Good breeds for broodiness?

[soloequestrian]

I have an araucana who reliably goes broody every year. I'd quite like to find a couple more hens that will brood because I love hatching chicks! I'm a bit wary of silkies - they seem to have a reputation for being good mothers but my hens tend to roost up trees and I'd worry they're not waterproof enough for that! Any other breed suggestions (I'm in the UK)?
Thanks!

 

[Ruthster55]

Games or Bantam Cochins!

I have had broody Australorps before but they would go broody with nothing in the nest or just a fake egg. Thus, they had to go in the broody breaker pretty often.

By contrast, Game hens lay a clutch over the span of a few days, and then set it reliably, and they are really determined and don't want to quit! I think that even Game mix hens might work.

No personal experience with Bantam Cochins, but the reports on their broodiness are excellent, and the male Bantam Cochins are really sweet!

 

[FortCluck]

Cochins, bantam Brahma, and Silkies are my best broodies so far. My Cochins seem to be the most patient out of all of them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My phoenixes and bantam coching have brooded so far. I had a black sexlink hatch ducks once

 

[Kdlevesque]

I have two Buff Orpingtons that stay broody...all the time! My other two buffs have never been broody. The plus side, they make excellent mothers.

 

[soloequestrian]

Ooh, I like the look of the cochins too! Now to find a place to actually get some.....

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Well, I mean we got all our birds before this year from hatcheries and TSC, so if you're not looking for show quaility....

 

[Ruthster55]

The poster is in the UK.

US hatcheries will not ship outside the country.

This thread might have a few hints for where you could look for chicks in the UK.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mail-order-in-uk.649988/

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Oh. But surely there are still hatcheries outside of the US?

 

[Ruthster55]

Try here -

https://www.preloved.co.uk/search?keyword=Cochin