Budding chicken keeper often find themselves scrolling through descriptions of the most pop American chicken breeds , shuddering and moving along quickly once they see that an otherwise perfect breed “ tends to go meditative . ” When I first start maintain chicken , I shied away from those breed , too . After all , I was in it for the ballock , and when a hen choke broody for weeks at a sentence or even longer , she stops laying and eat and gets ornery and kind of beggarly . She wo n’t entrust her nest for the continuance of the magical spell , whether eggs are under her or not .
After a few age of keeping chickens and buying replacement doll through hatcheries , you may require to explore allowing your hens to set a clutch of ballock , and hatch and raise their own chick . It ’s one of the most exciting things you could do as a backyard wimp custodian . Here are some of the good and pondering domestic breeds for home hatching .
1. Silkie
The Silkie ( pictured above ) is , hands down , the Broody Queen of the chicken mankind . As a bantam breed , it ’s rather petite but incredibly docile , consider by some to be the chicken version of a lapdog . Its easygoing nature and soft , fur - similar plume make it a perfect chicken mum . These ornamental doll are promiscuous to find and also make a cracking favorite chicken for kids .
2. Cochin
TheCochinhen runs a tight backwash with the Silkie for the Broody Crown and come up just little . A Chinese strain , just like the Silkie , the Cochin is acknowledge for being big , honeyed , downy and docile . It ’s uncommitted in a variety of vividness and feather patterns , include Frizzled . Although it does n’t consist as well as some of the three-fold - purpose strain , it makes a fantastic female parent and an all - around great pet poulet .
3. Orpington
This English duple - design breed have its name from the townsfolk of Orpington near London , where it originate . It ’s incredibly cold - hardy , thanks to its downy , loose feather that make it look heftier than it really is . The Orpington is also a blue-blooded bird with a seraphic personality . Unlike Silkies and Cochins , Orpingtons are first - charge per unit layers of swooning brown nut . The breed is recognized in several vividness salmagundi , with Buff , a beautiful golden - yellow gloss , being the most pop . It ’s a favorite of family flocks and a perfect stock for children to care for , due to its aristocratic nature .
4. Brahma
TheBrahmais a gentle behemoth and another superbly dulcet and pondering breed . Quiet , tranquil and even - temper , it ’s exceptionally cold unfearing and the hens are nifty wintertime layer . Because of its feathered stage and shanks , it ’s practiced not to keep this breed in excessively wet or muddy regions , as wet can stick to the plumage , leading to cryopathy on the toe . Otherwise , the Brahma is a outstanding addition to flocks , especially in northerly part . It cover confinement very well and is n’t as active as other breed that prefer to forage ; this makes them great for smaller blank , too .
5. Sussex
TheSussexis a reliable level and has a report for laying dependably through winter . It ’s well-disposed and very funny by nature . The Speckled potpourri has a unique plume pattern that in effect camouflage the bird from most predators — a blessing when free - ranging . The Sussex is list as “ recover ” on the The Livestock Conservancy ’s Conservation Priority List , which is great intellect to try this broody breed .
