A broody hen is one that is sitting on eggs to hatch them. And yes, roos is short for roosters. There are lots of good chicken sites on the web where you can start to learn all you need to know about raising chickens. Just do a Google search or try the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chicken Info

There's a few things that you need to decide on to help you choose the best breed for your purpose.

Some of the things that make a difference are:

Do you want brown eggs, white eggs, low colestrol eggs, colored eggs?

Will they free range or live in a chicken pen?
If they'll be in a pen then you want a breed with a calm personality if the kids will be gathering eggs.

If they free range will they have access to your garden?
Full size chickens can un-plant a garden fast! Bantams will scratch the bugs and weeds out without hurting the plants you want to keep.

Will they be for eggs only or eggs and meat?
Some breeds are great layers but not much good to go in the freezer. Others are good for meat but don't lay many eggs. There are some breeds that are multipurpose and will give a fair amount of eggs and fill the freezer.

When you identify the purpose the chickens will fill, then you'll be better able to choose the breed to fill your needs.

I had all the same questions and more (like, will my kids ever remember to feed them) when I first got my chickens. So when I called the hatchery to place the order, I asked for advice. I was definitely steered in the right direction with the Golden Comets we had first - sweet, gentle creatures, good layers. I think they're now known as Red Sex Link, though.

If you have a hatchery in mind, give them a call and see what they suggest. And good luck to you - you'll love having chickens!

katie