Best Brood Hens

[Folly's place]

My hens like to go broody when it's the wrong time for me! Winter, for example. or when the wrong roosters are with the wrong hens. Any time it doesn't fit my plans.
Mary

 

[cmom]

Same here... Now I put the eggs in my incubator when I'm ready to hatch chicks. Soon I'll be setting up my breeding pens this year. Still looking at who I'm going to put with whom. I need longer backs on my White Leghorn males according to a poultry judge. Most of the shows have been cancelled due to covid.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm a month later weighing my 2020 Chanties, and still like the ones I've kept so far this year. Still too many EE bantam cockerels though, and they were raised with the big birds, so want to breed them too. I think that at least one, or both, need to leave. Then, THREE Belgian'dUccle males, again, to many. AARGHHH!!!
Must order more EE bantams this spring!
Mary

 

[cmom]

Do you have anything like a farm swap to take your extra males to. I sell mine. It helps to offset the feed costs. Are you breeding?

 

[EveLa]

American gamefowl make awesome mommas

Thank You!! I do have a Bantam cochin GameCock and his mate, Beautiful pair!

 

[EveLa]

I'm a month later weighing my 2020 Chanties, and still like the ones I've kept so far this year. Still too many EE bantam cockerels though, and they were raised with the big birds, so want to breed them too. I think that at least one, or both, need to leave. Then, THREE Belgian'dUccle males, again, to many. AARGHHH!!!
Must order more EE bantams this spring!
Mary

Can you order pullets only?

 

[EveLa]

They're beautiful birds, I've never heard of them!

Also I have a simple chicken yard with nesting boxes, a roost, although all of the older chicks and my Big Roo seem to like to roost in the tree that is in the middle of their yard,I built 2 5 gallon bucket feeders, 5 gallon waterer. I have 5 geese that roam and guard all of my animals including goats(Gibby and Joy) and a Hog(Porky) and hopefully soon I will find his Petunia ! LOL I love em all!
I am also wanting to grow a few cover crops that I can let them all forage in, what do you all think is best ??

 

[EveLa]

Also I have a simple chicken yard with nesting boxes, a roost, although all of the older chicks and my Big Roo seem to like to roost in the tree that is in the middle of their yard,I built 2 5 gallon bucket feeders, 5 gallon waterer. I have 5 geese that roam and guard all of my animals including goats(Gibby and Joy) and a Hog(Porky) and hopefully soon I will find his Petunia ! LOL I love em all!
I am also wanting to grow a few cover crops that I can let them all forage in, what do you all think is best ??

All birds will lay until their nest is filled enough for them to start sitting

Your very welcome..
Here is a pro tip if you limit yourself to very few brood hens, but can't decide on which ones to keep based on other factors. Keep the one that eats everything. A picky hen hen will tend to make picky chicks. If you find you a good momma that is the first one to you no matter what your handing out, and you see her showing them to eat random weeds and things that rarely get touched by the others she is a keeper. I still get excited when my favorite broodies have a big clutch. It really does make a difference in feed cost when you have a bunch of birds. Plus everybody loves friendly chickens that don't require a lot of effort to make them so.

That is wonderful advice Thank You!! So do you think I should put the eggs back in the nest that I took yesterday? 1 of my layers seemed to be a little confused that all of the eggs were gone ! LOL

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Can you order pullets only?

Not for bantams

 

[Jabebee13]

A Japanese bantam rooster is a good chicken dad.