Best breed for broody hens

[debid]

I have an 8-month old speckled Sussex that has started behavior that resembles "broody practice". She's going in a nest box to sit even if it's not her time to lay and she growled at me when I opened the door the other day (that's completely new...) She's not staying put yet but I have high hopes for spring. I understand that Sussex are supposed to be prone to broodiness and they're certainly big enough to cover more than a few eggs.

 

[randerson846]

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[Cluck Wild Farm]

This thread is old, but I wanted to toss in my two cents. My broodiest hens by far have been my Olive Eggers (EE and Marans cross). I had one go broody as soon as she started laying a few months ago. I broke her of it, as we didn't have a rooster to breed her with so I knew she wouldn't have any fertile eggs. We quickly added a couple of roosters to our flock and about a month and a half ago, she went broody again, which sent my second Olive Egger, and an additional EE/Leghorn cross to go broody as well. Nutmeg (first OE to go broody) is currently raising a chick that she hatched. The other two are still on their nests waiting for little chicks.

 

[swazzy]

How old can a chicken still go broody

 

[donrae]

How old can a chicken still go broody

I had a bantam cochin hen brooding at 5 years, and some hatchery barred Rocks that went broody for the first time at 3 years.

 

[paris_r]

we had an 8 year old lf cochin that was still very productive and i insisted that my sister let the poor thing finally hatch a clutch. she is 11 now but i dont know her behaviour since i live in a different state.

 

[kacklinghen]

Does anyone have some suggestions for a good breed(s) of chickens for me to keep to provide me with a supply of broody hens for hatching eggs? I want to avoid bantams as I plan to breed Jersey Giants and want the broody to be able to sit at least 10 eggs. Someone has suggested standard cochins to me. I am looking for a breed that goes broody often and reliably and that is a good mother. Thanks!

I have a cream crested leg bar at 2 months old motherly instint happened here a picture

 

[paris_r]

i have young roosters who have done that too, you can expect some tolerance from good adult roosters but this 1/2 cochin i had was much older than the other peeps i kept him with but i allowed it since he seemed to take an interest in their welfare and not peck and dominate them

 

[Jaybeetee]

Yes I am aware this post is from a long time ago, but I have found that my black australorpes go broody frequently, and have been better moms then my buff orpingtens

 

[farmhand]

I'm interested in building a pen just to keep broody hens in full time so as to never have to move a nest. My thinking is bantams although smaller and with less hatching capacity per bird would make up for it using a flock of bantams. So 5 bantams would be better than 2 or 3 full size hens and be more likely to always be ready when needed. Just thinking. And eat less with less mess.