getting a hen to go broody?

[yardbird tx]

I am going on my fourth year keeping chickens. I have, and still are really enjoying it.
I keep large brown egg layers like Sexlinks and Bardrocks. And I have on big old New Hamsire roo to keep everyone happy.

I would like nothing more than to have one of my hens hatch a clutch. But everything I have tried to get them to do this has failed.
Saturday I am getting five more Sex link pullets.

Are Sex links the wrong kind of hen for this? If so What breed of hen sould I hunt for that will want to hatch her own eggs??

Thanks, Joe

 

[Tuffoldhen]

The breeds that work for me are Buff Orpingtons, Blue Orpingtons and Light Brahmas...I always have one of those go Broody in the Spring time....

Some have lots of luck with Silkies....

 

[ksacres]

Cochins and silkies are both breeds that will *generally* go broody.

Some sexlinks will and some won't, it really depends on the parent strains. I had a black sexlink that liked nothing better than to incubate and brood babies.

Less well known broodies would be Old English Games, hens make great broodies, and they really seem to bond to their babies and will defend them to the death-most of the time.

My brahmas were never broody, so on that I really can't say.

 

[FarmerDenise]

My silkies have been very broody, I also had a Phoenix that was a good momma hen. She shared sitting and raising the chicks with my Silkie. The silkies don't seem to look after the babies for as long as the phoenix did.