we are looking for hens that will be broody

[animallover1]

me and my bf are lookin for some chickens that will be broody and hatch there babies... what is the best chicken for that???
let me know please

 

[teach1rusl]

There are no guarantees that any hen will go broody, but orpingtons have a high likelihood...

 

[popcornpuppy]

I have to say that I have heard Orpintons, as well. I have one right now that is going broody, second day. I'm not too sure about other breeds, so don't know what else to say.

 

[BarredBuff]

Silkies, Cochins, Orpingtons are very common broody hens.

 

[PortageGirl]

What they said! *points up* Plus Old English Games are awesome at it too, and whats more, very protective of the chicks when they do hatch. One thing though, you do NOT want ALL chickens of a breed that goes broody often. You want a few, like 3 or at the most I'd say 5 or 6. Don't forget, when they go broody, they aren't laying any eggs! Get several so you can let one at a time go broody, while the others lay eggs. You can slip any fertile eggs from any of the others under the one you let stay broody.

Hatching eggs is pretty hard on them since they don't eat much or get any exercise while they're setting, so you want to sort of rotate allowing them to set on a nest of eggs. Just my opinion of course. I know this chart is stickied here, but to save trouble, I'll post the link again. Hopefully it will give you some ideas. http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html