My silky hen is between 4 and 6 months old. Will she go broody?
What age does this usually happen?
She is laying eggs.
Is there anything I can do to encourage broodiness?
Thanks in advance xo
Ok so one baby arrived early. All is wonderful with her. But the others have not hatched yet. They are due tomorrow.
Will I see any signs today to let me know they are ready to be born?
Mummy is going great, she is still sitting on eggs and still being a wonderful mum to the babies.
I let her...
Ok so we have one baby pecking its way out.
I have taken out the first lot of babies as I am terrified they will peck at or stamp in the new ones.
The older babies are fine, in a heated cage with food and water.
They look happy and settled.
So now to wait for the new little ones to arrive, that...
When the first lot of babies were born, she still sat on the nest (no eggs) she would get up every now and then to toilet, eat and drink, then would sit again.
So I thought maybe dhe wants more babies???
So I put more eggs under her.
I have heard that the older chics will attack the new chics??
She's amazing, sitting on eggs and being such a wonderful Mummy.
They are all together in a small cage, I'm just worried the bigger babies will attack the new babies when they hatch
Mummy hen has hatched 4 chics. She is still broody so I put more eggs under her. Babies are still with mummy hen, but I'm worried about the new hatchlings that are due in 7 days.
Should I take the first hatchlings out and put them in another cage before the next babies arrive???
Please help!!!!
Thank you so much Sumi for all your wonderful advice.
It's been a real amazing learning experience for us all.
We are very sad about the poor little darling, but also understand that these things happen :-(
Ok great I will make sure the test of the eggs are kept warm if she does leave them.
I'm...
Sadly we lost a baby this morning :-(
The 5 th baby baby pipped last night, by lunchtime it hadn't progressed in hatching!
We listened for noise inside several times, but it was as still and quiet ad can be :-(
The others haven't even started yet????
That's a
That's a wonderful thing to do :-)
Some people just don't know what their missing until they experience it themselves.
My children and I watched the first chick hatch. Oh gosh the joy in our household at the moment is phenomenal.
It's is simply amazing to watch :-)
She had 10 eggs...
Hello every body, and thank you so much for your beautiful messages.
It's so lovely to know you all understand how I'm feeling, as alot of none chicken owners think I'm crazy!!!
Words can't express the joy I am feeling at the moment.
We now have 2 babies and 2 more are on their way.
Thank you...
We have a BABY. Oh my gosh I'm on cloud nine!!!!
I was able to watch the whole thing from pip, to birth.
What am absolutely amazing experience.
Only one baby has been born so far, so I imagine the rest will come along tomorrow.
I am so happy :-) :-)
I'm new to this, first hatch!!
So excited but so confused!!
One egg has a hole in it so far, i can see its little beak moving around.
How long before it will hatch completely??
The mummy hen keeps pecking at the egg, is she trying to help her baby to be born??