What breeds of chickens are most likely to be broody?

[summerb76]

I have 3 EE's, 3 brown leghorns, 5 barred rocks, 3 black sex-links, 2 NHreds, 1 RIred, and 2 red sex-links...Which of these breeds will most likely go broody? Also I only have 1 rooster and he is a EE. Should I keep him away from everyone except the EE's?

 

[KingsCalls]

The barred rocks or new hamp. reds I would guess would be most likely to go broody. If you don't mind having mixed breed chickens it's ok to keep the roo with all of them.

 

[mikarod]

Barred Rocks and RIR were my best broodies. My best being the RIRs.

 

[ginasmarans]

I would say the barred rocks. This year for me,my cuckoo marans and white leghorns were the best.

 

[mom'sfolly]

This is a great site that might help answer you questions. It has them by breed. I think sex-links are generally bred from lines that don't have alot of broodiness, since they are bred for egg production.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[MNKris]

I would say the Easter Eggers. I have yet to see one of my NH, RIR, Rocks or Sexlinks go broody. Leghorns aren't supposed to either. You don't have a real good list of breeds for broodiness. If you want to have setters, get yourself a standard cochin. Now those are broodies!

It doesn't matter if you keep the rooster in with the hens unless you don't want chicks, which to be honest, you aren't likely to get anyway because those breeds won't set. You will probably have to incubate for chicks. The hens will dilute the blue color so you could get some brown or olive color layers from the next generation out of the crosses from the brown layers. The white layer will produce white or lighter blue layers.

If the rooster is "bothering" the hens and you don't want chicks, I would remove him. Sometimes egg production can go down if the rooster is too aggressive with the hens.

 

[Harley's girl]

My friend has an Ameracauna who has gone broody 4 times this year!!!!

 

[Cason]

I've ordered some banties to do some of the work!