Broody Breed Recommendations

[Chestnut Hill]

Hi All,
I currently have 8 Barred Rock hens, 1 Silkie mix hen, 2 Barnyard mix Roos, 3 chicks of unknown sex and 4 Guineas. They all free range during the day. The Guineas insist on roosting out in the open, so their numbers are dwindling. My Silkie mix recently went broody and hatched and raised the 3 chicks. She did a GREAT job raising them and it was SO much easier than keeping chicks/keets in a brooder.

I’m getting ready to order keets. I thought I’d get a few more BR. And because having a Mama Hen was so amazing, I’d like to get a couple of a breed that’s likely to be broody/good Mama.

I love my BR, but they aren’t broody. I would like similar traits to them. They are very low-key, they aren’t excitable. This is important because I have sight hounds, they chase things that run. My BR actually intimidate the dogs and the barn cats, they take no crap. They are heat and cold tolerant. They are curious and friendly, albeit not affectionate.

Thanks!

 

[Cyprus]

Bantam Cochins and Silkies by far make the best broodies, with Silkies winning by a lead.
If you want standard, well mannered broodies I recommend Orpingtons and Brahmas.

 

[PrettyChickens15]

My black austrolorps go broody a ton and make really good mothers.
Silkies are my favorite as they tend to be very devoted to there eggs and are so sweet.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Game breeds tend to go broody. They still retain the instinct to lay a clutch of eggs and then incubate them. I have a Sebright x Old English Game pullet who hatched chicks less than 3 weeks ago. She is a great mother.

 

[lazy gardener]

I had to break 2 broody PBR this spring. I've had 2/2 Colombian Wyandottes go broody this summer, as well as a Black Australorpe. I've also had Dominiques go broody. This summer's broods consisted of 10 in first brood, and 12 in second brood.

Be careful what you wish for. b/c you just might get it! Once the broody bug enters your flock, you may not be able to get rid of it.

 

[sylviethecochin]

In purebreeds, I like my cochin bantams, Old English Game Bantams, and Silkies, in that order. My mixed breed black hen (australorp, silkie, EE, Wyandotte, who knows what else) outperforms all of them.

If you want a good broody, why don't you ask around and see if anyone in your area is getting rid of one. A lot of people don't like them because of how they interrupt the laying cycle.

If you are getting chicks, no matter what you eventually decide to get, I would personally try and get them from a breeder, rather than from a hatchery. A breeder will be able to tell you whether his stock goes broody or not. A hatchery won't. If you get a bunch of chicks from a hatchery that has bred the broodiness out of that line, you won't get broodies.

 

[Chestnut Hill]

Bantam Cochins and Silkies by far make the best broodies, with Silkies winning by a lead.
If you want standard, well mannered broodies I recommend Orpingtons and Brahmas.

Thank you!

 

[Chestnut Hill]

My black austrolorps go broody a ton and make really good mothers.
Silkies are my favorite as they tend to be very devoted to there eggs and are so sweet.

It seems like everybody loves Silkies. They sound like they might be less-hardy and higher maintenance. Do you find that to be true?

 

[Chestnut Hill]

Game breeds tend to go broody. They still retain the instinct to lay a clutch of eggs and then incubate them. I have a Sebright x Old English Game pullet who hatched chicks less than 3 weeks ago. She is a great mother.

Thank you! A breeder told me that I needed some kind of Game breed, that I would really like them. I can’t remember which one he told said. I guess I should ask him.

 

[Chestnut Hill]

I had to break 2 broody PBR this spring. I've had 2/2 Colombian Wyandottes go broody this summer, as well as a Black Australorpe. I've also had Dominiques go broody. This summer's broods consisted of 10 in first brood, and 12 in second brood.

Be careful what you wish for. b/c you just might get it! Once the broody bug enters your flock, you may not be able to get rid of it.

That’s a good point, thank you.