How to Encourage Broodiness???

[WeedEater]

Usually, the egg collecting farmer is not interested in having a defensive hen sit on a clutch of eggs.  However, the semi-urban homesteader might.  I'm considering acquiring some silkie hens for the task, but I have hatchery stock dominiques, RIRs and Welsummers, any of which should be up to the task.  However, they are only 7 months old.  They are laying furiously, but not sitting.  I read on Feathersite.com that hens will not sit until they have laid a full clutch, so I will experiment by putting a days worth of combined eggs in one box and see if there are any takers( I typically get a dozen or more a day).  However, I may wait until I have my breeding cages built so I can be more selective.  For the time being, I'd like to keep the RIRs RIRs, the Dominiques Dominiques, etc.  The only mixing and matching I'd eventually like to do is mate a jungle fowl with white leghorn hens and with RIR hens.  I learned from a teacher that's a pretty good combination to have on a homestead, at least in California.  For Virginia's winters, I trust the Dominique above all others....after all, they survived the Jamestown colony, didn't they?

[urbanfarmer]

My Dominiks are brats! They love to sneak up and peck me while I am working. I only added them to my flock because my great grandmother kept them and I thought that was pretty cool.

Unfortunately the broodiness quality has been bred out over the last one hundred years or so. My newest Black Copper Marans went broody at six months and would sit on just one or two eggs. None of the other breeds have shown any interest at all. But I have heard the idea of putting all the eggs together. Another tip is to make sure the nest box is dark and sheltered. I say give it a try, can't hurt!

[WeedEater]

Urban F,

Where did you get your BCMs from?  For being the "rarest breed in the US", it sure seems like a lot of people have them!  I'm considering starting a small flock for the novelty of their eggs, same reason as having Americanas (other than their beards are cute!).  Anyhow...

[urbanfarmer]

I bought a couple of eggs from My Pet Chicken. You can order any amount. 
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Fertile-Hatching-Eggs/Hatching-Eggs-Black-Copper-Marans-p536.aspx

I figured they would not be pure bred, but they look beautiful and have feathered shanks. They also did not have the white spot on their head which is an indication of a previous crossing with a Cuckoo Marans.

I love My Pet Chicken! You can order as few as three chicks, and also pay extra for pullets only. Of course the two BCM eggs I received ended up being one hen and one roo. He is the sweetest thing! Maybe because they grew up inside with me for extra protection.

This was taken a month or so ago and the roo is starting to show some white in his tail feathers. They were hatched in mid March. Notice that her comb is a bit pinker than his? She has finally gotten off the nest and her comb is turning red again.



Of course you can always get on the 10 page waiting list for some of Bev's, which are the best in the US.
http://www.bevsmarans.com/black_copper.htm

Here are the eggs compared to a white one from my tiny Silver Sebright, so the eggs are smaller but gorgeous dark brown.

[olympia]

Do you have any Banties?  In my family's experience, Banties are by far the most willing to sit on eggs- anybody's eggs.  They are such good mamas.

[WeedEater]

Wow!  Thanks for the pics!  What beautiful birds!  The novelty of the eggs is what sold me on their potential for market or barter.  There is a breeder locally who sells chicks at a pet swap.  I wish I had more room!

[HungryRaven]

I've kept lots of breeds and I have never had a rhode island go broody, but a barred rock did and she does every year, a jersey giant was also reliable, also one of my americauna's cranks out two broods a year. 

On my bantams the bantam americaunas like to brood and the cochins and a black banty hen with a really upright tail breed unknown.  She was really tame and followed me around but she raised all her offspring to be wary difficult run away type chickens.     

I got some more barred rocks this summer in case things collapse and ordering birds is a thing of the past because the old hen I have is a good baby producer.  I notice her rooster offspring from last year is extra busy because even with three roosters that look totally different it seems all my hens are cranking out a different version of a barred rock.  I have light grey barred rocks, almost black barred rocks, what seems like purebred barred rocks and some combos of barred with some brown feathers.   Most have spiky feathers on their head.  I even have tiny barred rock bantam pullets now with spiky heads.  I might phase out my bantam population.  They are cute but run wild.   

[commonsensical]

I added several silkies to my chicken flock this year, just because of their reputation for broodiness, and they ARE broody!

I just had a late season chick hatch...little guy is cute, but I think he will need some special handling since we're about to head into winter.

[Suspect Zero]

I bought a couple of eggs from My Pet Chicken. You can order any amount. 
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Fertile-Hatching-Eggs/Hatching-Eggs-Black-Copper-Marans-p536.aspx

I figured they would not be pure bred, but they look beautiful and have feathered shanks. They also did not have the white spot on their head which is an indication of a previous crossing with a Cuckoo Marans.

I love My Pet Chicken! You can order as few as three chicks, and also pay extra for pullets only. Of course the two BCM eggs I received ended up being one hen and one roo. He is the sweetest thing! Maybe because they grew up inside with me for extra protection.

This was taken a month or so ago and the roo is starting to show some white in his tail feathers. They were hatched in mid March. Notice that her comb is a bit pinker than his? She has finally gotten off the nest and her comb is turning red again.



Of course you can always get on the 10 page waiting list for some of Bev's, which are the best in the US.
http://www.bevsmarans.com/black_copper.htm

Here are the eggs compared to a white one from my tiny Silver Sebright, so the eggs are smaller but gorgeous dark brown.

Damn those are some hansome birds! I wish my pet chicken had Black Stars. I would order 3 stars and 3 Marnas.

[urbanfarmer]

Glad you liked the pics, weedeater! I surprised at how large and handsome the hen is.

Suspect Zero, I bought Black Stars last year from MPC and they are wonderful ladies; Aretha and Diana.
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Star-Standard-Black-p225.aspx

[LSU2001]

I had a RIR go broody at about 6-7 months old this year.  She sat on 8 eggs and successfully raised 5.  4 hens and 1 roo.  I hope that she continues to brood each year.
Tim

[Xenopus]

I love the color of those copper maran eggs! I have to get some of those pullets.

I think this is another breed, like RIRs, that is muddled and confused in the US. For this reason (because there is no standard) marans are not recognized by the American Poultry Association.

The original maran was developed in France in the 1800s in the town of Maran, and has heavily feathered legs. They were popular for heavy breasts for meat and dark brown eggs. Then in the 1920s, the Brits started breeding them for non-feathered legs. Their meat was v. popular in restaurants. Then they got to the US and the breeding went all over the place! (You can tell I read backyard poultry religiously!!)

Your cockerel looks like the a classic English maran. The hens come in loads of different patterns and colors.

[Grower]

I have some Buckeyes, lace Wyandottes, Auracanas, and black Jersey giants that are supposed to be more likely to be broody, as they are heirloom breeds. My golden comets and amber links are hybrid layers and don't set at all. I'm hoping they will be broody in the spring and lay out a few clutches. I'm all set now to butcher the roos and I need more layers. I can sell every egg I get.

I'm looking forward to chicks running around! I figured that as doom prep a rooster is necessary.

[urbanfarmer]

Your cockerel looks like the a classic English maran. The hens come in loads of different patterns and colors.

Yeah, he is a French/English bastard. His legs are lightly feathered, hers aren't. My Cuckoo Marans just started laying and her eggs are as dark as the Black Copper Marans. Time will tell which ones stay the darkest.

The only way I can keep my "doomer" rooster in this neighborhood is to lock him in a dog crate in my garage at night! As long as he gets to play with the ladies for a few hours each day, he is happy.