Best breeds for broody hens?

[spaceylocust]

I’ll have to look into those. I’ve heard they are good free rangers too! Thank you!

I have Black Australorps who free range and go broody. One raised chicks last year and she was a great mom, showing them the ropes, where to find food, etc. Two others went broody at the same time but I only let the one have eggs. No one had been broody until I left eggs in the box for 3 days; then, whamo! 3 broody girls!

 

[BoogieWight]

Are Cochins and silkies not good free rangers?

They might be able to free range in respect to finding food, but I wouldn't trust them to take care of themselves. Poor silkies can't fly at all ,and cochins don't fair much better.

 

[Sandischicks]

OEGB for hot weather

I live in deep south Texas and have 5 RIR hens and a RIR/Leghorn rooster. The girls just started laying last month. I would like to add a couple more hens. What is an OEGB? Sorry, new to acronyms.

 

[Ridgerunner]

OEGB - Old English Game Bird. Do an online search. And don't worry, as long as I've been on here I still see acronyms I don't recognize.

 

[Mogul Moonshine]

my Egyptian fayumis tend to go broody a lot

 

[BoogieWight]

my Egyptian fayumis tend to go broody a lot

I need to add some more fayoumi to my spot. I only have crosses now.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Are Cochins and silkies not good free rangers?

They don’t tend to see well and silkies can’t fly.

 

[nashua]

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 experience with Austrolorps proved to be broody. One hatched some fertile eggs for a neighbor. She was a very attentive mom. They have gotten to be huge birds.

 

[NatJ]

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.

Breeds I've had that went broody:
--2x Red Shouldered White Yokohamas from McMurray hatchery
--Dark Cornish (standard size) from McMurray hatchery
--White Laced Red Cornish (standard size) from Ideal Poultry
--White Laced Red Cornish Bantam from Ideal Poultry
--Spangled Cornish Bantam from Ideal Poultry
--Wheaten Old English Game Bantam (OEGB) from Ideal Poultry
--Red Quill Old English Game Bantam from Ideal Poultry
--Millie Fleur Old English Game Bantam from Ideal Poultry
--Black Tailed Buff Japanese Bantam from Ideal Poultry
--Indian Red Jungle Fowl from Ideal Poultry
--Buff Chantecler from Ideal Poultry

There may have been a few more, but those are the ones I can easily remember.
Ideal has dropped a few of the bantam breeds from their list since I bought those.

Some I broke their broodiness, others I allowed to set on fake eggs and then got them to adopt & raise chicks for me (I didn't have a rooster at the time, so no fertile eggs.)

My list has no feathered feet, and no crested heads, but is heavy on pea comb breeds (good in cold weather). I don't know how they'll do with your level of heat, but they did fine in northern Virginia, hanging out in the shade under some trees during the summer.

I cannot say how likely it is for other hens of those breeds to go broody, just that one or more per breed did for me, and I had no more than 3 of any kind.

 

[NatJ]

OEGB - Old English Game Bird.

OEGB = Old English Game BANTAM