Broodiest hen breed?

[azygous]

My Golden Laced Wyandottes and my Speckled Sussex are my broodiest hens. They go broody far more often and far more intensely than all my others. Both have raised chicks and are superb mothers.

 

[Folly's place]

Genetics are wonderful! I've never had a broody SS. Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is nothing like having a hen hatch the eggs and raise the chicks for you. As others have said it’s hit or miss though. Some are more likely to go broody than others but you can’t make any hen go broody, especially when you want one. If you are depending on hatching chicks you might want to consider an incubator, especially if you want them to hatch a certain time of year.

In general the production breeds tend to not go broody often, the decorative breeds tend to go broody more often. But that’s a general tendency for the breed, each hen is an individual and doesn’t always follow the trends. My flock is a barnyard mix of production breeds yet a lot of them go broody, some often. I try to hatch eggs from hens that go broody so I have a flock that often goes broody.

People have mentioned the breeds that have the best reputation for going broody, at least common breeds. I’ve also had good luck with Black Australorps from Cackle and Meyer, actually better than Buff Orpingtons, but that’s just the individual hens, not necessarily an across the board breed thing. I don’t know your goals, why you have chickens or why you want to hatch more. Meat, eggs, or something else. I suggest you get a breed with a reputation for going broody that seems to meet your goals and get some. See what happens. Henderson’s Breed Chart can maybe help.

Henderson’s Breed Chart
http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

Also get an incubator so you can be assured of hatching some when you want them. One thing I often do is when a hen goes broody I put some eggs under her but also some in the incubator so they hatch about the same time. That way I’m pretty sure she is going to have some to raise even if there are problems with one or the other. I once had one of those Black Australorp raise 15 chicks after it had warmed up in the spring, mostly incubator chicks.

 

[karenej]

I have a Japanese bantam that goes broody at least 3 times a year. Great mommy too!

 

[chickens really]

Oh, NO......My Blue Orpington has gone Broody.......I really did JINX myself..........Into the Broody breaker this morning.....

It really is a hit or miss.....Just my LUCK as always! lol.....Two Broody hens now and Winter is coming....




Cheers!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just let one out of the broody buster yesterday. If it were February I'd probably have given her eggs but not now.

 

[Folly's place]

One of my Jersey Giant pullets is determined to brood this month. It's not happening! I agree, in February, maybe. Mary

 

[Teila]

I cannot speak for the full size Cochin but my Pekins [bantams Cochins] regularly go broody through the spring and summer.

I have one who I break, she goes back to laying, 8-10 eggs later, broody again! She is regular as clockwork that one

Her daughter also goes broody at least 3 times during the season.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Check with your local 4H office or post on a local chicken forum asking for a broody proven hen.

I've gotten 2 very broody Silkies that way. Most Silkie breeders have a spare broody or two they are not breeding forward and don't need any more. They will be older, often 3 years or more. But, you get a hen that is proven.

I've had great luck with my Silkies and with my bantam Cochins. I hand picked my Cochins from a turkey breeder who was using them to hatch turkey eggs of all things. Their momma was annoyingly broody, and her daughters have proven to be excellent brooders 3 times a year.

I find my heritage breeder quality Marans are very broody. Even their mixed breed daughters are broody. Hens broody hatched also tend to go broody.

I agree that feed store quality hens rarely go broody as they have been selectively bred for egg production by the hatcheries making it rare to get a broody that way...which is why it is hit or miss with Orpington and the like.

Games are excellent brooders and mothers too.

I broody hatch only anymore. And if a hen goes broody, I put eggs under her. My hens have successfully hatched in all seasons, even wretched winters.

I keep a broody stable of 2 to 3 bantam hens kept permanently in a separate broody hutch with grow out run. It keeps my bantams safe and allows for uninterrupted hatching without flock interference. It is also safest for growing chicks which bring out predators quickly.

I then use my large hen volunteers for seasonal, once or twice a year, flock hatching as they do better within the flock. A good rooster will make sure chicks and mommas are safe and not bothered too, but flock raising is riskier as babies can get lost or snatched by predators.

For clutches I really want, like purchased eggs of special breeds, I only use my bantams in their protected hutch.

I highly recommend getting several brooders and letting them do the work for you. My broody hatched chicks grow faster, are smarter and transition easier into the flock with a lot less stress...with only an occasional loss due to chick stupidity or hawks in the flock...none in the broody hutch.

LofMc

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I cannot speak for the full size Cochin but my Pekins [bantams Cochins] regularly go broody through the spring and summer.

I have one who I break, she goes back to laying, 8-10 eggs later, broody again! She is regular as clockwork that one

Her daughter also goes broody at least 3 times during the season.

Had an entire flock of Silver Penciled Rocks do that this past summer. Every hen tried to brood at least twice and many if not all three times. Broke the last brood in October after a warm week. Te are good layers if you can get them all laying.