Broody Breeds.

[Del1977]

We hatched our own gorgeous chickens last year including Isa Browns, (which we gave away), Light Sussex, Araucana, Golden Lace and Golden Campine. Had to give away the roosters as we live in town and they aren't allowed.

All gorgeous hens but our Golden Lace keep becoming severely broody. Our main purpose for keeping hens is for the eggs, and of course when they go broody they not only stop laying but interrupt the laying of the other hens to some extent. I cure their broodiness by putting them in a large bird cage for a few days but am finding no sooner do I cure one then another one becomes broody. I have 3 of these. I know it's natural for this to occur, but not something I want to encourage in my hens, so wondering if some breeds are just naturally more broody than others.

 

[Michael OShay]

Some breeds are definitely more broody than other breeds. Breeds that have a reputation as being egg laying machines such as Leghorns and Sex Links (such as Isa Browns) very rarely go broody. Breeds that are excellent layers such as Australorps and Rhode Island Reds will sometimes go broody (more often than Leghorns or Sex Links) but not as often as dual purpose breeds such as Orpingtons, Brahmas, and Wyandottes. Then there are breeds such as Cochins and Gamefowl that are very broody, and as a result are poor layers. The ultimate in broody breeds in my personal experience are Silkies. Sometimes they will spend weeks trying to incubate a golf ball.