Good broodies

[Lady of McCamley]

Orps can be hit or miss if hatchery. Choose breeder quality from a breeder with a known line that is broody. That is true of most hatchery lines as they select for egg production which deselects for broodiness.

Brahmas can brood but due to size can be clumsy with eggs. Again breeder quality is much more likely than hatchery.

Marans are hit or miss. As are Australorps.

For breeds that are most likely to get a broody look to Silky, bantam Cochin, and game. It always depends on the individual hen, but your chances of hitting on a good broody and good mother are much higher with those 3 breeds.

 

[Ruthster55]

I have had a Silkie pair that did absolutely nothing. They didn't really mix with my other chickens which are mostly barnyard mixes.

Games are common here. When I got a couple of Game hens, they went broody first, which seemed to teach some of the barnyard mixes to do that, too!

The only two mature hens that have not gone broody this year are a speckled hen and a white Columbian pattern hen that are better layers than most.

She only has 1 or 2 eggs but is working on them...

This barnyard mix brooded the most babies of all the hens - around 18!

She's so broody that she is still puffed up while taking her short break off the nest. This is her second broody episode this year. She is a Game that is normally quite slender.

.

She has not brooded this year.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

I have had a Silkie pair that did absolutely nothing. They didn't really mix with my other chickens which are mostly barnyard mixes.

Games are common here. When I got a couple of Game hens, they went broody first, which seemed to teach some of the barnyard mixes to do that, too!

The only two mature hens that have not gone broody this year are a speckled hen and a white Columbian pattern hen that are better layers than most.

View attachment 2288362
She only has 1 or 2 eggs but is working on them...
View attachment 2288363
This barnyard mix brooded the most babies of all the hens - around 18!
View attachment 2288366
She's so broody that she is still puffed up while taking her short break off the nest. This is her second broody episode this year. She is a Game that is normally quite slender.
View attachment 2288371
.
View attachment 2288349
She has not brooded this year.

I have lots of mixes too. Most of my mixes lay green eggs. Because my roo is an easyer egger. Do you know wear to get game hens?

 

[Ruthster55]

I have lots of mixes too. Most of my mixes lay green eggs. Because my roo is an easyer egger. Do you know wear to get game hens?

It sort of depends on where you live. There are a lot of Games in Southern California and in parts of the south in general. You might be able to get a Game hen or two off of Craigslist. Even if the person is listing only stags or cocks, they might also have some hens.

I would go with what is more available in your area. If there are a lot of bantam Cochins in the area, try them for broodiness. If Games are more common, go with them.

Funny story (no photo because cellphone out of commission at the moment): I bought a pair of Games back in early July. The pullet went into lay a couple of weeks ago and she lays a white egg. I got to eat exactly one of her eggs for breakfast. The next few days, I thought she wasn't laying, but she sure was spunky, flying up and grabbing a bit of scrambled egg out of my hand.

Then, she disappeared without a trace.

I looked around the yard - no trace of her dead, so I thought, thief?

Got worried and got neighbor to help look for her. We discovered her hiding way in the back of a little-used nest box almost under the straw.. she literally went from point of lay to setting up a clutch and now she's on 8 eggs...screeching as we looked to see if she had eggs. She's playing games with me....

I intended to put this girl in a breeding coop with the appropriate rooster, but the coops aren't quite finished. She obviously had other plans....

It seems that the sight and sound of baby chicks can make a hen go broody, especially if she is of a broody breed.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

It sort of depends on where you live. There are a lot of Games in Southern California and in parts of the south in general. You might be able to get a Game hen or two off of Craigslist. Even if the person is listing only stags or cocks, they might also have some hens.

I would go with what is more available in your area. If there are a lot of bantam Cochins in the area, try them for broodiness. If Games are more common, go with them.

Funny story (no photo because cellphone out of commission at the moment): I bought a pair of Games back in early July. The pullet went into lay a couple of weeks ago and she lays a white egg. I got to eat exactly one of her eggs for breakfast. The next few days, I thought she wasn't laying, but she sure was spunky, flying up and grabbing a bit of scrambled egg out of my hand.

Then, she disappeared without a trace.

I looked around the yard - no trace of her dead, so I thought, thief?

Got worried and got neighbor to help look for her. We discovered her hiding way in the back of a little-used nest box almost under the straw.. she literally went from point of lay to setting up a clutch and now she's on 8 eggs...screeching as we looked to see if she had eggs. She's playing games with me....

I intended to put this girl in a breeding coop with the appropriate rooster, but the coops aren't quite finished. She obviously had other plans....

It seems that the sight and sound of baby chicks can make a hen go broody, especially if she is of a broody breed.

Thank you. I live in new York.

 

[Ruthster55]

I don't know where in NY State you are, but I looked at CL for the Hudson Valley. You can probably find Cochins and bantam Cochins more easily than Games. The only thing with Cochins is that with the feather feet they need a dry coop in the winter so they don't get frostbite on their toes.

https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/search/gra?query=Cochins