Convince me i need silkies

[ChickenCanoe]

Would you say Cochins or phoenix as @JacinLarkwell would be better option for what I need? Well actually let me rephrase that question because we know for a fact those two breeds are better at free ranging. Would you say those two breeds tend to go broody about as often as silkies?

They don’t cover large fowl eggs, do they?
My Easter Egger hatched like a dozen. I just don’t think a bantam could do that.

I know of a hatchery that uses Cochin bantams for hatching rather than incubators.
They have a building with banks of nest boxes on the walls and all Cochin hens in there and move all their eggs into the nests for that nurturing.

 

[fluffycrow]

Ok yall, in regular me-style, something always has to go wrong. In this case, the only place that sells phoenix eggs/chicks doesn't have any right now (not in the US). So now my options are limited to:
1. Silkies
2. Serama
3. Brahma
4. Sussex
5. Fayoumi
6. Jersey Giants
7. EEs
I have only mentioned the breeds that are know for being broody to some extent, so which of those would you say would be best? I think we've already ruled out Jersey Giants as I don't think they'd be good free rangers, Serama because they are tiny and can't even hold as many eggs as I want them to, and lastly probably Fayoumi since I've read they go broody usually after 2 years which is just not what I'm looking for right now, although they are great foragers

 

[fluffycrow]

Worth noting that it's very early in the season, but I've found that if eggs of a particular breed are not available at the start of the season they don't become available until the next, for some reason that seems to be the pattern of this seller. I hope this won't be the case this time, but since I'm the most unlucky person on this forum and on this planet I would like to have a plan B, (and a plan C to be perfectly honest) just for peace of mind

I don't know if I'm being too excessive, (am I?) But that's just my train of thought

But hey sometimes having failures is part of animal keeping

So ya that was my rant, I hope you enjoyed, and help is very welcome •-•

 

[fluffycrow]

Oh also before anyone comments, I made a mistake, they don't have EEs, they have araucana

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oh also before anyone comments, I made a mistake, they don't have EEs, they have araucana

Legit araucana or just colored layers?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ok yall, in regular me-style, something always has to go wrong. In this case, the only place that sells phoenix eggs/chicks doesn't have any right now (not in the US). So now my options are limited to:
1. Silkies
2. Serama
3. Brahma
4. Sussex
5. Fayoumi
6. Jersey Giants
7. EEs
I have only mentioned the breeds that are know for being broody to some extent, so which of those would you say would be best? I think we've already ruled out Jersey Giants as I don't think they'd be good free rangers, Serama because they are tiny and can't even hold as many eggs as I want them to, and lastly probably Fayoumi since I've read they go broody usually after 2 years which is just not what I'm looking for right now, although they are great foragers

From your list, Silkies are the most broody prone. I just don't like them as they are very worrisome in a free range setting.
Seramas are definitely a no. They do go broody often but weighing in at under a pound, one would be lucky to cover 2 standard eggs, if that. You would probably need a dozen (all broody at the same time) to cover the number in a normal hen's clutch. They can only sit on 4 or 5 of their own tiny eggs. They are very vulnerable to predators. I don't know where you live but I'm pretty sure they aren't cold hardy owing to the small size and that they are native to Malaysia.
Jersey Giants are very good free rangers but none of mine ever went broody.
I had one EE and she was broody often, raising several clutches for me.
Not on your list but a breed you should really consider are Cochins as they are almost as prone to sit as silkies.

 

[fluffycrow]

Legit araucana or just colored layers?

Well, the seller says legit araucana, but tbh I doubt it

 

[fluffycrow]

From your list, Silkies are the most broody prone. I just don't like them as they are very worrisome in a free range setting.
Seramas are definitely a no. They do go broody often but weighing in at under a pound, one would be lucky to cover 2 standard eggs, if that. You would probably need a dozen (all broody at the same time) to cover the number in a normal hen's clutch. They can only sit on 4 or 5 of their own tiny eggs. They are very vulnerable to predators. I don't know where you live but I'm pretty sure they aren't cold hardy owing to the small size and that they are native to Malaysia.
Jersey Giants are very good free rangers but none of mine ever went broody.
I had one EE and she was broody often, raising several clutches for me.
Not on your list but a breed you should really consider are Cochins as they are almost as prone to sit as silkies.

My main problem is I can't find cochins. There is one other seller, but I've bought birds from them and they weren't even the breed/mix I wanted, not to mention the first time I contacted they completely ghosted me

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The only one on your list I've had experience successfully hatching is the Silkies. Never have had a Sussex long enough to go broody. The brahma liked to brood for a week before quitting. The EE just couldn't successfully hatch out her eggs no matter how long she sat, poor thing, and your araucanas are a different breed than the araucanas here.

Seramas are absolutely not the bird for this though

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Where are you looking. I think Cochins are quite common.
The problem with any breed is that days are still quite short and most birds won't be laying for a few more weeks.
Araucana are rumpless. Have you seen pictures of them?