encouraging broodiness?

[yotetrapper]

I have 18 hens and 3 roos in my pen. They are a little over a year old. They won't get broody. I have 5 aracuanas, 5 barred hollands, 5 red sex link, and two bantam white crested polish. My hubby thought since mine wouldnt turn broody, we'd just get a broody hen. So we got one from a friend. It is a standard white hen of unknown breed and we took it right off it's nest. At first she seemed shy of the others, but now (2 weeks later) she seems to have adjusted pretty good. But she's not broody either anymore!

Is there anything that encourages broodiness? Maybe something in food, or set-up or something I am lacking? All of my nest boxes are on floor level, and the one the white hen was in in the other coop was higher up. Does this have something to do with it? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Angela

 

[CarriBrown]

What I did was put three golf balls in the hen's favorite nest. Once you see one that is sort of looking broody, you can make her nest a little more private for her (maybe using a piece of wood as a wall so she thinks she's hiding). When you can tell that she's getting serious, move her (at night) to a location by herself and put her on the eggs you want her to hatch.
What worked for me was moving the broody inside the house and putting her in a rabbit cage. I made a nest out of a cardboard box so she would be comfortable. Once the chicks were starting to move around, we moved them all to a big Rubbermaid container.

 

[yotetrapper]

thanks i'll have to try that Anyone else have any tips or tricks?