Broody Breeds

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How can anyone NOT like Silkies???

Actually, I didn't much care for their appearance, either, but have 5 now, and now I wonder what's not to like.

I do have one that is forever going broody, to the extent that she raises chicks to about 5 or 6 weeks, then gets broody again. Last time I let her raise a couple of keets. One drowned, but the other is still with Mommy. Mommy can't figure out how to get rid of this needy kid. She goes into the box, half-grown keet cuddles next to her. Now she's laying on air, and winter is coming on rapidly, and her keet protests loudly because she can't get Mommy to leave the broody box.

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I understand not liking the look of the mutant cottonball that is a silkie. Many people tout them as super chickens, and claim them to be the best broodies. A big part of this, I think, is because this is one breed that hatcheries have not intentionally bred the broodiness out of. In my expereince, old english games are FANTASTIC broodies and fiercely protective, loving, and nurturing mothers, but I have only had one of them. I had to rehome her because she was teaching my other girls bad habits like flying over fences, wandering too far from home, and roosting in trees. In her defense, she was a rescue that had been fending for herself for who knows how long. She now lives in a secure coop, and is a very happy girl.

Personally, I am all about the DP birds...I think they are beautiful and have wonderful personalities.

My buff orpingtons have always been great broodies, and wonderful loving mothers beond reproach. It also depends on WHERE you get your birds from. I got some buff orpingtons from a hatchery last year, and they were scraggly, ill tempered, and just not what I would consider buff orpingtons in looks or personality. I did not keep them long enough to see if they would go broody, but again, hatcheries have tried to breed broodiness out of their stock. Australorps are very much like orpingtons in personality and appearance, so I would guess them to be good broodies as well if you get them from good stock.

Another breed that hatcheries really haven't breed the broodiness out of is cochins. People love them because they are HUGE and can handle large clutches of eggs. They are also very sweet docile birds, and nurturing mothers.

Many people like to use bantams for hatching, though it wouldn't be my choice...honestly, there are dozens of breeds that will brood for you, and my suggestion is to choose a breeder who makes use of broodies, or just plain get your birds from good stock (ie-probably not hatcheries, though many of my broodies have come from hatcheries, and have been great broodies and great moms).

For an old heritage breed that will go broody, try BUCKEYES. Mine are very broody and I have used them to hatch and raise chicks & keets.

the thing I love most about broodies is that they never seem to care how ugly or different their babies are. They love and protect them anyway

My most broody to date have been silkies, bantam cochins, and blue wyandottes. My silver-laced and golden-laced wyandottes didn't go broody, but 3 out of my 6 blue wyandottes were broody within 10 days after laying their first egg last December, and for the first time since then I don't have a blue wyandotte stealing everyone's eggs in her favorite nest box.

I like mixbreeds best for broodies. Game x Contintental layer is my favorite. They make big hens that are fierce enough to take care of their babies. And to me they are prettier than pure layers.

My favorite broodies (even though I have Silkies) are RIRs. Every now and then I get one that goes broody and they are the BEST mothers! They don't seem to want to abandon their chicks because they've decided to lay another clutch, the way my Silkies do. IME, Silkies have a timeline. After so many weeks, send the chicks off to fend for themselves and get down to the business of raising more. The RIRs, OTOH, just keep chugging on, mothering their chicks (or keets) until they're well grown. I've also had Buff Orpingtons that went broody, and they were good mothers, too, but the RIR's that reverted to broodiness are gold. I even had one that had never laid an egg, but adopted five 2-week-old chicks and raised them to maturity.

I have only 2 Marans, a cuckoo and a BC. The cuckoo has raised 2 clutches, the first when she was only 8 months old in 2010, then again this August. One clutch a year, not this serial broody business. She is a great mom and is still looking after her babies. She herself is very tame and the chicks are all taught that humans are the source of all kinds of treats.

The black copper tried to brood when she was 6 months, but the older hen kept trying to take all the eggs. So I gave them all to the experienced hen and shut the other hen out of the brood box. Next year I'll be ready with a second box.

I count at least my small sample of Marans as very broody.