What kind of hen/s should I get if I want a couple broody hens?

[AbundantAcres]

Hello there! First post... might as well make it a good one.

My name is Ann Marie, and we live in rural Maine. We have a small farm, greenhouses, goats, chickens, soon to be cows, and various other critters. lol Currently we have 15 RIR and 20 BR. The reds are about 4 years old, but still laying pretty well, and the Barreds are about 2 and are just coming into their prime. We are getting about 22 eggs a day, and of course as the season gets better we'll get more. I've got 100 straight run Golden Comets coming, and will selling the males to a friend for meat. I expect to keep about 45-50 as hens. Also in that order are 15 Khaki Campbell ducklings which I'll be splitting w/a friend, leaving 10 for us here.

Can't wait!!!

My question is this: I want broody hens eventually, just something to keep my egg layers constant so to speak. Currently, I order from a hatchery every 2 years or so, but that's just not cutting it. I want some babies of my own, and I'll also order from the hatchery. So if someone can share which breeds (of egg layers) are most likely to go broody that would be great. As you can see, we don't do the fancy chicken thing, and my hubby doesn't like Silkies. I have read that BO are good broody hens, but you guys are the experts!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Bo's from what I have read and seen are the best duel birds they go broody in spring so by the time they are good to go it will be summer so no worries with heat plus they are great egg layers and good momma's as well.

 

[lizzy06019]

Everyone's always said BOs are the most likely to go broody. They are great layers as well.

 

[krstms]

My buff orpington is an excellent mother.

 

[dawg53]

I wish my BO's would go broody! I have a friend who has some Speckled Sussex hens, she said they easily go broody.

 

[WingingIt]

I have a buff that's raising babies right now. She's almost a year old, went broody two months ago. She was a GREAT broody, too. She'd fluff up but never peck at you or anything like that. Once they hatched I moved her and the babies to another coop (alone) and she's been showing them how to dig for bugs, eat grass, etc. She's my first broody, but I'd def. recommend buff orpington's based on her. I have another buff but she hasn't gone broody (yet, anyway).

 

[packinaglock]

Out of my BO's, RIR's and BR's, the BR is the only one Iv'e had go broody. Although I was told at the feed store that was not the norm.

 

[firedove]

I think birds from hatcheries are less likely to go broody then those you get from breeder lines. I had a lovely little Mille Fleur D'Uccle that always was broody for me, but they are very small and can only do a few standard eggs at a time. Most of the "dual purpose" breeds go broody because they haven't been as selected for only laying the eggs and never having to raise them.

 

[Chip Gilleland]

My Blue Jersey Giant goes broody every 2 months or so. The RIRs have been great layers but none have went broody on me.

 

[AbundantAcres]

Thanks all... it appears at this point that we'll just add 5 BO pullets to our order from the hatchery that is due to ship in late April. If they can't ship them then we'll just wait for next year. I'd love to buy from a breeder but we don't really have chicken breeders here.

I've looked at some different places that DO breed some chickens, but they are few and far between and have found no BO breeders at all. So we'll see what happens. It's mostly just an experiment, something I want to try out to see how it works. Thanks again for all your help, I'm having a great time reading all these posts!!!

Ann Marie