I sense pandemonium in the making

I've wanted a broody like...forever. Didn't happen with my brahmas. No, I go into the brahma coop and all is quiet and peaceful. My brahma girls not only don't object to me reaching in under them on the nestbox, some of them are so helpful they'll stand up for me to steal their eggs. I never like to bother a hen on the nest, but I've learned that these hens could care less.

So I got two silkies in my next order. Two silkies should be enough to fulfill my need for a broody; especially since we now know that both are female.

When I ordered the latest birds I chose birds based on their tolerance of our weather or because I thought they were pretty or both. Turkens, salmon faverolles, speckled sussex, easter eggers, all pretty birds that should handle our climate well. Never once did I investigate the potential broodiness of the breeds. I didn't care. I had already admitted defeat and ordered silkies. The meaties in the coop with the rest of the babies provide me with eggs now and then, but who cares? They are happy being meaties. At least I never have to worry about them going broody, right?

The younger birds have been laying for about two months now. Still pullet sized eggs, but they're getting there.

Today I go into the baby coop. Time to collect their little eggs. Such a peaceful and enjoyable time for me, except... I have a broody meatie sitting on the nest, growling at me. A SF that sat on the nest all of yesterday evening and all night long. She was still on the nest this morning and has the most awful screech of any bird I've ever heard. There's a turken on another nest, trying her best to blend in with the hay and snapping the air in front of her and a silkie, walking around in the center of the coop singing the eggsong sans the egg. Everywhere I turn in the baby coop I'm either being screeched at, bit at or both.

Only then did it occur to me to check Henderson's Chicken Chart and what did I find?:

Naked Neck (turken): can be broody; good mother

Salmon Faverolles: can be broody

Speckled Sussex: good brooder & mother

Silkie: one of the most broody (or very annoyingly too frequent brooder)

The moral of the story? Be careful what you wish for folks. Seriously, be very careful.

 

wood&feathers :

Better start building, 'cause there's gonna be trouble! They'll be stealing each others' eggs and heaven knows what...

The only thing I'm gonna build is a stronger door on their coop. Make sure they have plenty of nestboxes - 5 now, better add a few more - and then close the door, latch it tight and let them figure it out. ​

 

Quote:So far, the SFs and the turken seem to be only thinking about it. The meatie is full on broody. She's the one you seriously don't want to mess with.