Are Marsbars good mums? Seems like mine went broody.

[ArletaBW]

Hiya, I have a Marsbar hen (I understand they are cross of Maran and Legbar) and it does seem she went broodie. She sits in the nest box, and tonight she even went all puffy when I tried to look under to get the eggs out. And pecked me too.

I am in need of a broodie hen, as I just had one of my Sussex sit on a clutch of 6 eggs, but only one hatched. I am trying to get at least a pair of Orpingtons. So far I have one lavender, but would like to try to hatch few more.
The problem is I need to buy eggs which aren't the cheapest.
So I don't want to order Orpington eggs and if she isn't going to do good job sitting on them.

My Sussex hen Snow had 6 eggs under, and one hatched, one was dead not long from hatching, and 4 were kind of mix egg yolks woth the whites, which makes me think they got damaged in the transport.
But I read that Sussex go broody and are alright as mums.

But I checked the Legbar info and Marans info and it seems they rarely go broody, and aren't best mum's.

I also have a young POL silkie, but she was introduced to the flock 4 weeks ago and seem to be still pecked about and quite skittish, so I doubt she will get broodie anytime soon.

Any experience with success of broody Marsbar?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The only way to know if a hen is going to be a good broody Mama is to let her sit and hatch out some eggs.

I am in need of a broodie hen, as I just had one of my Sussex sit on a clutch of 6 eggs, but only one hatched. I am trying to get at least a pair of Orpingtons. So far I have one lavender, but would like to try to hatch few more.
The problem is I need to buy eggs which aren't the cheapest.
So I don't want to order Orpington eggs and if she isn't going to do good job sitting on them.

Sounds like the Sussex did do a good job sitting on the eggs. You just ended up with one chick. The broody has nothing to do with the hatchability, quality or fertility of the eggs she's sitting on. She had 6 eggs, 2 hatched, 1 died, the other 4 were either non viable, not fertile or quitters. Not the hen's fault.
If the Sussex is a good Mama to her lone chick, then this is the hen you keep as a broody Mama until she proves otherwise.

My Sussex hen Snow had 6 eggs under, and one hatched, one was dead not long from hatching, and 4 were kind of mix egg yolks woth the whites, which makes me think they got damaged in the transport.
But I read that Sussex go broody and are alright as mums.