What are the chances of a buff orpington going broody?

[jondee]

I have 2 BOs, both just about 2 years old. Last spring and summer, one of them went broody at least 3 times. I kept collecting eggs, then she stopped laying but kept sitting in the nest box on other hens' eggs and wouldn't leave. I had to resort to chasing her off the nest box and dunking her in the fish pond a few times before she stopped. Each time, it took about a week before she gave up.

This year, if she goes broody again, I have access to day-old chicks (I don't have a roo, and I don't know anyone with fertile eggs I could buy) to slip under her, so I may try that.

The other BO didn't go broody at all, but we'll see what she does this year.

Joni in CA

 

[SweetSilver]

I laughed when I saw the title of the thread. Buff Orps are really broody, and if one goes broody there is a good chance the others might think that is just a grand idea and go broody as well. Mine haven't since they hatched out some surrogate eggs for me, but Buttercup in particular seemed to go broody all the time. As soon as she started laying eggs every day again, I knew she was getting ready. Also, a few days before they go broody they started ruffling their feathers and cooing as you approach. I only had 2, but they went broody so often I always knew. The nice thing is that they are reliably broody--they will sit and sit Horton-style, and you can be confident that she will sit long enough to hatch a clutch of eggs (though mine were 2 years old and proven before I trusted them to sit on eggs.) Finally, I tucked some fertile eggs under them (2 apiece) and they hatched! Imagine their surprise. They were wonderful, attentive mothers and they haven't been broody since.

I love my Buffs. Buff, I should say since one got eaten by a raccoon last week. I will always have Buffs in the flock because they are so sweet and it is really nice to have live incubators handy. I would be hesitant to have a whole flock of them, though! Perhaps, though, these girls were exceptionally broody, even from a broody breed.

 

[Aumlet]

I have a BO (bought as a feed store chick) and she has never once even hinted at going broody. She's mean as a snake when she in the nest laying an egg, but she has no interest in sticking around.