What should I get?

[trudyg]

I have 2 Black Star hens. Good girls, lay fine, but I want and have space for more. I don't really need more eggs, so I would like to get several more females to hatch my own chickies and then some meat birds (will need at least one rooster! if I want chicks). I guess I want my own source of meat. I have 2 chicken tractors, each about 6X8, inside a fenced in yard of just over an acre. I could build another small coop if needed, but my experience is that young birds sleep on a pile in the floor anyway so shouldn't need too much roost space. And I already have portable 'runs' to protect babies from the adults until they get big enough to survive. There are fruit trees and bushes, so plenty of room to roam and hide. I want to make an order soon so they get here while it's still hot out (north Alabama) and I don't have to worry too much about heat lamps. Please make suggestions as to what I should get. Some breed that will go broody and hatch out every once in awhile and (hopefully) a docile rooster that will protect them but not be overly attentive to the girls? And tolerate our humid heat. Murray Mc has a 15 bird minimum, so I'm kind of thinking those kind of numbers. Thanks. I've learned so much from this forum!!

 

[chiques chicks]

Orpingtons tend toward broodiness. Hatchery stock less so. Perhaps you could find a local breeder?

 

[Sarahal88]

I think Orpingtons would be a good bet, too. They will go broody and they make a decent meat bird although you will have to wait longer than if you got meat breed chicks. I would think if you order 15, you will get a hen in there somewhere who will go broody even if they are hatchery chicks.

Another idea I have had was to try to get a broody hen to raise up a brood of rainbow rangers or freedom rangers to save me the work. Haven't tried it yet though.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

I would recommend Orpingtons, Silkies, Australorps and Cochins. All are known for their affectionate, friendly personalities and tendencies to go broody.

 

[song of joy]

Hatchery orpingtons are very iffy when it comes to broodiness. I had one that never went broody and another that I call the homicidal hen. She was great at setting on eggs, but terrible as a mom. She killed newly hatched chicks.

On a more positive note, my hatchery black australorp has gone broody 1 to 2 times per year, and is a very good mom. Barnyard mixes can also be very good broodies. My olive egger also goes broody and has been a good mom.