Another question have any of y'all prefer another breed for broodiness over silkies
I have used a number of breeds. And yes, the bottomline, it depends upon the individual hen. But you can hedge your bets with certain breeds that still typcially retain the genetics for brooding.
Silkies have been my go to gals as they typically are very broody prone and will brood at least 3 to 4 times a year. But they are a more delicate bird and I have had trouble with my latest string of them succumbing to either hawks or disease.
Bantam Cochins are a really good choice too. They don't brood quite as frequently as Silkies. Mine seem to brood about 2 to 3 times a year. They also aren't as efficient as a Silkie. Somehow with all that extra fluff of the bantam Cochin, the eggs tend to get to the outskirts and cool, reducing hatching rates. But, right now, I have a very good Bantam Cochin (my Rosie) who has hatched my last 2 batches, albeit she only seems to get 2 or 3 to hatch out of 5 eggs. (My Silkies would have been 4 out of 5). I sadly lost her equally efficient sister to a hawk. Bantam Cochins are very hawk prone as they waddle rather than run.
I have learned to keep my bantam broodies in a broody hutch with fully netted/wired/secured run to prevent hawks from picking them, and their tasty chicken nugget babes, off at will.
Then my breeder quality Marans have been very broody. They are seasonal, usually 1 to 2 times a year. I have an Isbar/Marans that has been excellent. Her latest hatch rate was 110%. I set 10, pulled 2 non-fertile, and she hatched 9. The sneaky gal had an egg stuck in her wing when I put her in the brooding hutch. All 9 made it to teen-hood.
With large fowl, I find it best to stay away from the commercial hatchery lines as they have been selected over generations for egg production thereby discouraging any brooding. They tend to be poor mothers when they do go broody as their genetics are incomplete. However, it is not unheard of the occasional White Leghorn or RSL going broody. I actually had 2 of my Black Star go broody, however, they did not stay the course well.
I haven't personally had them, but game hens are good choices. They can be very persistent mothers. Be prepared for some dramatics with them. They tend to fly off the nests screaming to distract predators whenever they are ready for their daily constitutional (outing for food/water/poo).
Buff Orpingtons are noted for being broody prone. However go to a good breeder. My hatchery line BO's (tried twice) were not very pleasant gals and the only one that went broody did so poorly.
Mixed breeds, especially those that have been broody hatched themselves, tend to be good brooders. I have a Cal-Grey/Barnvelder black star homebrew whose mother would nanny somewhat but never brooded. This daughter has been persistently broody this summer. I didn't need to use her, but she would have made a good mother.
I may breed my bantam Cochin to my Barnevelder rooster and let her hatch some of her own eggs to get a hybrid that will likely be very broody but just a bit bigger for better clutch coverage.
I keep a brooding stable so that I can brood 100% with hens. I have often picked up older hens from Silkie or Cochin breeders. They often have more than enough gals going broody and are willing to part with those that aren't going to advance their breeding program but are clogging up the nests. You often can get an experienced mother that way. (Be sure to properly isolate before introducing her to your flock.)
My thoughts.
LofMc
