Are some breeds better mothers than others?

[Jtaranc]

I have had chickens for a few years now. Like many of us we started with a small coop and added onto it again and again to accommodate our growing flock.

I’ve noticed something in the last few months. Originally we purchased Barred rocks, Orpington, bantam porcelain duccles, Rhode Island reds, and some starlight olive egg layers. In 4 years my porcelain d’uccle was the only hen to go broody.

Last fall I purchased black copper marans from a local breeder who produced show chickens. At 7 months they started laying and all 6 went broody within 2 months. They’ve all hatched eggs and are absolutely wonderful mamas.

I have a 4 year old Orpington who is broody for the first time ever.

It made me wonder are some breeds better moms than others? Do most hens never go broody in their lives?

Is it in any way related to the care they receive or diet?

 

[The Birb King]

Some breeds definitely go broody more than others, but that doesn't make them better mothers it really just depends on each hen. Bantams usually go broody a lot more than large fowl, and some like leghorns almost never go broody since the trait was bred out of them. Some hens can also be bad mothers at first then improve the second time they have chicks.

 

[Folly's place]

Broodiness is mostly a genetic trait, and breeders can either select for it or away from it. Hens who are broody and raising chicks don't lay eggs, so having hens who don't want to be broody increases egg production.
Hatcheries are mostly interested in increasing egg production, and use incubators to hatch those eggs, so broodiness is not encouraged in their breeding stock.
A breeder who wants to have eggs under broody hens, and/ or isn't concerned about maximizing egg production, will make other choices.
Mary

 

[rural mouse]

Any hen CAN go broody. WILL she go broody is a whole other question. I currently have a LEGHORN mix that is not only broody, she's been committed to sitting for 4 weeks. She got babies last night (incubator is hatching) and tucked them under her immediately. She's also driven off the laying drama in the coop today. She's 4 years old and never gone broody before. She's also been a holy terror towards other broodies in years past. The broody in the next nest box started to climb in with her yesterday morning (before babies) and WASNT attacked. (That broody had come at me due to loud peepers in hand . I was giving them to her, but she went into baby rescue mode with 2 already under her)

7 chicks on left (leghorn mix), 10 on right (partridge Plymouth Rock mix)

Neither has brought babies off the nest nor been broody before.