Broody Curiosity....

[BusyStFarmer]

Hello All!

I was reading a lot on how certain breeds have more of a tendency to go broody than others and I wanted your input. I was wondering out of my hens which ones where more likely based on their breed to go broody.

Australorp mix?


Wyandotte something else mix?


White chicken thing mix?

And the EE sisters....








These are pretty old pictures besides the combs they all look the same. Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Of course it depends on what they are mixed with. And a breed tendency to go broody is just a tendency, not every hen does. Besides you have to have enough for averages to mean something. You don’t.

That white one looks like it could be part Leghorn. Leghorns tend to not go broody. I haven’t had Wyandottes. They are supposed to not go broody a lot. I’ve had pretty good luck with Black Australorp going broody, with hens from Cackle and Meyer.

My EE’s go broody a lot, but for the last few years I’ve been selectively breeding them to go broody. I don’t know where you got the EE’s or what might be mixed in with them. If they are hatchery EE’s I’d not expect them to be really broody, but I don’t know what else is in the mix.

Just because I like to show these, I’ll include some photos of my EE’s from last year and this. They have true Ameraucana, Speckled Sussex, Buff Rock, Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, and possibly Delaware mixed in with them.

 

[BusyStFarmer]

I absolutely understand all of the points you made. I guess it just my curiosity taking over. You know what they say about curiosity...

BTW you have lovely birds. Thank you for your input!

 

[drumstick diva]

I think the broodiest breed is silkies - from breeder stock NOT hatcheries. They generally lay a few eggs and then go broody. This usually continues year round - they are also good at setting on and hatching other fertile eggs. So you could buy fertile eggs of whatever breed you choose and swap them out for the silkies eggs.

 

[BusyStFarmer]

I received them all from "old time" farmers who don't specifically like hatcheries and they let their chickens sort themselves out as far as breeding so nothing is selective or (organized) hopefully one of them has a broody bone in their body lol.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

I agree with Ridge runner (beautiful birds btw).... tendencies mean notta.

Since my silkies started laying.... all 3 have gone broody, major within the first couple months. They are breeder stock. And they do this even though I collect eggs everyday and there is nothing for them to sit on. They brood imaginary eggs!

Also had a BO go broody. So out of your breeds, with my experience I would vote for the Austra mix... One way tor see is put a bunch of (fake) eggs in a nest and see what happens. But beware, they can abandon it at day 21 or even abandon chicks after hatch. So you have to be ready and willing to step in if needed and raise them yourself. They are supposed to be better at it after they mature past 1 year.

In the future, I don't plan to do any of my own hatching. I do hear broody raised chicks are less friendly than brooder raised... but what a relief to not have to do extra work and still reap the rewards!

 

[Molpet]

if you find out let me know

I bought BO because they are supposed to go broody .. nothing yet
I bought BJG for meat and they aren't supposed to go broody... first one to go broody was a BJG

.. she went broody 2x last year... the other one that went broody was a BR

 

[BusyStFarmer]

They are almost a year old so I am sure she (whoever she may be) will show herself when she is ready!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They are almost a year old so I am sure she (whoever she may be) will show herself when she is ready!

Not if you're collecting eggs everyday. My BO went broody on a nest she was hiding. Same for another mix girl I have. The silkies are the only ones who go broody with no eggs, for me. And they don't need to have a rooster to go broody. But I wouldn't let a broody sit without reason as it is hard on their health and bodies.

All my girls tried their broody thing within only 2-3 months after POL... they don't care what age they are, if the eggs are theirs or even if they are fertile. You can encourage or discourage broodiness with different things.

Do you have any boys or fertile eggs? or is that very much just a curiosity with no intention of hatching?

I may not like hatcheries... but I personally have zero interest in breeding mixes of mixes with no selection for carcass size, egg color & size, or laying ability.... but everyone has different reason they do what they do. And if he isn't using hatcheries are his own birds brooding or is he hatching everything himself? Not that it's important... just that you are more likely to get SOME broodiness if they are using broodies.

I have chicks hatching today!

Broke 2 broodies silkies 2 weeks ago and another Silkie started sitting a few days back... tried to put her in a different location but she keeps going back to the same box. Will try to stick my hatching chicks under her tomorrow night probably, since she shows commitment.

 

[Molpet]

I leave a box with 3 fake eggs and they lay in it and 2 other boxes... the BJG went broody in one of the 2 other boxes they lay in.. the BR started laying in her own spot in a dog house.. I collected the eggs every day and both went broody on air

no one has gone broody in the box w/fake eggs.. yet anyway