Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Wishapup]

Is the generally recommended large/standard size broody an Orpington? I've heard LF Cochins can be clumsy/break eggs? I've also heard of Brahma, Australorp, EE, and Faverolles broodies, but they seem to be less commonly used.

 

[bumpercarr]

Is the generally recommended large/standard size broody an Orpington? I've heard LF Cochins can be clumsy/break eggs? I've also heard of Brahma, Australorp, EE, and Faverolles broodies, but they seem to be less commonly used.

I only have LF brahmas. I haven't had one break an egg yet, but I've heard that they do. The only thing that I notice about my brahmas is that they are really good brooders, but not spectacular mothers. I rarely have one that will go all out trying to protect their young. They kind of remind me of hippies, they will teach the babies but they are more free spirited when it comes to how far the babies range, if another hen approaches, etc.

I know that Orps are really good broodies.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Is the generally recommended large/standard size broody an Orpington? I've heard LF Cochins can be clumsy/break eggs? I've also heard of Brahma, Australorp, EE, and Faverolles broodies, but they seem to be less commonly used.

The LF favorites are usually Orpingtons and yes, Cochins.

I personally have had a hard time finding LF Cochins in my area, but it is easy to find Orpingtons.

Not all Orpingtons go broody well though. I've had a number of feed store variety and only 1 went broody, only once, and she didn't do a particularly good job of it. I would go with a breeder quality if you went Orpington as I have heard that from others about feed store variety too.

Of course it always depends on the individual hen...I've had several BSL's go broody. I now have a BCM and Rhodebar brooding in my main coop. I've had a Wellie desperately broody. Some have Australorps do a great job. One member here has a string of Silver Penciled Rocks that are awesome brooders. Old Cornish Games are sworn by several.

I do find that the bantams, like Silkies and bantam Cochins, go broodier more often. The LF tend to be seasonal brooders while the bantams will brood 3 to 4 times a season....but yes you can only get small clutches under them. My little bantam Cochin Rosie has just gone broody, her first, and I think I can safely fit 3 to 4 large eggs under her, but not more.

My experiences.
LofMc

 

[bumpercarr]

The LF favorites are usually Orpingtons and yes, Cochins.

I personally have had a hard time finding LF Cochins in my area, but it is easy to find Orpingtons.

Not all Orpingtons go broody well though. I've had a number of feed store variety and only 1 went broody, only once, and she didn't do a particularly good job of it. I would go with a breeder quality if you went Orpington as I have heard that from others about feed store variety too.

Of course it always depends on the individual hen...I've had several BSL's go broody. I now have a BCM and Rhodebar brooding in my main coop. I've had a Wellie desperately broody. Some have Australorps do a great job. One member here has a string of Silver Penciled Rocks that are awesome brooders. Old Cornish Games are sworn by several.

I do find that the bantams, like Silkies and bantam Cochins, go broodier more often. The LF tend to be seasonal brooders while the bantams will brood 3 to 4 times a season....but yes you can only get small clutches under them. My little bantam Cochin Rosie has just gone broody, her first, and I think I can safely fit 3 to 4 large eggs under her, but not more.

My experiences.
LofMc

I agree, my brahmas are seasonal brooders....spring and fall. Rarely anything in between....although there is usually one that just has to be different than the rest!

 

[Wishapup]

The LF favorites are usually Orpingtons and yes, Cochins.

I personally have had a hard time finding LF Cochins in my area, but it is easy to find Orpingtons.

Not all Orpingtons go broody well though. I've had a number of feed store variety and only 1 went broody, only once, and she didn't do a particularly good job of it. I would go with a breeder quality if you went Orpington as I have heard that from others about feed store variety too.

Of course it always depends on the individual hen...I've had several BSL's go broody. I now have a BCM and Rhodebar brooding in my main coop. I've had a Wellie desperately broody. Some have Australorps do a great job. One member here has a string of Silver Penciled Rocks that are awesome brooders. Old Cornish Games are sworn by several.

I do find that the bantams, like Silkies and bantam Cochins, go broodier more often. The LF tend to be seasonal brooders while the bantams will brood 3 to 4 times a season....but yes you can only get small clutches under them. My little bantam Cochin Rosie has just gone broody, her first, and I think I can safely fit 3 to 4 large eggs under her, but not more.

My experiences.
LofMc

Thank you again LofMc!

