Intermittent Broodiness?

[JayColli]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone has had experience with intermittent Broodiness and whether or not it can produce any chicks? I have a silkie that is still laying but accumulating quite a clutch and is sitting on them often enough that they don't freeze but not often enough that they're really taking off... I candeled them earlier tonight and two are starting to develope but are certainly delayed... There are 6 now and likely 7 by end of day tomorrow.

I'm just wondering if some hens do this during early spring while accumulating a clutch? She's an experienced silkie hen with turkeys, ducks and chicks under her belt!

 

[thlynch3]

I'd be careful, you never know if they'll be half way done developing, and then your hen decides to stop being brudy. Also inconsistent temperature and humidity will not be good for the eggs.

 

[JayColli]

I'd be careful, you never know if they'll be half way done developing, and then your hen decides to stop being brudy. Also inconsistent temperature and humidity will not be good for the eggs.

This time of year temps are wildly variable and I found her off her clutch this morning so I'm guessing these eggs will be hog food eventually but I have read that allowing a clutch to gather up can increase the chances of true Broodiness coming on so I have a rotating batch of 4 eggs from my standard fowl flock that I'll be swapping in if she decides it's time to get serious.

 

[thlynch3]

Good idea

 

[JayColli]

Update: My hen must know what she's doing because I candeled her clutch of 9 last night and found 2 that are definitely developing, 3 are questionable and 4 were hog food. She is definitely full broody now and committed to hatching what she has so she must have just been keeping what she had laid from freezing while amassing a clutch.