Unknown breed

[Garona]

I have limited information at the moment, I've just had this lovely girl given to me because she's a serial brooder. Sure enough she immediately set upon getting to her new home. Fab news for me as I love hatching chocks with a broody. But it's really upsetting me I have no idea what breed she is and her previous owner doesn't know either. As she is broody I can't even tell you what eggs she lays and how frequently. Can anyone give me some directions/suggestions to look into?

Thank you!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Can you try to get pictures of her standing up? It's hard to tell when she's in a nesting box. If she is excessively broody, you should research ways to "break" a broody hen.

 

[Garona]

No she's brooding chicks as we speak which is what we wanted her for and I haven't yet caught her in the act of getting her food and drink yet. When I do I'll let you know.

 

[drumstick diva]

If she won't leave the nest to poo, eat and drink, you will have to PUT her out for brief periods to do so. Serious broodies like her can starve too death. Also please do not allow her to go broody constantly. She needs time off, even if you have to force her off (break her of broodiness)

 

[junebuggena]

Also, if they don't leave the nest voluntarily, they may cannibalize eggs.

 

[donrae]

She looks like a mixed breed bird. Breed really doesn't matter, if she's a fantastic momma she's royalty around here

 

[AustralorpsAU]

Can you try to get pictures of her standing up? It's hard to tell when she's in a nesting box. If she is excessively broody, you should research ways to "break" a broody hen.

I agree. Take her off the nest for a bit and get a pic so we can legs etc

 

[Garona]

Guys calm down! I've not implied here that she's hatching all the time or not getting off her nest! I've said quite clearly:

1. I haven't caught her when she's got off the nest to take a picture. I can assure you that a) she has been eating and drinking as I monitor it closely and b) if she wasn't I would do something about it like I had to do for my goldie last year. But thanks for your concern.
2. As I said because she keeps trying to go broody at a home that does not want her to do so, she has now (after like the fith time of being broken this year) been given to me and I'm letting her do a clutch of eggs. This in in no way implies I'm going to just make her hatch eggs all the time and she hasn't hatched any to date and has been repeatedly broken.

The point of saying anything at all is to explain why I don't have a decent picture yet FOR Breed identification... so please. Chill out.

To those responding to breed..
She's unlike any breed I've ever had before mainly being exposed to light Sussex, Sussex ranger, gold line, hyline, rir, speckled, speckled/br cross, buff Orpington. I have no clue! She's a brooder which makes me happy as my others aren't this year, and she's a medium sized fowl with a darker brown head/neck feathering. Haven't peaked at her leg colouring yet. Thanks for the help offered so far I know it's a bit needle in a haystack.

 

[AustralorpsAU]

She could be a blue Australorp or Blue Orpington but yeah we need leg colour to see. No one was trying be mean or anything they were just trying to give some suggestions. Thanks for clarifying that up with us though!

 

[Ravynscroft]

She almost looks like a Blue Copper Marans... maybe a mix like that? Leg color and whether they are feathered or not would help... she's a gorgeous blue though!

Btw, many people who sell their eggs for eating don't like to keep broody prone hens... nothing wrong with them, just some like to hatch more than lay... she looks fine and healthy too!