Best hen for hatching chickies?

[chickensducks&agoose]

I had a buff orpington go broody this past thanksgiving. I want to hatch more eggs this spring, but she is still raising her chick. Can i induce broodiness in my other hens? I have 3 delawares and a golden comet, a cuckoo maran, and 2 EEs.... what do you think?

 

[HenHaven]

I know Cuckoo Marans are quite broody, and both of my EEs have raised batches of chicks. In your assortment you have quite a few potential broodies--but they may not be in the mood right now.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

silkie crosses, pure silkies, they will brood any thing including balls

 

[11langenkamp_w]

How many times will silkies go broody in a year and do you just keep the eggs in their nest for them to go broody?

 

[Chicken Girl]

Yeah do you just let the eggs sit in the nest box for a hen to go broody?


Chicken Girl

 

[Southernbelle]

Broodiness is hormonal, so leaving eggs out won't necessarily induce broodiness. I have 10 Silkie pullets and someone is ALWAYS broody. Silkies are the Queens of Broodiness. Once they start laying eggs, they're like ticking time bombs, it's only a matter of time before they go broody. When they were younger, as soon as a new one starting laying, I would think "uh, oh - I'll have another broody soon!"

As for how many times a year - I haven't had them long enough to tell... The first one went broody at 5 months old and sat for 6 weeks (I tried to wait her out - she won), hatched her chicks and didn't start laying again for another 6 weeks or so. She's only been laying again for about 6 weeks - so I'd imagine she'll be broody again soon!

I also have 6 EEs almost a year old now and none of them have shown any broody tendencies. A friend of mine has EEs, Orpingtons and Australorps for the last 3 years and never had a broody.

 

[iajewel]

I keep a few silkies and cochin bantums for the job. I agree that silkies are da bomb in broody !!

 

[moduckman]

That's an interesting question. You ask the best hen for hatching. A large breed will hatch more chicks, but they will not be the quality mother as the Old English game, either standard or bantam. They are fierce defendig their chicks. There are no other mothers like this. Take this to the bank. A mothers are protective, but none are as protective as the Old english game variety. many OEG standards even have the spurs to prove it.

 

[cluck1]

I would say silkies