Best broody breed?

[Quackter]

Itty bitty eggs, but it's hard to beat a batam for hatching. My Grandma called them bitties, not because they were tiny, but as a church going lady softening a word used more in kennels. (Or maybe that's where the term "bitty"came from, itty bitty hens?) Broody quite a lot, and pecking at us getting eggs.

 

[janiedoe]

Thank you! Did you get yours from hatchery or breeder stock?[/QUOTE]
All of mine are hatchery stock.
Last years chicks all went to other homes, but this year I kept 6 pullets. I know 2 were from my broody langshan's eggs, 1 from one of my marans, unsure about the others. I'm betting I'll have a few more broodies next spring.

 

[janiedoe]

Btw, I haven't seen bantam marans, but I have seen bantam orpingtons.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Is this because hatchery tends to breed away from broodiness? Do you think the size of standard breed hens over bantam silkie eggs could be an issue at all?
Thanks @AllenK RGV

My sumatra are all just hatchery stock from ideal in Tx, only one of the hens would I breed forward, all the others are just pet quality or culls were a breeding for show quality. The heritage breeds usually go way back into the mid to late 1800's when people had to be self sufficient, so they tend towards being good "setters" broodies and free rangers because of the natural and selective pressures they had to face. Sumatra eggs look exactly the same as silkie eggs but tend towards a slight pinkish tint. They would be compatible with silkies. I would definately skip the roosters from them because well none of mine survived their teens and I almost lost an eye to the one I thought was going to make it in to adulthood. Moody adolescence and in springtime for the roos.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

I would go with Orpingtons, yes they lay cream eggs, but their eggs are much larger than silkies so it’ll be easy to tell the difference!

Or if you really do not want cream eggs, I’d go with langshans or Marans, although they’re less likely to go broody.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Shell quality and temperment or experience of broody is the determining factor of eggs being crushed. It has nothing to do with size of egg.

A first time bad broody will crush turkey eggs. If the shells are thin any broody will break them when turning eggs. It's not about size of egg or size of bird. It's a natural thing and the birds are better at it than most of us.

 

[msiler]

Larger birds are not going to crush smaller eggs. Although there are some large birds who do crush eggs. Most breeds are not that large and just because the eggs are smaller doesn't mean they are more likely to get crushed, it actually makes it less likely.

Shell quality and temperment or experience of broody is the determining factor of eggs being crushed. It has nothing to do with size of egg.

A first time bad broody will crush turkey eggs. If the shells are thin any broody will break them when turning eggs. It's not about size of egg or size of bird. It's a natural thing and the birds are better at it than most of us.

​

Got it, thank you! I am still somewhat a novice to chickens, so the more you learn the better!!

Btw, I haven't seen bantam marans, but I have seen bantam orpingtons.

That is interesting! Where have you seen them available?

My sumatra are all just hatchery stock from ideal in Tx, only one of the hens would I breed forward, all the others are just pet quality or culls were a breeding for show quality. The heritage breeds usually go way back into the mid to late 1800's when people had to be self sufficient, so they tend towards being good "setters" broodies and free rangers because of the natural and selective pressures they had to face. Sumatra eggs look exactly the same as silkie eggs but tend towards a slight pinkish tint. They would be compatible with silkies. I would definately skip the roosters from them because well none of mine survived their teens and I almost lost an eye to the one I thought was going to make it in to adulthood. Moody adolescence and in springtime for the roos.

Good advice! I was looking into heritage breeds just yesterday, and it seems that they only do straight run... I haven't seen any *so far* that happen to sell 6 week olds… I have a question relating to this but I will post it below this reply so I can make sure everyone can see it!!

I would go with Orpingtons, yes they lay cream eggs, but their eggs are much larger than silkies so it’ll be easy to tell the difference!

Or if you really do not want cream eggs, I’d go with langshans or Marans, although they’re less likely to go broody.

I didn't actually think about the possibility that I wouldn't have to worry about egg color if the hens were standard size!! Have you had any experience with broodiness in hatchery Orpingtons or would you reccomend heritage?

 

[msiler]

Also, sorry it took me so long to respond to you all! I read all the responses and then forgot to reply...

So, my second question relating to all this has to do with heritage birds. I really don't like dealing with rehoming roosters because where I live, even my nice silkies take at least a month to sell! And I have only seen heritage breeders who sell straight run day old chicks or hatching eggs.

Does anyone have any experience with a hatchery that may sell more old-style breeds? I thought about My Pet Chicken, but I then read somewhere else that the Marans tend to have blood spots, and I have a Maran from them now (no, she is not consistently broody... ) who does just that! Big, beautiful, brown eggs, but I have to check each one before scrambling them for spots.

I would be most interested in Marans, or possibly Orpingtons, if that helps anyone out!

 

[janiedoe]

@msiler
you can find bantam buff orps (& wyandottes too) at Ideal hatchery and I believe that Cackle hatchery has both of those breeds as well.

 

[msiler]

@msiler
you can find bantam buff orps (& wyandottes too) at Ideal hatchery and I believe that Cackle hatchery has both of those breeds as well.

Thank you! Have you had any experience with them? I really want to have the highest chance of getting a broody...