Best breeds for broody hens?

[mbrobbins]

I have lavender orpingtons and at least 3 went broody last year most of the summer

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you read these posts above and others on this forum you'll see that any hen of any breed or cross might go broody, any hen might not. You don't get guarantees either way with any hen. You can go through Henderson's Breed Chart and see what they have to say about broodiness and other traits, that's not a horrible way to approach it. Feathersite has photos so you can see what they look like.

I find that strain is more important than breed. If you can get hatching eggs or chicks or hens from a flock where a lot of the hens go broody you have a better chance of getting a broody hen than if they come from a flock that doesn't have many broody hens. I tried to breed broodiness into my flock by hatching eggs laid by hens that go broody and keeping replacements from those chicks, including the rooster. I wound up with a flock where so many hens went broody I had trouble a few times getting enough eggs to set when I wanted them to hatch. I'd sometimes have three hens in my broody buster at the same time, out of a flock of seven hens. Some of the ones that were not broody were not laying because they had just gotten out of the broody buster and were not yet laying. Be careful what you wish for.

Henderson’s Breed Chart

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

Feathersite

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html#Chickens

 

[chickencoop57]

I have Wyandotte's, Barred Rock, White Leghorn, Sex Links, and 2 Orpingtons and none of them have ever gone broody, for me and theyre 1 1/2 years old. Now, the Orpington came close I'm thinking because it sat on the nest, one day for about 6 hrs, but that was it.

 

[Lynne_Harkness]

I’m looking at adding to my flock and one of my main goals is to add some breeds that will go broody. I am not interested in either Cochins or Silkies. Neither would do well with my climate. I’ve heard Orpingtons are good but at the same time the only person I know who keeps them has 2 that are over 10 years old still lay and have never gone broody!

I have black copper marans and started laying at 6 months and give me beautiful dark chocolate eggs daily.

 

[Lynne_Harkness]

I’m looking at adding to my flock and one of my main goals is to add some breeds that will go broody. I am not interested in either Cochins or Silkies. Neither would do well with my climate. I’ve heard Orpingtons are good but at the same time the only person I know who keeps them has 2 that are over 10 years old still lay and have never gone broody!

Also, we keep a light on at all times in their barn, they usually lay at night for us and give us eggs year round.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I have 2 proven broody girls in my flock. 1 is my Black Copper Marans hen who decided to sit at 7 months old after only laying for about a month. She was a good mother and kept her chicks until they were 7 weeks old last summer. She is toying with the idea of doing it again and if she commits I'll give her eggs. My other hen, is a game hen, her mission in life is to be raising chicks, and there is no breaking her. Tried in the past, and it would last for maybe a week and she'd start up again so now I don't even stop her. She is the best mother though, fiercely protective of her babies, and hangs onto them until they are at least 4 months old and bigger then she is. Once she lets her chicks go, it takes about 2 weeks until she's back to laying, and will lay for a week then start hiding her eggs to start the process all over again. The old bat is on day 2 of incubating her newest clutch.

 

[Judy Todd]

Hot climate, hatch and raise would be nice but just hatch is good too as it’s better than what I have right now. I’m okay with bantam or full size. My birds free range so NO SILKIES or COCHINS Please. I already said in my original post and that’s all anyone is recommending.

My Mille Fleu(sp) is a broody nut, lays eggs for a few weeks and then goes broody, also a great free ranger. Has been doing this for two months now. I break her and in less then a month or so, she is broody again. She is only one year old, so I have not tried her as a broody mom yet.

 

[Maryot]

I’m looking at adding to my flock and one of my main goals is to add some breeds that will go broody. I am not interested in either Cochins or Silkies. Neither would do well with my climate. I’ve heard Orpingtons are good but at the same time the only person I know who keeps them has 2 that are over 10 years old still lay and have never gone broody!

Hi Artichoke lover! I’m in the same boat. Thanks for putting it out there!

 

[Maryot]

I’m looking at adding to my flock and one of my main goals is to add some breeds that will go broody. I am not interested in either Cochins or Silkies. Neither would do well with my climate. I’ve heard Orpingtons are good but at the same time the only person I know who keeps them has 2 that are over 10 years old still lay and have never gone broody!

I’m in the same boat! Anxious to see what people say. I live in the Midwest so it’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

 

[Maryot]

My Mille Fleu(sp) is a broody nut, lays eggs for a few weeks and then goes broody, also a great free ranger. Has been doing this for two months now. I break her and in less then a month or so, she is broody again. She is only one year old, so I have not tried her as a broody mom yet.

I’m in the same boat! Anxious to see what people say. I live in the Midwest so it’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Are Cochins and silkies not good free rangers?