Want Broody hens that do well in confinement...

[aclee]

I would like to have a small flock of layers, but would love to have a breed that is a good broody mother. I do not plan to have a rooster, but am wondering if I would be able to buy hatching eggs to put under the hen, or if she would be less likely to go broody if I had no rooster. I would love to do EE's because I love the egg color, and I have heard they are cold tolerant and do well in confinement when needed. Are the EE's a good all purpose breed? We would want to be able to raise the roosters for the freezer...

Does the EE sound like a good breed for what I need? Other suggestions? I'm thinking 3-4 birds.

Thanks!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Any birds you get from a hatchery are less likely to go broody, it's been bred out of them. That being said, EEs are usually dual purpose birds, but if you get EEs from a private party, and know what mixes they are, you are more likely to be able to get heavier birds. I would suggest adding a silkie to your flock for a broody. They are known for going broody, and I have one that has only laid eggs for 4 weeks out of her life, and the rest of the time she's been broody...she's a year old.

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

Your best bet for broody hens are Silkies; they'll sit on ANYTHING, and if its fertile, they'll hatch it and raise it. You could buy fertile EE eggs and let the Silkies set them. Silkies handle confinement VERY WELL.

 

[aclee]

Okay, so I could use the silkie to hatch EE eggs, and then raise the EE's for dual purpose (meat/eggs)...

I think I'm more likely to find good quality EE hatching eggs, is that right?

Is it possible to find the perfect breeder who will sell me fertile eggs where the males are large and the female also happen to lay beautiful eggs? I'm dreaming right? I don't even know where to start...

Do silkies do well in the cold? We're COLD up here!

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

aclee---Silkies do very well in the cold; I'm in the NC mountains, and we just had the worst winter on record. Probably doesn't get as cold here as it does where you are though.
You can buy fertile EE eggs here--on BYC.
Sounds like a reasonable solution to me....a few Silkie hens to set & hatch fertile EE eggs that you buy.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Check with sonew123. She even has Olive Eggers!! There is also a thread called the Easter Eggers braggers thread, check that out, find birds you like, and then PM them to see if they have hatching eggs available!

 

[aclee]

will do...as soon as I can get my hands on a broodie silkie that will hatch them for me. Not sure exactly how you work the timing on that though...do I wait till she seems broody, or just stick out a nest of eggs and she will hop on it?

What about turkey eggs? Would she sit on the long enough to hatch them? I think they take longer than chicken eggs...

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Wait till she goes broody, but talk to people ahead of time, to make sure they know you are wanting eggs, and they don't have a waiting list. My silkie is broody right now (surprise - not!) has been for 2 weeks, without an egg in sight...there is no breaking her. She would sit on whatever I gave her for as long as it took to hatch it...but they are all different...

 

[aclee]

Aww...they sounds like such good little Mamas! Now I can't wait to get one! (are you going to put some eggs under her?)

Incidental, how do the Bantam EE's do in the cold? I bet those eggs are adorable! I guess the males wouldn't really be good for the freezer though would they

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Silkies, Cochin Bantams, Buff Orpingtons.

I have BOs and they're really broody and Cochins .. they are VERY broody also! I think Cochins are just as broody as Silkies! lol