Black Australorps = good mommies?

[OwlandBear]

My twin boys (age 7) decided they wanted to go in to the egg business and we bought them some Black Australorps. Of the 5 chickens (who are 12 weeks old) it looks like 2 are cockerals (I see only one but they swear they watched two of them crow). SO now the plan is to breed them and make more hens that will lay eggs. But are BAs good brooders?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

BAs are among the breeds that have a tendency to be broody but with only 3 pullets, the odds may be against you. If you in fact have 2 cockerels, you'll have to process or rehome one or get 15-20 more pullets. 1:10 is a good ratio. And 3 layers won't make much of an egg business. 3 layers won't even keep a family of 4 in eggs to eat.
A BA will lay about 250 eggs a year.

Almost any hen that decides to set will be a good mother.