Throwback to broodiness?

[Wisher1000]

I have 5 BSL hens that are just over a year old. How much hope (if any) do I have for having one go broody? If you have or have had BSL, did any ever go broody? I have one lone EE pullet that may be my only hope but she is only a few months old... Post and let me know your experience. I am just as interested in hearing if you NEVER had a broody BSL hen as I want an acurate sampling. I am also thinking of getting some other LF SL's this spring. Are the reds more likely to brood?

 

[Illia]

Never had and rarely ever heard of a broody BSL. Remember, they're bred for egg production, which means broodiness is bred out. If your hen is even 1 year old and never went broody, don't count on her to any time in the future. . . Sorry.

Same goes for the Easter Egger. Never heard of a broody one, never had one. (hatchery based, at least)

 

[Kittymomma]

Agree on the sex-links--none of mine have been broody and while I have heard about it a few times it's very rare. I've had a completely different experience with the EE's though. Two of my original three have been broody. Both raised two or more clutches and one of them was broody from spring to fall. She'd start laying when the chicks were around a month old and was sitting on a nest again within two weeks.

I don't think it's as common for them to go broody as I originaly thought based on my experience though. I participated in a thread awhile back and was really surprised when most of the folks that responded had never had one of thier EE's go broody. I got my girls at a local feed store and I know they have chicks mailed in so I'm sure they buy from a hatchery (not local) but have no idea which one they use. Since you want a broody girl I hope you get lucky and your youngster grows up like my girls.

If you really want a broody though and want to stay with LF get yourself a couple of Black Australorps or Buff Orpingtons. They're easy to find, pretty good layers (when not broody) pretty, nice to have around, and even with the hatchery birds you'll probably get one that will go broody if you buy a few of them.

 

[Wisher1000]

Illia - The eggs in your avatar are gorgeous! Especially the one in the middle. Did you raise them?

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
YES SHE DOES! I hatched out a little w/bw Marans from an egg almost that dark on New Year's Eve.

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Back to topic. I've only owned two BSLs and both were at different times. Both were egg laying machines.

I have a little Blue EE that I hatched out of one of my BSLs eggs. She lays green eggs almost as much as her mother did brown ones.
My Ameraucanas are CONSTANTLY going broody. Wish I could breed that out of my flock.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

I'm guessing since ee's can be any mix of bird it will depend on what genes it has, like a silky ee is probably more likely to be a broody then a bsl ee, remember ee's are not pure breed birds no 2 are alike unless they have the same mom and dad.

 

[ga_goat]

My BSL's go broody so much that i'm thinking about getting rid of them , I have 4 of them and this past spring / early summer 2 to 3 of them were broody all the time . Also they didn't seem to care which nest they were on ,, they swapped around . My red's didn't do that

 

[Illia]

Mahonri you're too kind.

The eggs I got you were much lighter, I know that for a fact. . .

But yes, I raise them myself. They're from French Marans.

 

[Wisher1000]

I know that I am hijacking my own thread but I am facinated by those eggs, Illia. I have looked into getting some dark egg layers but read that the eggs are only dark at the beginning of the hens career and then get lighter. So if I understand that right, you have to have young hens to have dark eggs. The goal on my place is for all birds to die of old age! As much as I love the eggs, I gave up on the idea. That is why I have to one "EE" pullet. Anyone know of a breed that lays dark eggs throughout their career? I guess all I really want is sweet hens and beautiful eggs.

She (the "EE" pullet) and the 5 roos were bought in October at a local feed store (ordered from Ideal) as straight-run Aracauna chicks. I have learned that they are sometimes mixed in lots or not always "pure" so I called them EE's thinking that they may be Ameracaunas or mutts but hoping for some blue or green eggs (that's why I bought them in the first place!) So, as far as broodiness goes, does that mean that she may be more likely? Here's my problem. I can't get much in the way of variety and quality of bird locally and will probably have to order eggs to get whatever I want to try. I just think using a broody will be easier than a bator. I have a bator and may try some in the spring.

 

[Wisher1000]

Quote:
How far are you from the Alabama line? I may be up for a road trip!