The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: lord flynn on June 10, 2014, 03:17:07 pm
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Bit fed up of this incubating lark-would rather get a hen to do it. No sign of any of mine becoming broody (don't think its been hot enough). So what I want is a breed that can cope with the environment here (windy, wet) and who'll sit. I know Scots Grey bantams sit but seem to be later in the summer.
I just know someone is going to say silky but would rather not-something hardy that can be kept with large fowl would be perfect.
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Sussex are top of my list. Light and buff, started brooding in March this year. Doesn't seem to take much to 'convince' them to brood either - pop them on dud eggs for day or two and they're ready to sit tight. I've had no problems getting them to foster chicks, and when they're not doing this they lay pretty well.
Have had orpingtons, and Orp crosses, think these were a bit too big and broke shells.
Marans are good too.
I've never had broody silkies or bantams, so can't compare to them.
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its only my first year of broodies but my 2 maran mummys are psychotically protective of there babies and for first timers sat really well.
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do the marans have feathered legs?
I didn't realise Susses sat, I've always liked them.
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not very feathered but they have incredibly thick fluffy under feathers...
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My light sussex is sitting tight on duck eggs at the moment :fc:
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hmm, I am not too bothered if they don't lay well themselves-I have enough eggs and don't really keep them for that anyway.
I will look about for some real Sussex and not a Sussex hybrid I think-thanks :)
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My pekins would go broody usually twice or three times each year and were very hard to break. (I never hatched).
Obviously a pekin is smaller so can't sit on as many as a large fowl BUT they eat less and so cost less to keep.
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Our light Sussex is constantly broody
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All of our bantams go broody really easy, especially the Sussex breeds
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I don't think you can beat silky cross , I have 2 silky cross OEG and ther spot on all the showing lads I know use silky crosses , ( full silkys are good but the chicks can get stuck in the leg fethers )
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I have used Speckled Sussex, this is her second year as a mum, always goes broody fairly early, extremely good sitter, good tempered, and a fab mum. Apparently with sussex the speckled is the most broody, then the buff and the light, I have also used a buff this year. My marans never go broody. I am up a hill in Cornwall, lots of wet and wind!
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Yer i'll go for the sussex to. Currently keep a pair of silver sussex bantams, not too small, so can hold their own, seem hardy enough and are on their third time of going broody this year at the moment. Just stuck some duck eggs under the one, so fingers crossed.
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Light Sussex. Good broodies. And Silkies of course.
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I have 2 buff sussex. 1 of them went broody 2 mnths ago and she sat for 24-25 days, sadly hatching was a disaster. :rant:
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Isn't that funny.. My light Sussex have never gone broody in 3 years of keeping! My one black hen (Maran I think) would be on it permanently I think. And she is an amazing mother too :-)
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Anything I have with Indian game in it, pure or cross go broody if you leave eggs for a few days! Best Broody's I've ever had and I've not needed my incubator for two years!
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Any breed that has the gene for broodiness mated with another strain with a similar gene doubles up (in some cases) the urge to sit.
I use Wyandotte bantams, as they are light, non flighty and can cover around 8 L/F eggs if the nest is built correctly.
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Forgot to say, my friend always hatches several broods a year and her broodies are always Ixworth and go broody several times a year.
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We have Silkies and Marans .... and very pretty Silkie/Marans crosses .... lots of them :) This year two Silkies shared a broody coop and are now sharing the same chicks. They rub along quite happily together and every chick survived.
If you want a good layer who is a reliable broody then get a Marans. If you want a hardy critter who strolls out whatever the weather, eats less but lays big eggs for her size and recovers from injuries that would kill anything else, then get a Silkie.
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my first light sussex sat, but our white sussex didnt.
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Silkie or Wyandotte bantam
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Sorry to mention silkies again but silkie cross light sussex is meant to be one of the best. I think top show breeders use this cross. The cross is called goldtop and is a cross between a gold silkie cock and light sussex hen, it also results in a sex linked chick.I've seen hatching eggs on ebay.
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thanks everyone-and I have always wondered what goldtop is!
I have a batch of eggs going in the incy on saturday and that will be it for this year. Will put some feelers out though, see what I can find.
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We get a hybrid that looks like a goldtop from our white silkies crossed with a cockerel who is black copper marans x buff sussex. there is a bit of variety in the colouring but they all get a pom pom and feathered legs. They're very pretty and my favourite of all our hens.
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you need a big gold silki and a good fether light sussex i breed about 50 for the broodies and sell well sex at birth these are D 104 GENE SUSSEX lay well and go broodie .
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They are nice light sussex, how old are they? ???
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They are point of lay and from Morison's Ireland 300 egg strain
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Thats good, however a bit far off for me to buy any. :thinking:
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No just get 24 eggs from them 20 pound .