Broody hen questions

[CluckerCarrolls]

Last year, I had a Rhode Island Red that went broody, but gave up after a few weeks with no babies to show. Is there any way to get her to go broody this year?

 

[cmom]

No not really. I also raise Rhode Island Reds. They are not the most broody birds but when they do go broody it's usually in the spring. Having an incubator is a good backup plan if you want to hatch chicks. Good luck and have fun...

 

[de kippendame]

I'm not sure there is any surefire way to encourage a hen to go broody, but I would be one to give it a try anyway. Maybe make a "dummy" clutch in one of your nesting boxes with some Easter eggs, wooden eggs, ping pong balls, golf balls, etc. It has been my experience that if I've got one just starting to go broody, she'll pick the nesting box with the most eggs. She may stay on the same nest overnight even though we collected all of her eggs only to find her in a different box in the morning because she found new eggs to sit on. I've never tried to get a hen to go broody, so I can't say if it works or not, but there's no harm in giving it a try IMO.

I have also had hens go broody right after new chicks arrive be it mail order or another broody's hatchlings. I think the peeping of the babies gives them "baby fever".(I brood my chicks in a room in the coop where they can see & hear them but not touch)

I have a couple of hens that go broody every year (Barnyard EE mixes) and I've had a few through the years to do it once and then decide that was good enough. I will say, none of any of my RIRs have gone broody though.

 

[cmom]

This is the time of year they are most likely to go broody, I have one currently, a RIW. She has been sitting on a golf ball. Every evening when I collect the eggs she is in the same nest box. I put her out and there is the golf ball. There are 12 nest boxes in that coop.

 

[cmom]

I will say, none of any of my RIRs have gone broody though.

If they are hatchery Reds they are less likely to go broody. I have some that are pure Reds and they go broody now and then especially this time of the year. There are certain breeds that tend to be more broody such as Silkies, Orpingtons and Cochins . I had a couple of RIR's recently. I kept putting them out of the nest boxes in the evenings when I collect the eggs. They finally gave up. I have a broody RIW currently. She is being more persistent. If you want to hatch eggs try plan B, an incubator. I have used broody's in the past, now I use an incubator. I have eggs hatching right now. Again, good luck and have fun...