Using hens for hatching

[stuckinthecity]

Quote:
Hmmmmm.... You ought to make a new breed...(drum roll

)... the Giant Silkie! "The breed with the broodiness of a Silkie, but large enough to easily handle 20 eggs." I'd be first in line to buy some.

Haha, If only I had the space, time, and right! We are living with chickens illegally and I would really get the boot if Ihad a rooster crowing. I DO NOT KNOW what i'd do if my chickens had to be removed...

And wow! If I had that many broodies I would be in heaven! I love broody hens! I do have a big problem with how much food they waste when they're "searching" for food and teaching the babies to scratch. But it's my own fault for not designing the cage accurately. Well... you learn by Trial and Error

 

[pgpoultry]

Hi, I hatched 2 Brahmas hens from eggs. As soon as they started to lay (about 6 months from hatching in the case of Brahmas) they each laid about 15 to 20 eggs and promptly both went broody. I tried to stop one of them being broody and isolated her for a few days. She went back to laying and roaming with the others for a few days only to disappear off in a disused rabbit pen and started to possessively brood a stone. I gave in and let her have some eggs. The hens are are now sitting on 8 eggs each but could cover something like 20 Brahma eggs or 15 larger eggs as they are so big and well feathered. Best thing is they are very docile broodies and, apart from the customary squawk when I lift them, they show no sign of the pecking and flapping that I have seen with some other breeds. Though they are both rookies they seem to be doing a grand job. Fingers crossed for the outcome (I don't like to count chickens before they have hatched). Brahmas are another consideration if you want 'glamour girls' who also go broody.