Dont laugh but "game" hens make good brooders.
What breed...
- Thread starter happyhens
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- #12
KYBOY- why would I laugh about that? I did have a hen that assume was a game hen of some sort, she and her daughter were broody machines. Problem was, you couldn't keep them in a pen. They kept getting out, a fox got the mama hen and her brood, the younger game hen just disappeared one night. But I loved their protective natures. They were awesome mamas to! Stuck right with it. Wouldn't quit the nest until they had chicks, wouldn't leave the chicks until they were ready to go broody AGAIN! One batch right after another. Now my coop is covered and I have a "maternity" pen, so I think I'll try some OEGBs.
In the past we have had buff orpingtons go broody. Here is some pictures of the buff we had with her chicks. Even after she hatched these and we sold them she continued to want to be broody. But she needed time to recover (ie. put some weight back on). She was also a great mother.
If you look very closely, you can see a buff orpington chick at her side.
If you look very closely, you can see a buff orpington chick at her side.
My breed sorta started off in a farm way out in the boonies, a lady told me some 20 yrs ago she got a BBRed and Black Rosecombs, together with some heavy laying chickens that by her discription I think were Black stars. She hasn't added new blood to that line ever since and I caught 1 single hen from her birds(the rest are too wild) in the spring 6 yrs ago(still got her, took me 2 yrs to get her sorta tame). That woman had like 50 wild, black, medium sized birds running around her property. Birds that have never been held or had any sort of contact with people or an enclosure.
Took us forever to catch that one hen.
So with that one hen and a LeghornXBarred Rock rooster I started off my breed quite by accident about 6 yrs ago, but didn't acctually try to make a breed until 4 yrs ago(when I had all these neat youngsters).
The original hen herself isn't much of a broody, and the previous owner said her chickens usually have no more then 20 chicks each year all together. Since only 1 or 2 of the hens would go broody.
So I am not 100% sure where the broody comes from, none of the breeds in these birds are really the broody types.
Took us forever to catch that one hen.
So with that one hen and a LeghornXBarred Rock rooster I started off my breed quite by accident about 6 yrs ago, but didn't acctually try to make a breed until 4 yrs ago(when I had all these neat youngsters).
The original hen herself isn't much of a broody, and the previous owner said her chickens usually have no more then 20 chicks each year all together. Since only 1 or 2 of the hens would go broody.
So I am not 100% sure where the broody comes from, none of the breeds in these birds are really the broody types.
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- #15
My best broodies are mutts. One has to be a cross between a barred rock and something else... because of her size and her brother is HUGE. My other one is definately a barred rock mixed with something else. But they are both MAD broodies. Also my silkie and cochin will set on the nest until I open the door to get the eggs.
- Mar 20, 2008
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Speckled Sussexs are the best brooder I ever used. But the Silkies my nieghbour had were broody machines. So to answer your question: speckled sussexs are my best broody, but in my opinion silkies are the best brooder.
Quote:
Oh no. Don't tell me Cuckoo Marans. I have them and I don't want them to go broody. I investigated a bit and most sites said they're not likely to go broody but some said they did.
Sorry but she did and did a great job too, sat the whole month of Feb and it got COLD, but she stayed put the whole time, all but 3 hatched, and we cracked those and Nothing had even started, so they wouldnt have made it even in a bator in the house, I just dont candle and toss, so she sat on those for 26 days before I took those away.
Oh no. Don't tell me Cuckoo Marans. I have them and I don't want them to go broody. I investigated a bit and most sites said they're not likely to go broody but some said they did.
Sorry but she did and did a great job too, sat the whole month of Feb and it got COLD, but she stayed put the whole time, all but 3 hatched, and we cracked those and Nothing had even started, so they wouldnt have made it even in a bator in the house, I just dont candle and toss, so she sat on those for 26 days before I took those away.
Quote:
You are very right. I've noticed that silkies are not protective of thier eggs/chicks at all. They just sit there dreaming in LALA land. When I had my broody BB, She chose a protective nest, she never got off the nest, was not harmful to the chicks, and would peck me if I go near. Non like my broody silkie!!!!!
Anyway, this is my Broody silkie. her eggs are due to hatch April 4th
You are very right. I've noticed that silkies are not protective of thier eggs/chicks at all. They just sit there dreaming in LALA land. When I had my broody BB, She chose a protective nest, she never got off the nest, was not harmful to the chicks, and would peck me if I go near. Non like my broody silkie!!!!!
Anyway, this is my Broody silkie. her eggs are due to hatch April 4th
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