What breed makes for good mommas?

[Chicky Babe]

We have been told by several people that broodiness has been bred out of most chickens. What breeds have any of you had that sat well and protects their little ones?

 

[brahmabreeder]

I have a silkie who has only six days left. Every year she tries to hatch eggs. She goes broody at east twice yearly. Last year I tried twice failed both times. None of which had to do with her. The first time I didn't notice her missing and locked her out all night so those eggs died. The other time her eggs weren't fertile. My two Narragensett hens just hatched chicks and are raising them very well. They don't even realize they are chickens.

 

[Spangled]

We have been told by several people that broodiness has been bred out of most chickens. What breeds have any of you had that sat well and protects their little ones?

Kraienkoppe and Black Copper Marans.

The Black Copper Marans can hatch more eggs per setting when compared to a Kraienkoppe because of size.

The Kraienkoppe hens teach any chicks they raise (including other breeds) to be excellent foragers. By "foragers," I mean that they still need to have feed put out for them, but they eat some and then enjoy scratching/digging more than other chickens seem to. When watching them, the Kraienkoppes and chickens raised by Kraienkoppe mommas are more often seen scratching dirt/grass than my other chickens.

I can count on hens from both breeds going broody every summer. My Kraienkoppes are usually broody by end of February, maybe sooner, so that I can get a head start on chicks, although waiting until there will be bugs out to eat is the best practice because the mom begins teaching them to bug hunt that very first week.

I'd say I haven't had a Black Copper Marans go broody before mid April, but I have had one be broody into November.

I think the Kraienkoppes are all broody here in the States. I think that there are only certain lines of Black Copper Marans that are broody, so you'd have to make sure you're getting chicks from broody lines/strains.

It's difficult for me to compare their protectiveness. I think they're both equally protective and would fight any source of danger to their chicks. The Kraienkoppe hens think more things are a danger than the Marans do. The Kraienkoppe hens move more quickly than Marans hens do.

 

[Lollipop]

Any game breed and most bantams do exceptionally well..........Pop

 

[Chicky Babe]

Are they typically all friendly breeds? And yes I do understand a broody hen will get hateful lol.

 

[Spangled]

Are they typically all friendly breeds? And yes I do understand a broody hen will get hateful lol.

Once the Kraienkoppe hens have their chicks, they seem to warm up to me. Mine are distant in their normal state. They come when called for food if they think I have scraps or sunflower seeds. (Note: The Kraienkoppes don't live with my layer flock.) They have grain and/or feed available all the time, so it takes more than grain to get them to come. I would not say that Kraienkoppes are friendly, as in come up and jump on my lap and beg for attention. They aren't going to let me pick them up either. Truly, though, none of my chickens beg for attention or let me pick them up except my bantam Cochin occasionally. The Kraienkoppes' chicken instincts are strong and much more intact than a standard dual purpose breed. They aren't as docile as a Wyandotte, Barred Rock, or Delaware, etc., are. They're more like my Campines, which are stand offish and don't like being handled. Yes, I think they're much like my Campine hens in temperment.

The Marans are easier to handle and move about when not broody. Friendly? Mine are a calm, slow-ish bird. I don't find them friendly, but they're likely to come see if I have anything to eat as soon as I open the back door and hang around hoping I'll give them something. But they move away if I try to pick them up.

One thing you should know is that I don't handle my chicks when they're chicks. I keep a couple of roosters around and so it's been my experience that the ones that get handled a lot as chicks end up being rascals. So by the time I can tell the sexes of my chickens, they are too old for me to be able to catch them easily to tame them so that they're friendly. So I don't have any friendly, cuddly chickens. It makes me a little sad, but I have great roosters to protect the hens while free ranging and don't have to worry about the roosters chasing me or pecking at me like I did with our first rooster.

 

[Chicky Babe]

Lol I guess I need to clarify friendly. I mean it as in less likely to flog us. I pick up and play with my golden comets, but they started it, I swear!

 

[flgardengirl]

Key West hens are the broodiest chickens on earth LOL! Excellent, protective mommas that consistently raise large broods of chicks and the dad's are awesome too. If you take their eggs away they will hide them, bury them, steal other chickens eggs...whatever they have to do LOL! They have a lot of 'game' in them so probably any game-type hens are good mommas.
Our little Phoenix hens are good moms too. I also have good broodies that are Orpingtons, Silkies, and Marans. Some people say thier Marans are not good mamas so it must just be the lines...mine are excellent mothers and super broody. Olive Eggers (marans x ameraucanas) have been good broodies as well here.

Any broody momma may flog you. It is their job to protect their eggs and chicks. It is your job to let them. If you need to raise chicks for children to handle you can incubate the eggs and be their momma. The chicks will usually be friendlier if you incubate them and raise them yourself.

 

[berserker]

American Gamefowl, Spanish Gamefowl, Aseel/Asil And most OEGBs.

 

[GotGame]

Oegbs in general aren't that broody. Your game hens, American and Oriental, are as good a broody as your likely to find, and good protective mamas as well.