Best momma's

[LaNaeMarie]

I'm new to the whole chicken thing. My first set of chickies just started laying. Now I want to start planning. Which breeds are the best momma's? Hatch well and rear well. Extra points for breeds on the livestock conservancy list. I hoping to have a couple momma's to shove other's eggs under.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Silkies and standard, and bantam cochins are broody breeds in general. I use my bantam cochins to hatch everything from their own eggs to my turkeys. All hens are different as far as being good moms, a many breeds will have individuals who go broody.

 

[Folly's place]

I've never had games, but their hens are noted for being great broodies.
My Belgian d'Uccles have been very good, also a couple of my Wyandottes.
Silkies have that reputation too, and the cochins.
Standard sized hens can cover more eggs than the little bantams, but you need to pick breeds that appeal to you! Mary

 

[Hensndoes]

I'm new to the whole chicken thing. My first set of chickies just started laying. Now I want to start planning. Which breeds are the best momma's? Hatch well and rear well. Extra points for breeds on the livestock conservancy list. I hoping to have a couple momma's to shove other's eggs under.

While my experience is very limited- I've had 2 Broodies raise this year. The Sussex walked away completely and weened at 3 weeks. I think she was more interested in treats which I heard was a trait of speckled Sussex. My cuckoo maran on the other hand was a fierce mama until 7 weeks. No one messed with her babies. She stayed close to them another month after returning to the roost.

 

[song of joy]

If you can find dominiques from a reputable breeder, you'll probably get some good broody hens. Mine are fantastic setters and mothers.

 

[LaNaeMarie]

If you can find dominiques from a reputable breeder, you'll probably get some good broody hens. Mine are fantastic setters and mothers.

The one I have is the only one that has done any setting and it is only for an hour more after opening the coop in the morning

 

[varidgerunner]

Asils are the best broody hens you will find. They reliably set, hatch, raise chicks and most importantly protect their chicks. Most will set their first spring, some spring hatched pullets will raise chicks that fall. They will raise three or four broods a year. Very uncommon for one to not brood, I don't know of anyone that raises them that wouldn't cull a hen that didn't raise chicks. They are very long lived. Ten years and still laying and hatching is common, not uncommon for fifteen year old hens to still be raising their own chicks. They are on the livestock conservancy list.

 

[Poultrylord]

My oegb hen hatched pretty well, considering she's about the size of a KFC chicken leg. She lost one chick, sat on new eggs, and had a baby.

 

[tbcorum]

I have a red sex link and a cuckoo that raised chicks that were not theirs!!!
Red sex link raised 7 guineas & still has them trailing after her now even with them being bigger than her, they sleep lined up on roosting pole, run around yard together and if get out of her sight they panic! It is so funny!! Prior to setting on eggs, she would take eggs to her nesting area under her wing one by one so she wanted to be a mommy!!
Now for my cuckoo, she has hatched eggs previously that were not hers and is a wonderful mom!! She sits, takes care of chick, protects, feeds and then kicks them away and on their on as it should be!! The summer of 2017 she hatched one banner silver seabright which is no fault of hers that eggs were not fertile!! She is a wonderful mom!! Very protective !!
Good luck with hatching and chicks!!
TCorum