are the Orpington hens the best choice to be broody and be mothers?

[MrViskers]

I am planning to buy some Buff Orpington hens for the purpose of them hatching eggs the natural way (I put my incubator away), I have read on multiple sites that they are the best to be broody but I want to know from the experts on this site and from those who work with the Orpington breed.

 

[henney penny]

I did not find this to be true with my orps.Out of 15 only one went broody this past summer,she was only broody two days and I gave her chicks that I had hatched out in my incubator and she was a very good mother to 12 babies.Your best bet for broodies is silkies for the batam size and cohchins for standard size.Also I was dissapointed in the egg laying of the orps,I thought they would lay everyday and mine lay every other day.There eggs were smaller than I thought but after there molt this fall a couple have started laying and they are very large eggs now,and I had read that this would happen.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Orpingtons do occasionally go broody and make great mothers, but not every single hen will go broody. In my experience, the most broody of breeds I've raised have been cochins and silkies.

 

[MrViskers]

so let me put it like this

Cochins and Silkies have a better chance of going broody
Orpingtons have a 50/50 chance of going to be setters
Leghorns(which i own) will never go broody.

 

[Inkheart]

Quote:
If you want a broody hen - yes cochins cant really be beat- i just had that i am still trying to break - mind you it is december - and down to 25 degrees at night. Broody - broody broody

 

[galanie]

You've probably got it right. Though all three of my BO's have gone broody 3 times this past year and one is broody now. Must depend on the line.

 

[ChickensXOXO]

I, personally, have only had a couple Orpington hens, and during that short time, none went broody... unlike my always broody bantams!

My dad has owned them for the past three years, and he only had one successful broody hen to hatch a couple chicks.
My grandpa, on the other hand, has had them off and on for years, and he has a higher rate of broody girls and newborn chicks!

Good luck.

 

[sheila3935]

I say Ccohins or Australorps. I have had an Aussie go broody on me twice this year and have had 3 bantam cochins. My buff just hatched 4 babies yesterday. And she is only 8 months old. She seems like an excellent momma too. Right now I only have 2 orpington mixes and they have never gone broody but maybe thats because they are mixes.

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

Quote:
I would put it like this:
Sweaters are said tobe the broodiest breed in the world (98%) with all Orientals being a close second (90%), to be match by Bow Lakes in 2013 (85-95%)
Cochins, Wyandottes, Phoenix, and Silkies have a 80% chance of getting the job done
Orpingtons, Sussex, Buckeyes, Welsummers, and Australorps have a 30-50% chance of going to be setters
Leghorns, RIRs, Sexlinks, Minorcas, Anconas, and Lakenvelders will never go broody (2-5%)

 

[bambi]

My orpington have never gone broody......My barnevelder (she is a bantam) is different story she seems to be broody mode all the time.