Broody Chickens! - What’s your ‘go-to’ breed/ crossbreed?!

[Clucker98]

Hi everyone!

What’s your ‘go-to’ chicken when you want a broody hen in your flock? Yes incubators are great but mama hen is my preference when I have a choice!!

I know silkies are renowned broodies but I’m just wondering what your favourite breeds or particular cross breeds are to use as broodies? Why this particular chicken breed/cross over others?

I’m hoping this thread will be useful for people to share their experiences with what broody hens work for them and for new flock owners to refer to to start creating more self-sustaining flocks!

 

[chickengr]

I guess any bantam hen would be a good broody. I have a pekin mom right now.

I had orpington, naked neck, brahma and some mutts - no idea what they were. a friend of mine has phoenix hens that get broody even in winter.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Standard pheonixes all the way. Have a pullet brooding that will turn one a few days before her eggs hatch

 

[Lollychicken]

My Wyandotte bantam was an amazing broody. She would hatch 6 large brown Leghorn eggs at a time

 

[Coops Dad]

Out of 40+ hens, I have a couple of Black Copper Marans and three Wheaten Marans that are my broody stars. The BCM's will go broody if they see more than three rocks in a pile. The Wheatens are a little pickier but a day's worth of eggs left in a nesting box can trigger them pretty quickly. I also have a mystery hen who occasionally has to be picked up out of the nesting box because it and the eggs are "hers". She growls and tries to bite off fingers if you shoo her off at dusk but hasn't been reliable at continued setting. She has routinely decided "nope- not broody!" two or three days after beginning to sit on eggs. She's the reason we have a Nurture Right 360.

 

[Jules66]

Hi everyone!

What’s your ‘go-to’ chicken when you want a broody hen in your flock? Yes incubators are great but mama hen is my preference when I have a choice!!

I know silkies are renowned broodies but I’m just wondering what your favourite breeds or particular cross breeds are to use as broodies? Why this particular chicken breed/cross over others?

I’m hoping this thread will be useful for people to share their experiences with what broody hens work for them and for new flock owners to refer to to start creating more self-sustaining flocks!

Buff Orpingtons, but watch them at first, they can be fickle.

 

[Lollychicken]

Buff Orpingtons, but watch them at first, they can be fickle.

I have been considering buff Orpingtons or pekins for my best broody hens, thanks for your advice on Orpingtons

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

Bantam calico Cochin is my fav