Can You Make A Hen Broody?
I have been asked if you can make a hen go broody.
It depends on the breed of hen as some breeds are more susceptible to becoming broody than others. Bantams and Silkies (I have friends that have used Silkies to hatch guinea fowl and quail eggs before now) are known for being broody hens.
Things you can do to try to encourage a hen to go broody is:
- You can try leaving a couple of eggs or pot eggs in your hen’s favourite nest site, (if using real eggs I would just mark them with an ‘X’ so you can tell those eggs from the fresh ones).
- Leaving the eggs to build up in a nest will encourage a hen to sit as birds in the wild will lay a clutch of so many eggs and then sit on them.
- Give the hen plenty of fresh clean straw for the nest as fresh straw can encourage hens to lay.
- Broody hens usually prefer a dark, secluded, well hidden type of nest so that they are more protected from predators.
If you keep hens or are interested in keeping hens then visit the farmingfriends hen forum for the latest chat about hens and then check out the books shown below about keeping hens which are informative and excellent for the beginner and a handy reference for the more experienced hens keeper.
Chickens At Home By Michael RobertsStock Available: 7
Starting With Chickens By Katie ThearStock Available: 6
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