Check out Cochins, Brahmas, and Silkies. All awesome broodies. Oriental gamefowl are just as good if not better - my Shamo Misha has hatched me 2 clutches of chicks and attempted to brood maybe 8 times in the past year alone, but they are expensive to purchase (Misha I hatched myself but Misha's mom cost me $100). Although they are WELL worth the purchase price because they are so sweet and very fun birds to have, as well as being great broodies.
That said I've always had better luck with my incubator. You don't have to beg and plead with an incubator to work! (Well, assuming you get a good one!) My Brinsea Mini has gotten me through a lot of hatches (With another one due tomorrow) and my Octagon 20 DX, despite being a pretty old thrift store find with a faulty turner, has never done me less than 70% hatch rates.
If you do choose to go with broodies, I know Sherri Minkner is an awesome Silkie breeder and @Chooklet (Dyanne) breeds GORGEOUS and super cute bantam Cochins!
Glad to hear it! I love getting new customers in, showing people around the shop is one of my favorite things. I guess I'm very lucky to have such a fun job!
The website is a bit out of date but I think it gets most things accounted for. I know the phone numbers and emails are still in date, so if you have any questions yo can just call and talk to Jay (my boss) I'll get a complete list of breeds we have coming up when I go to work tomorrow, and post them here. I know we have a really fun batch coming up, and I think it includes like 10 breeds this time, bigger than our normal batches!
