Best Breed Of Broody Hens?

[Jan336]

Can anyone tell me what the best hen at brooding is? Someone close to me told me a Game Hen? Any advice? Thanks!

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Silkie hens almost can't be beat.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

silkie, cochins (for me bantam), serama I can't get my serama to stop, gamr is good too

 

[roocrazy]

silkie

 

[RAREROO]

Chris09 and a few others say that the American Games will out brood the Silkies and Cochins, and from the ones my grand dad used to have, thats about right and so now I am going for a few American Game hens to try them out as broodies. Not to mention they are more protective mothers with better natural instincts and would be probably the best hen to raise chicks on free range.

 

[Jan336]

Quote:
That is what I was told. Older people seem to have had them long ago and stick with them.

 

[Jan336]

This is an interesting chart base on breed and broodiness. Not sure on it's accuracy though:
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
that list is a good start but there are inaccuracies

 

[Judy]

Quote:
that list is a good start but there are inaccuracies

I really think it's more a matter of individual variations in chickens. There's even a column where they compare the breed with their own experience. And there's the fact that a large number of us have hatchery chickens, which are hardly breed standard, anyway.

Of course they could be out and out wrong here and there.

Here's another source about broodies, great if you will use them:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

Good luck. I put a bunch of eggs under a broody EE about half an hour ago.

 

[Chris09]

Hands down American Game will be the best brooder hen you will ever have.

Chris