Why can a broody......

[Simimaus]

Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I'm in the process of purchasing some Black Copper Marans (not for the broodiness, but for the egg color. I have 2 choices for broody birds now), Speckled Sussex (not for broodiness) and Partridge Cochins! The feed store is supposed to call me when they get there (1-4 weeks). Has anyone had a PC that goes broody often? McMurray's description for the breed says they go broody easily. Is that true?

ooh, I want a copper Marian hen for the egg color. My goal is to have a egg carton full of colorful pretty eggs

 

[Pullet Press]

ooh, I want a copper Marian hen for the egg color. My goal is to have a egg carton full of colorful pretty eggs

I have the same goal. I already have Ameraucaunas (for blue eggs) and a ton more normal brown layers. I want to get some birds that lay green and/or blue eggs.

 

[Lizmom]

Ideally, it could hold 45 ducks (6 sq feet each), but could be pushed to 68 (4 SQ feet each) in some people's opinions. Don't know about chickens. Although smaller, they can be vicious in pecking order, and may need more space each.

 

[Pullet Press]

Ideally, it could hold 45 ducks (6 sq feet each), but could be pushed to 68 (4 SQ feet each) in some people's opinions. Don't know about chickens. Although smaller, they can be vicious in pecking order, and may need more space each.

I don't know about anyone else, but my flock has a very mild pecking order, with hens next to each other at all times.

 

[MarkJr]

Broody and her 12 spawns of satan are why I cannot have nice things. This was today’s carnage.

 

[Pullet Press]

Oh no!

 

[MarkJr]

Last batch she worked the fence lines. It was greatly appreciated. Not so much in the flowers.

 

[Ruthster55]

What are the most easily found broody breeds where you are? I think you could have success with a small group (3-5 hens) of any of these breeds:

- Silkies
- Bantam Cochins
- Game hens

Orpingtons and Australorps are a bit more of a gamble, but if a few of the above three possibilities aren’t available, would try some of them.

The reason to get more than one broody breed hen is because broodiness is a social thing. If one starts, get ready for another one to want to have chicks of her own! Pretty soon, chicken math will become a reality.

The broody mindset is that an egg is a future baby chick, not breakfast for a human. You might need to tuck collected eggs into your pockets but the hens still seem to know that you’re getting the eggs from the coop nest boxes.

They WILL learn where you collect eggs and where you leave eggs alone, usually in hidden places. The baby fuzzies in my avatar were brooded by a Game hen that laid exactly ONE egg in the coop nest box that I collected to eat. I wanted to collect her pullet eggs before having her hatch....

After I collected just that one egg, she set a clutch in some old nest boxes that I rarely check and successfully incubated 7 chicks. She was hidden almost all the while. A good broody hen can outsmart you sometimes and has a real determination to hatch.

I guess in Texas you could have hens brooding during September and October, but I think it gets too cold from late? November through March.

 

[Hound Hollow Chickens]

No. I only ever had one buff go broody and she only did it once in 7 years.
My bantam black cochin is my best most consistent broody. She turned 11 this year.

Our black Australorp goes broody every month, on the clock. Of course, the one time we tried tucking day-old chicks under her, she freaked out, had to raise them under the heat plate, after all. 48 hours in the basement dog crate “broody breaker” sets her straight, though, then she’s back outside with the flock.

 

[Pullet Press]

Our black Australorp goes broody every month, on the clock. Of course, the one time we tried tucking day-old chicks under her, she freaked out, had to raise them under the heat plate, after all. 48 hours in the basement dog crate “broody breaker” sets her straight, though, then she’s back outside with the flock.

Strange...