how long...

[spoolin]

i dont have an incubator. but i dont know if my hens are broody. are BR good broody hens?

 

[spoolin]

are they good broodies?.....

 

[embkm]

I've heard that BRs could go broody, but I've had 5 or 6 BR hens and none have ever gone broody for me. Actually the only hen I've ever have go broody was an OEGB.

 

[spoolin]

what is an OEGB?

 

[embkm]

Old English Game Bantam. You can't make a hen go broody. You can try leaving eggs or golf balls in a nest, but chances are she won't go broody until she is ready.

You'll know if your hen is broody... she stays on the nest just about all day. If you take her off the nest, she'll go back a few minutes after you leave. She might also fluff up and growl at you if you try to get her off the nest. And she will definitly give you the "stink eye". Trust me, you'll know. If you aren't sure if she's broody.. she's probably not.

Best to just get an incubator if you want to hatch eggs on your time table and not the hens'.

 

[spoolin]

what is a good broody hen? or what kind of hen is good for broody?

 

[horsejody]

Lots of breeds go broody. Silkies are very good broodies. However, they still aren't ncessarily broody when you want them to be. They have have their own biological timetables. It's not something they do just because there are eggs laying around.

 

[bobandtammy]

Hello,
Our names are Bob and Tammy and we are just beginning the idea of raising chickens
We have many questions if anyone is willing to tudor us

 

[bobandtammy]

is there anyone available to answer questions right now?

 

[barnwife]

moving a roo is way less stress to the ladies..who do the majority of the work lol.

Also, if the roo is fairly young, he will adjust a lot. Roos don't stop doing their morning and evening "duties" from stress...but hens sure do!!


I agree about letting the neighbors know you will have your roo around for a month or two and to tell them to expect a roo to "visit" every few months or so...then at least they have the releif of a light at the end of the tunnel, and they see you really are trying to be the best neighbor possible without opening your hens up to diseases from stressful travel.

Better egg-laying, neighbors will know you're neither a pushover nor their worst nightmare, and you still get what you want...fertility on your own property.


as far as broody...get a breed (large or small) with feathered legs...those breeds tend to be more broody. cochins, brahmas, turkens, showgirls...then there's the bantam breeds. I had a silkie who brooded golf balls for 3 months (!!!!!!) and I currently have a bantam cochin ROOSTER who cares for baby chicks like a mother does!