become available at my local feed store.

 

[16Chickens Keeper]

And when I do get cockerels ill try to sell'em first then give away for free and if that doesn't work well cull them, or I'll give'em to my neighbor.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The ones you have tend to not go broody much. The EE is an unknown as she is not a breed, just a mix. My mixed hens tended to go broody but that is because I purposely kept replacement pullets and a cockerel from hens that went broody. Before I did that my mixes did not tend to go broody any more than the others. Heredity has a lot to do with it.

Good luck on getting Silkie pullets at the feed store. Silkies are notoriously hard to sex to start with and as bantams most hatcheries don't even try. If you have the option try to select the shyer ones, don't get the bold ones with personality. And try to avoid the hens with a more upright posture. That might help your odds on getting pullets.

 

[keesmom]

Or try Cochins for broodies. I have a few hatchery LF Cochins that go broody multiple times a year.