I've had chicken for 30 years and have never been ble to force one to set. Just now have 9- 3 week old chicks, teenage mom, only 9 months old, has gone off to let me raise them.Actually if she'd had her way she'd be dragging them around in the snow. So I kicked her back with the flock.

It's been in the 30's! Baby chicks need to be kept warm, and dry,still to early for chicks if you ask me. Wish I could speed these 9- across country to you. lol
I'm keeping them warm in an old chest freezer and brooder lamp. Can't wait till they are old enough to go out with the flock.
I usually have the opposite problem, trying to break one that wants to set. Have never succeded at that.They are so determined.
gook luck
dawn

It's my understanding that hens either go broody or not - some breeds have had the tendency to go broody bred out of them, and some individuals are not very strongly broody in the breeds that do go broody. So the short answer is, no, you can't MAKE a hen sit on eggs, she wants to or not, but it is her choice.

Knowing the breeds of hens you have might help in giving an answer that you like. (:-)

What breed are your birds? Some breeds (cochins, silkies, orpingtons) go broody more readily than others, some breeds (leghorns, polish, rhode island reds) rarely go broody at all. If you aren't sure of the breed, can you post pictures of them for us to help ID them?

You can't really force a bird to go broody. You CAN place tempting nest boxes in a safe area that makes the hens feel secure, offer plenty of food and fresh water, and leave an egg or two in the nest to encourage nesting. My hens prefer the darkened and semi enclosed nest, not open ones. I'd mark the eggs you leave with a pencil, toss those out and leave the freshly laid eggs when a hen finally goes broody.

Good luck! :)

Velvet ~:>

Even better than leaving eggs in the nest (they could get broken), use golf balls or similar objects, the hens dont know the difference. Only a couple are required, hens dont count either. When(if) the hens decides to go broody, replace the fake eggs with the saVED HATCHING EGGS.

I did have a line of silkies which i could encourage to begin setting. They were selected for broodiness for over 10 years and would hatch out 3 broods in a row. They did require xtra good management as setting is quite stressful on the hen. It is generally a futile attempt to encourage setting. Sparrow has outlined the best scenario. increasing light may assist in broodiness.

I raised a lot of roosters last year with broody hens and as far as I have been able to learn,there is no way you can just have hen chicks.The best thing I did was go buy 4 pullets to go with the chicks a hen hatched(she was really good to take them,chickens can't count and I put them under her at night)Even so I bought a rooster that was supposed to be a pullet and every one that hatched out but one were roosters.The chicks are really fun to watch with the hen.Even my husband dug them worms to see the chick circus!I separated the hen from my flock.Husband built me a very nice broody hen cage that is also a safe place for the chicks for a few weeks.We lost chicks thru the cage to a rat so you need hardware cloth.Go to one of the chicken websites to learn how to set a broody hen.It is too early yet!Posy_Pet

The chickens are Dominique. Three are older hens that have raised young. The other hen and rooster are not a year old yet. They all are laying. The eggs are fertilized.

With Dominiques that have raised chicks before, I'd say you have a great chance. :) Create some perfect little broody nests and good luck!

Velvet ~:>

I just started learning to rais chickens. I dont know very much on the subjct other than how to keep them alive. I realy love chickens and want to rais them. My hen lays about five to six eggs a week but she hasnt started to sit on any of theme. I am so eager for this prosses to start it is about to drive me crazy. I heard I should place fake eggs in her nest. so I rushed out and bought some plastic easter eggs and did as i was told. She has started to lay her eggs right with the plastic eggs.But the girl just hasnt started sitting.Is laying seasonal. someone told me that.I have no idea. someone pleas help!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris.......how many chickens do you have? I wonder since you talk about the hen in the singular. You do have a rooster, don't you? If you don't the hen can sit the eggs until the cows come home but there won't be any chicks from them.