Best broody hen breed?

[varidgerunner]

The only problem with this breed is the aggressiveness of the males, which is actually not a problem since they were developed for fighting. I have a good number of hens and they free range on a rather decent piece of land that is of about 6 acres. You will have to keep in mind that I live in tropical monsoon region our birds free range all year round so I have never had an Aseel rooster who has murdered his flock mate, because there is always ample females to share and space to escape . Another thing is that my present Aseel rooster tend to spend more time in our home following my father and grandmother everywhere than with the flock. Many people keep Aseel roosters as pet in their house.
I will like to hear what is your experience with Aseel roosters.

If all brothers and related, plenty of room, free range, serious fights and mortality comparable to any other breed. Pen them separately and then let them out, it is a bloodbath. In nature, the strongest male will be selected, and they follow this paradigm, and that is what makes them so superior in longevity and things like that.

The friendliness is what drew me to them. Yes, hang out inside with the folks rather than be caught with mere poultry. I think it is their intelligence. You sure can't sneak a treat out of a treat hiding place. I love having cock birds wild free ranging, and being able to snap my fingers and have them come running to be picked up, stroked and maybe fed a little. It takes one session to train any of them to do this. You can perch them on a stick at a fair or swap and toddlers will run up to them screaming and they just set there. They have loved attention for thousands of years now.

 

[varidgerunner]

Here where I live electricity supply is not reliable. We have power cuts almost daily. Our backyard poultry is semi-commercial. We like keeping poultry but we also have economic interest. We are constantly selling, consuming and losing chickens. About 70% of our flock is replaced every year. People in our region don't buy chicks, they buy ready to lay pullets or laying hens and we sell them. We are completely dependent on broody hens for hatching eggs and selling chicks and we need them to be good in their job. We always have to keep a bunch of hens in our flock which will go broody with predictable regularity.

As far as Dominics are concerned I really like them, they are very good chickens for a backyard flock, they are good foragers, they are nice, they are sweet and they will sometimes go broody but we cannot depend on breeds that will go broody once in a while.

Would love to see some pictures of your native aseel. Here is my oldest cock bird that is here right now. Six years old.

 

[varidgerunner]

For reliably broody hens, choose pullets from reliably broody roosters. (this one has Thai in him)

 

[Kabootar]

Apt description of them. Your birds are of good quality and they are beautiful. I have seen some pics of birds in USA that are sold as Aseel, but they are not true Aseels. I have also seen YouTube video of a famous USA hatchery's Aseel breeding stock but the tail feathers of their hens were sticking in the air where as Aseel hen's tail should point towards the ground. They were disappointing.
I found this forum months ago when I was still in my village and casually doing some research on poultry. I quickly joined in here but later on got busy and then moved to New Delhi apart from that I have yet to figure out how to upload a picture here. But I have some pictures that I will try uploading.
Thank you very much

 

[varidgerunner]

Click on blue box that says "upload a file" browser window should pop up. Thanks for the compliment, I try to keep these birds as they were when I was entrusted with them. Yes, hatchery aseel are maybe 25% at best. Aseel chick must be raised by aseel hen, not shipped in a box and put under a heat lamp. Hatcheries would get a lot of complaints if they had pure birds. This is why other breeds of chickens do so well raised by aseel hens. She has to give constant attention to them, for if they were her own, they wouldn't survive without it.

 

[Kabootar]

One of my Aseel hens with her latest clutch. Note how small the chicks are. At this age few chickens in USA see sunlight.

 

[Kabootar]

View attachment 1382030
One of my Aseel hens with her latest clutch. Note how small the chicks are. At this age few chickens in USA see sunlight.

 

[Kabootar]

One of my favorite hens, excellent mothering ability.
Second picture is of her 6 month old offsprings, 14 out of 15 hatche, sold 6 gave 3 to the friend who gave me the rooster.
Third pic is of her and my friend's rooster.

 

[varidgerunner]

One of my favorite hens, excellent mothering ability.
Second picture is of her 6 month old offsprings, 14 out of 15 hatche, sold 6 gave 3 to the friend who gave me the rooster.
Third pic is of her and my friend's rooster.
View attachment 1382053 View attachment 1382052 View attachment 1382039

She looks like one I have here, they could be sisters but yours has heavier brow.

 

[varidgerunner]

View attachment 1382030
One of my Aseel hens with her latest clutch. Note how small the chicks are. At this age few chickens in USA see sunlight.

This hen is magnificent. Outstanding quality. Much thanks for sharing pictures of your birds sir.