[egglady]

one of our isa browns (think thats what they are anyway!), has decided to go broody.  so we've popped 10 hopefully, fertilised eggs under her.  the local cattleman was chatting with us yesterday and says that these type of hens are rubbish broody's and she'll get fed up and go off the nest.  anyone agree/disagree? and can i do anything to help her stay on?

not really a huge problem if she does come off as we have an incubator i can pop the eggs it, but i'd love to prove the cattleman wrong if i can!!!

[Fleecewife]

Slight problem with transferring the eggs to an incubator is that by the time you realise she has abandoned them they have gone cold. 
People love to knock what you are doing - just have faith in her sitting powers and she may well go the distance.  I don't know about Isa Browns but I suppose that as they are a dedicated layer they might not do 'broody' well.  But Black Rocks, which are fairly similar, make excellent mothers.....  Good Luck with them.

[Newby]

It is true that some make better broodies than others, but this doesn't mean yours wont bring them eggs off, I had one out of a batch of ex battery hens I bought from a sale that was a useless layer but an excellent mother.
My father who was a gamekeeper and grew up with keepers from the old days swears by Light Sussex X Silkies and credits them with being the best mothers.
My own best broody is a mixed breed bantam, last year she hatched and reared 6 clutches of eggs, and laid a grand total of 4 eggs herself.