# How to make my chickens broody?



## greg1266 (Mar 19, 2014)

I have 5 chickens: 2 buff orpingtons, 2 white Plymouth rocks, and 1 Americana- all 10 1/2 moths old and laying. I also have 2 ducks. A male and female Peking witch is a breed that doesn't get broody. I want to put their fertile eggs under a chicken so she will hatch them, but they won't go broody! Are there any ways to make them "go broody?"


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nope, its hormone driven. When its time to set they will. Or maybe not. Even some breeds known to go broody sometimes don't.


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## SpiderQueen (Mar 30, 2017)

Anyone know what age a broody chicken will actually hatch fertile eggs? All my chickens are 7months old and I have a broody Sussex that I can't break. I gave up today and gave her 8 eggs to sit on.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

At that age it's almost impossible to break them or if you do succeed have them lay a couple of eggs then go right back to being broody.

I know I've had Silkies that young go broody. The iffy part is them sticking with the nest long enough.


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## SpiderQueen (Mar 30, 2017)

She hasn't left the nest for 8days and each day I have tried to break her. Now I'm really hoping some of the eggs develop


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## SpiderQueen (Mar 30, 2017)

What is a good day to candle? I have seen days 5,7 and 10 suggested...


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Next time, you can break a broody by caging her alone out of sight of the rest of the flock. After one week of being caged, return her to the flock. If she goes straight to a nest, put her back in the cage for 2 weeks. That'll break her.
I've done that with a Black Star and 2 Light Brahmas on separate occasions and it works.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

When you're new to candling don't do it until day seven. Then there is no mistaking what you're seeing when it comes to development. As you learn how to read them day five is probably the soonest you should read them.

I never bothered to do it before day seven and I hatched hundreds. No guess or questioning what might be going on on day seven.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

If your hens don't cooperate,you can always get an incubator and hatch them yourself.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

chickenqueen said:


> If your hens don't cooperate,you can always get an incubator and hatch them yourself.


Translation? That's what we call an enabler.


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