What chicken breeds are most likely to go broody?

[noregerts]

Do you let Sparkles stay broody? I have a Houdan that has been broody for 6 weeks and I can't get her to break. I make sure she leaves nest once a day to eat and drink (and poop - yuck). thoughts?

Well in the past I've put her in the baby cage to break, but right now I've got Littles in it. I toss her out of the box 2-3 times a day so she'll eat etc. If she doesn't break soon I'll have to decide on a new plan.

 

[MistyMountain]

Four of my Five mottled javas go broody every summer. The only two mottled java x ee mixes I have both went broody this summer as well. At one point, I had 7 broody hens!!

 

[janiedoe]

I've had random birds be broody like a crazy ameracauna named Sparkles that stays broody most of the summer every year. This year I had a welsummer go broody and she never has before. My black australorps have in the past but none this year. Maybe because they're getting older. And for example my barred rocks have never gone broody. It's weird. The photo attached is Sparkles head sticking out from under the welsummer broody. They both wanted the same box to be broody in and Sparkles refused to get up. So the Welsummer sat on top of her! Most of the time they've been broody they've at least shared a box.

Adorable photo!!!

 

[karenerwin]

My broodies have been black Austrolorps, barred rocks (2 of them). I have heard silkies go broody frequently, but I have not owned any silkies. Good luck!

 

[cmom]

My only experience with hatching chicks with a broody has been with a Buff Orpington and a Rhode Island White. I hatch out all of my chicks and I do have an incubator. I have let broody's hatch but I mostly incubate in the incubator. I have a Rhode Island White currently that is broody but I'm not going to let her. Of course Silkies. Most of the time in the spring and early summer is when most of mine that want to brood go broody. There are always exceptions. I have noticed over the years that hatchery birds are less likely to be broody but again there are exceptions. Good luck and have fun...

 

[cmom]

 

[Shezadandy]

That was going to be my exact advice. Find someone with hens that go broody and get their offspring - in my flock it seems to carry down. Right now I have a mother and daughter both broody, I have 3 daughters from one of my best broody hens that are broody … there is something to it!

Okay

thanks, I was going to buy the hens from a lady who has a large flock of about 130 backyard chickens. Call her crazy but she is totally against using incubators, all her chickens are hatched and raised by broody
hens but she never sells to anyone any of her breeders and sells their offsprings. So if I buy from her I might actually get some that might go broody. She currently is selling 5 to six months old birds. I think I'm going to get one from her

 

[Compost King]

That was going to be my exact advice. Find someone with hens that go broody and get their offspring - in my flock it seems to carry down. Right now I have a mother and daughter both broody, I have 3 daughters from one of my best broody hens that are broody … there is something to it!

Or find someone with a broody hen and offer to trade for the broody and give up a non setter for the broody. People often take that trade.

 

[Shezadandy]

Or find someone with a broody hen and offer to trade for the broody and give up a non setter for the broody. People often take that trade.

Ah yes! The direct route!!! Maybe as part of the trade, you give their hen the eggs you wish to hatch and wait until they've hatched before moving the broody so she doesn't get up and walk away from the nest. Seems like once they've got littles, they don't care where they are, as long as the chicks are there.

 

[Laurel09]

Th

Ah yes! The direct route!!! Maybe as part of the trade, you give their hen the eggs you wish to hatch and wait until they've hatched before moving the broody so she doesn't get up and walk away from the nest. Seems like once they've got littles, they don't care where they are, as long as the chicks are there.

Thanks guys I think this will do