When I order my chicks in the spring I want to order a couple pullets that will go broody.Now I need to know which is better silkies or cohin?I have 4 golden comets,5 black sexlinks and a black sexlink rooster,they are 7 months old and great layers especially the comets.The silkies are a small bread will I be able to put them all togather when they are old enough?How old is a hen before she will go broody?Will they go broody in the winter time? Donna
which is best for broodiness
both r good broodies but my silkies brood more and worse,lol they would hatch air or a door knob if i'd let them. when trying to break them cochins can be broke easier. they have been more dependable egg laying also. my silkies r bigger than my bantam cochins but cochins come in giant cochin size also, i don't raise my giants anymore. yes silkies can be raised with standards as long as they grow up together with them or u have a few like 4 of them so the fact they r crested/bearded doesn't stand out so much other wise the others may pick on them but silkies r tough and will kick butt back if they have too,lol. actually any breed if raised right or introduced right will get along even if put together when older.
silkies usually lay about 5-6mths broody mabe 8-9mths but i don't let them go broody when that young cause when they brood they cut back on feed consumption. i'd rather they grow and mature before they set. i got about 6 silkies who r broody right now and not one cochin and all my cochins stopped laying for awhile now and silkies r still laying even with this rain just not as much.
I've read that silkies are #1 and cochin are a close 2nd.
My mom has a 1/2 silkie 1/2 something else. Very broody. When they need more leghorns, she gets the eggs. I have never been around cochins, but I saw a photo of a white frizzle cochin on EBAY that was a show bird and they were selling hatching eggs. She was too cute. Mike
Definately silkies. I have one trying to hatch eggs in the snow! I cought them stealing nests this summer. They hatched and raised ducks as well as chicks. One even pulled the dog's rubber ball into her nest and sat it.
That is a crack up! First a door knob and then a rubber ball... I'm dyin laughing!!! Gotta love those lil moms.
Thanks so much for the info.I thnk I will go with the silkies.How big are there eggs?The rubber ball was funny.
My moms are pretty small, smaller than guinea eggs. Maybe someone that has silkies can post a picture of one with something to compare it with. Mike
Mine are about half the size of my year old regular hens. If I am baking, I use two. The make the most perfect pickled eggs. My husband calls them "Poppers" because he can pop the whole thing in his mouth.
lol, they r about the size of a medium to large egg but most of mine lay medium eggs although i do have a few that lay pretty good sized large ones. my silkies r more compacted then ones in most flocks though so i think cause smaller they lay smaller.
http://pattycarson.com/poultry.html
Silkie Broody Hen
Success! Silkies are a breed that originated in China hundreds of years ago. They have fluffy, fur-like feathering and black skin. They are flightless and the hens are extremely good mothers, best known for their ability and wilingness to hatch eggs.
Mine are barnyard quality, not show type. Their topknot is rudimentary and the are quite able to see their way and make it in a flock setting. Their fertility is just about 100% with no human help. They lay quite well, better than most strains. Their eggs are various shades of a muted creamy off white, size comparison, three silkie eggs are comparable to two grocery store eggs.