Expert: Abi - 1/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: If i want to make a production red chicken can i just mix my new Hampshire red rooster with my Rhode island red hen?

Will an old English bantam hen sit on large eggs?How many?

what time in the year do hens start to sit on eggs?


ANSWER: The best laying hens, in my opinion, for laying well throughout the year and laying good sized, good quality eggs, are Black Rocks, Leghorns, ISA Browns (hybrids), and Maranses in my opinion are good too. That isn't in any particular order.
A hybrid of the sort you have described sounds like it would be quite a good layer.

I don't keep, and have never kept, Old English Bantams, so wouldn't know how many eggs she will sit on. I have quite a few broodies so don't need to stuff many eggs under them, but I put twelve bantam eggs under my cochin, Baby, once, and she hatched eleven of them.
If a hen is a reliable enough broody she will sit on an egg that isn't right for her size. Tiny weeny silkies will sit on huge eggs. As long as they cover them they will be ok; always be prepared for some of them to break though.

Hens will start to go broody when the weather warms up. When they start depends on the broody hen's reliability- some chickens will start in Spring when it just starts to warm up, and these are the real steadfast reliable ones, and some will start in the heat in summer.

Thanks for your question.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Do rhode island red hens go broody often.

How can i make a hen start sitting on eggs. if there is a way.  thank you for your last answer.

Answer
No, Rhode Island Red chickens are not good or reliable broodies. A particularly good breed is a silkie, and they are devoted mothers too.
There is no proven way to make a hen start sitting on eggs. If she is broody it will be when the weather warms up, and then you won't be able to keep her off the eggs!

Thanks for your question.