I am considering getting another breed (or breeds) of brown egg layers. I am especially interested in hardy birds, good to excellent layers, with broody hens.

Someone suggested banties for brooding; any opinions on this?

-- Cathy N. (homekeeper86@sympatico.ca), February 25, 2002

Answers

Hi Cathy, I would suggest Buff Orpingtons. They are excellent in cold weather, and are excellent setters. Also, they are calm and gentle birds. And I think they are very pretty as well.

-- vicki in NW OH (thga76@aol.com), February 25, 2002.

Cathy/ We have all kinds of bantams & bantam mixes--they lay small eggs---but all colors----they are wonderful setters!!!!!! And good Mothers!!! We love ours & they have such wonderful personalities!! There are many kinds of bantams---& over the years I think we have had most of them----we have loved them all----right now we have several kinds --& most are mixed with silkies--so cute! I can't say anything bad about bantams--except of coarse their eggs are smaller!! We love ours & always have!!!

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), February 25, 2002.

White Rocks are terrific. They lay well, in winter too, and are even tempered.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), February 25, 2002.

I still will always love my Cochins (standard). They not only look beautiful but are very gentle,I have never had a mean rooster.They are great layers, go broody, and are wonderful mothers. Australorps (sp) is another good one my firend swears by.

Susan

-- Susan in Minnesota (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), February 25, 2002.

Another vote for Buff Orpingtons! Gorgeous copper color, the sweetest, most gentle chickens on God's green earth, healthy, trouble- free...good layers, and setters...

...and then again, ah loved mah cochins, silkies, an' frizzles..they make me laugh.

-- Susan not in Texas (wind_n_her_hair@yahoo.com), February 25, 2002.

im with Cindy i love white rocks Bob se,ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@kans.com), February 25, 2002.

Cathy, Austraulorps are hardy, good layers even in winter and will go broody. My hen is setting 19 eggs as we speak. Their dark feathers with a green hew are attractive as well.

Good Luck,

PoePoe

-- PoePoe (rpd932@yahoo.com), February 25, 2002.

My white silkies are very broody,and I use them to hatch all other eggs I want to hatch. I also like the Barred Rocks...they're pretty and even tempered. Johna(Tx)

-- Johna (marcnjohna@aol.com), February 26, 2002.

Cathy, I love Game Chickens! Their is a good article in this months Countryside about Game Chickens. I have had Games on and off for 30 years, they are good layers (not the best but good), very broody and excelent mothers, even tempered, extremly hardy. The roosters although not the fastest growers they have great flavor especially when let to forage for their own food. Don't belive people who say they are mean birds because of their fighting heritage.

-- Mark in N.C. Fla. (deadgoatman@webtv.net), February 26, 2002.

We raised Silver Wyandottes and Australorps as well as buff orpingtons. Loved the Buffs attitude, very laid back. The Wyandottes laid the most eggs, but didn't sit. The Australorps ate the most, and would occasionally try to set.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), February 26, 2002.

Hello Cathy, Buffs are my choice too! Someone is giving me a Blue Cochin rooster and they recommended that I breed it with some of my Buffs to a more tender meat. We shall see next fall how true it is!

Sincerely,

Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), February 26, 2002.

Everyone is right about the sweet disposition of the Buff Orpingtons, but they are a little too laid back when it comes to a stray dog in the yard. They are the first to be caught and killed.

So far, in my yard at least, the barred rock, Rhode Island Red and sex links have been the best layers with the barred rock being the least vicitmized by predators.. For a broody hen, you can't beat a bantam cochin.

Besides different breeds, there is a big difference in the genetic lines from the different hatcheries. My last two batches from one particular hatchery have been dissappointing in their conformation, productivity and hardiness. I won't be breeding any of them. I will start breeding my older stock from a better supplier and purchase future birds from there.

Here is my favorite chicken site. They have a lot of information on yard birds. http://www.poultryscotland.co.uk/

-- Laura (Ladybugwrangler@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.