[JaK]

I am going to use a friends broody hen to hatch our first chicks (first ever poultry!) and was wondering how many eggs I would need  roughly to get 3 or 4 girls? I know it's not an exact science and they could all be boys but humour me anyway pleeeease.  
I aim to buy a mix of Orpingtons and Brahmas in an array of colours so I don't know what I'll get until they hatch out.  :happy:

[GrannieAnnie]

Well...... they say 50-60% will be cockerels, but we had a Silver spangled appenzeller cockerel who fathered 29 girls and only 1 boy that we know of, but....

the last hatch of Shaver Blacks produced 42 boys and 20 girls! 

[JaK]

Oh no, that is an awful lot of boys. 

Broody Mama is a big fluffy Maran, would 9 eggs be too many for her or would 7 be a better number to start with?

[bantam novice]

Well my silkie cross bantam sat on ten eggs so I should think that nine would be fine

[joyfull]

My large fowl girlies will easily cover 12 eggs 

[JaK]

  9 eggs it is then, don't tempt me to try more!!! We pick Broody Mama up at the weekend for her little summer vacation. Can't wait.   

[orchardlady]

I will never every try hatching Aracanas ever again. I spoke to a breeder who said you will probably get 75% boys. Pha! I thought what rot. 2 broodies hatched (between them) 17 boys and...drum roll please...1 yes ONE girl. To add insult to injury Aracanas are very difficult to sex so I fed, housed and watered them until they stated to crow!

Good luck with the hatching. 9 sounds ideal. You'll love keeping chickens.

Orchardlady

[joyfull]

I get about 50/50 with aras, however yes they can be about 9 months before you find out what sex they are 

[GrannieAnnie]

My Araucanas weren't 17 to 1, but you are right about having to feed them until they either crow or lay eggs OL!

That's what we like about the Shavers, okay 42 to 20 isn't good, but at least we are not feeding the boys.  They are now in the freezer waiting to see if our friend with the Harris Hawk wants them, or we find someone with a snake or something.

I don't like culling them, but what do you do with 42 shaver black boys, and the agreement with the breeder is that they are culled, that way the shaver black line is kept pure the same way the Black rocks are.

[JaK]

I've read over and over that the orps are just as difficult to sex so we will be feeding the boys till they crow too. I have also read that due to their size they can also be used as a table bird........... 

[JaK]

Ordered the hatching eggs this morning. We chose-
2x Jubilee Orpington
2x Gold Laced Orpington
1x Buff Orpington
2x Gold Brahma
2x Buff Columbian Brahma
We collect broody mama on Saturday and the eggs on Sunday so fingers crossed she stays broody after her little ride in the car.

[evie2]

Good lick JaK let's hope you have lots of girls

[JaK]

Thankyou, my 6yo son really wants a Gold laced Orp and I'd love a Buff Columbian Brahma. When I asked my 3yo daughter what she would like she said 'a chicken, silly' so I guess she will be easy to please.