I had a BSL go broody and actually hatched 2 chicks many years ago, but she was a terrible mother and killed them. She didn't have enough instinct to do the job completely. That's why I would rather trust eggs with a heritage breed. Orpingtons sound like the way to go! I couldn't get hatchery ones here anyway--they would have to be from a breeder. My Marans have not gone broody.

I fit 5 LF eggs under my bantam, and they were not on the large side. I tried a couple more and she was scrabbling on top of them. I didn't realize bantam Cochins would be that small--good to know! I think I will look out for Orps and standard Cochins.

 

[lauraschicks]

Went back to page one and found your list.  Thank you,  -DB[COLOR=333333]What are the best broody hens?[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=008000]Araucana - Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=0000FF]Australorp - Very Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=008000]Belgian D'Anver - Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=0000FF]Belgian D'Uccle - Very Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=008000]Brahma - Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=800080]Cochin - Top Notch Brooders[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=008000]Dominique - Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=0000FF]Dorking - Very Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=0000FF]Japanese - Very Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=008000]Java - Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=0000FF]Marans - Very Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]New Hampshire - Good Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=008000]Orpington - Frequent Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=800080]Silkie - Top Notch Brooder[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]Sussex - Good Brooder[/COLOR]

My OEGB broody hatched chicks in January
, kept her little pullet by her side until about two weeks ago including while laying her new eggs (baby practiced laying eggs right alongside mama), and is now sitting on a nest of eggs, 8 or so, working on her next batch. My three Silkie hens have yet to act broody and they are only about 1 week difference in age from my OEGB. So far the OEGB seems to be my broody of choice.

I've always wanted to try the TJ egg experiment, but alas, none of my Trader Joe's stock fertile eggs.

LofMc

You need to set up a "Trader Mc" and refrigerate some of your eggs for 2-3 weeks then incubate them and see what happens. I'll try it myself too. I love to experiment. That's why I had to downsize my flock from 80-100 birds down to 45. I needed more room for experimental chicks!

With that cross you have actually created black sex links - all cockerels will be barred, all pullets will not. I found when crossing a NN cockerel with my ayam cemani hens that the fibromelanistic trait seems to be kind of hit and miss in the cross, and the colors are random too. I hatched, for instance, one pullet whose blackness is almost on par with purebred cemanis, and then I also hatched a pullet who is all white with yellow legs. To tell if your cockerel is from your Malines rooster, is he single or double barred? If he was from the SH rooster, he could only be single barred since the SH isn't barred. If he's from the Malines, he could be double barred, and actually definitely would be if your Malines rooster was double barred.

I have to learn the difference between the single and double barring patterns before I can answer that. I've had several 1/2 SHxCL cockerals, but I don't have them now to compare. The big question to me is the white legs...I really have a lot of work to do on learning chicken math, oops, I mean genetics!
It won't be long before he starts getting his primary sex feathering, and I think I'll have a better idea then. My pullets are definitely fibro melanotic ,but those white legs are just confusing me... :shrug
Thanks, and now to the genetics lab I go.......

 

[Wishapup]

Day 2 (but 3rd day on eggs). Previously, my broody has needed help to return to the right nest, but this morning she found the right one by herself! I was impressed.

 

[MistyMountain]

Just placed a dozen guinea eggs under my broody welsummer hen! This is her first chance at being broody, wish us luck!

 

[fisherlady]

Day 2 (but 3rd day on eggs). Previously, my broody has needed help to return to the right nest, but this morning she found the right one by herself! I was impressed.

Nest confusion is a very common problem, especially with newer broodies.... I hope she has it figured out for you, but I would suggest frequent checks to be sure for a while at least. Best of luck on her hatch and remember to update with pictures!

Just placed a dozen guinea eggs under my broody welsummer hen! This is her first chance at being broody, wish us luck!

Good luck! I hope she does well for you, I have never brooded guineas before, I think they take a bit longer though? There is a thread on here for incubating them, so I'm sure you could reference it if needed...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/759166/questions-about-incubating-guinea-fowl-eggs

If it is longer than chicken eggs then just make sure to watch your broody's body condition and supplement her with goodies which are sources of higher proteins to keep her strength up.

 

[Wishapup]

Nest confusion is a very common problem, especially with newer broodies.... I hope she has it figured out for you, but I would suggest frequent checks to be sure for a while at least. Best of luck on her hatch and remember to update with pictures!

Because my nest boxes all look the same and they all often have eggs in them, they often go in the first one they see. I have a partition to keep her in the right box so her breaks are supervised--that way I always know she's on the right eggs.