4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[sarabb4]

Hello all!

 

I currently have 6 hens. 2 pekins, 1 pekin cross a wyndotte bantam, a Wyandotte legbar cross and a maran bantam. I've had pekins on and off for 10 years and I know how prone they are to being broody..However - this summer has been a joke! I think the wyandottes are, if anything worse! The only hen that lays regularly is the maran - who really does rather well. Although the eggs are not the be all and end all, I really think I would like to get a couple of hens that DID actually lay consistently! Is there such a thing as a bantam that doesn't go broody?! I may go for another maran bantam as she has been so good - but would really like something strikingly different in colour.. Or can I put large fowl hybrids in with the banties? Have always felt uneasy about doing that...I've a cube and a semi-freerange area to roam,,,

 

Thoughts please?!!!

 

Also - do cockerels make any difference to broodiness?!

[Cat tails]

I have New Hampshire bantam. Beautiful red birds. According to the information I have found on them, they are less likely to go broody, but have no experience yet, because they haven't started laying yet.

 

I really do like them. Lovely to see and quite distinct characters.

[Beantree]

We've had Leghorn Bantams for over three years now and last month one went broody for the first time. I took her out of the nest box twice and that was enough. No sign of a repeat performance yet.

[Daphne]

In general the lighter breeds like hamburghs, ancona, polands, rosecombs, andalusians, campines, leghorns etc go broody a lot less although obviously an individual bird may do as it likes!

[sparkysmum]

My lemon millefleur sablepoot is over 5 yrs old and has never had a broody day in her life. They are horribly prone to mareks however and you would have to factor this in when deciding what to buy. She is gorgeous and despite her age still behaves like a toddler.

[Chickabee]

I have a welsummer, quite different from a bantam I know, but she actually chose to live with my littlies. She has a lovely nature and lays lovely large brown eggs. Not gone broody yet (touch wood).

[daxigirl]

Modern Games go broody. Edna & Thora are at it again at the moment. 3rd year running, pretending I can't see them at the moment.

[sarabb4]

Thank you for all your replies! I am very tempted by sablepoots - and I have a breeder nearby with some pretty lemon ladies... But then I read accounts of them being stupidly broody!! They do appear very similar to pekins. Are they? I also randomly started looking at Faverolles (bantam).. Apparently the large fowl version are not prone to broodiness.. But the bantams guess what?!.. Leaning towards leghorn bantams but bit concerned that they maybe inclined to escape from my enclosure..

Have also wondered about Light Sussex? Anyone aware of any breeders/farmers around sussex/surrey with a good variety of bantams?

It's lovely hearing all your experiences. X

[Charlottechicken]

I have a light Sussex bantam who has laid less than 2 dozen eggs in her four years, as she spends most days from April to October clamped to the nest box, screaming at anyone who comes within a metre of her A cousin in Australia, who also has chickens, has a light Sussex LF and experiences much the same thing! On the other hand, I have a bantam Araucana (crossed with something as she lays white eggs) and a LF French copper black Maran, who lay well and have never been broody.

 

I would loves some more bantams so will watch this thread with interest

[sarabb4]

Charlotte Chicken your description of yr light sussex made me chuckle!!!! So maybe not a light sussex!!! Fast coming to conclusion all bantams are mainly broody!! Maybe I will get another maran!

[Purplemaniacs]

I had a Sussex type hybrid and even she went broody at regular intervals

 

Chrissie