how do i get hens to go broody?

[pikilily]

Went into the hen house this morning to find two of the nesting boxes occupied...no problem there ! Well.... one was Rory, my No 2 cockeral..sitting on eggs and refusing to budge! He was making all the broody henny type noises and pecking at me when I tried to get the eggs.

Ive heard of mister-hens but not miss-cockerals!
Eh?

Beleive it or not I was actually writing on the site last night about 'how can I get my girls to go broody' when I got bumped off the net so the post didnt get through. Rory must have been trying to proove a point!!

Anyway I dont mind about the gender issue with Rory but I still dont know how to encourage the Hens to sit! and go broody in the safety of the hen house. (One hen got out of the field and did return with three chicks. I do have a muscovy duck who is sitting on 4 hen's eggs)
Any ideas

[burek]

oh go on, somebody give pikilily (and me) an answer!

have been waiting so long for signs of broodiness in mine. Any food and conditions which'll help?

[pikilily]

yeh I was beginning to wonder if id said something un-PC!!
Or could it be that there is no way of interfeering in this aspect of nature. Matilda the duck is still quite happily sitting on the four hens eggs...havent quite worked out what Ill dowhen they hatch...is she going to head straight for the wee pond....
so tell me what do you have over there in bosnia...well.. what hens etc
cheers P x

[Bonniegirl]

Get yourself a bantam, guaranteed to go broody at least 3 times in a season!

My does anyway! She disappears for 21 days and comes back with a dozen or so mongrels! Plays havoc wiv me breedin' programme!

[pikilily]

Hi - thats the thing I do have a lavender peking bantom but she has never shwon signs of brooding!! Ill keepmy eye on her morethoguh and see if she looks as if she would like to have a moresecludedbroody spot
ta

[Millymollymandy]

I think it is down to nature and they'll go broody when and if they feel like it (including the hybrids!).

[Martin]

borrow a broody from somewhere (often people are happy to lend you one) - if they have the stock they need for a while, it's one less mouth to feed for them for a while!
But be careful - broodiness is "catching" - keep her well away from other hens, or you'll have loads of hens going off lay.........

[burek]

may find a bantam then - thanks for the tip
we have six isa browns and gorgeous bantam cockerel