Broody Buff Orps?

[Happy Chooks]

Do your Orps go broody frequently? My DH wants me to have a chicken that can do the brooding for us. (instead of incubator and heat lamp) I saw in the breeds that Orps are frequent broodies?

Otherwise, I'm thinking when mine hatch, I'll go to the feed store and get myself a standard blue cochin for a broody.

 

[Ridgerunner]

From what I have seen on here, Orpington's are a pretty good bet to go broody compared to most other dual purpose fowl. That's one reason I have some Orpingtons. Cochin's are also a good choice.

Whether your particular Orpington's go broody will depend a lot on the strain. Has that particular line of Orpington's had the broodiness mostly bred out of them, like the laying breeds have. Hatchery chicks are more likely to be less broody since they may have been selectively bred to produce eggs, not go broody. Same could be said for hatchery Cochins.

If you have a few Orpington's, I'd think your odds are pretty good on getting a broody, even with hatchery chicks, but it is a gamble.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Buff Orps do tend toward broodiness. I have one who has gone broody five times in 2 years. My other three haven't, so maybe getting a bunch of Orps will ensure you will get one that is habitually broody.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Ridgerunnner........thanks. I do have 1 hatchery Orp, but I am going to be hatching some of gumpsgirls BBS Orps. Hopefully I will get a hen (or 2) out of it.

Buff Hooligans....Wow, I hope I'm that lucky.

 

[Goldendoodles]

I have 5 Buff Orp hens from hatchery stock. They are great birds, and one went broody last month

she hatched 6 of our own mutt chicks, and has been a great momma over the past few weeks.

 

[BeccaOH]

I have one pure Buff Orp that went broody twice this summer. Only hatched one of her pure BOs and a total of 6 mutts.