I am definitely an overly involved fussy chicken owner. I have hatched out several batches, kept them inside until they are good and ready (feeding them homemade yogurt throughout) and have generally babied my chickens. So, when 3 of my 4 silkie girls went broody at once and I decided to allow them to hatch out babies, my first instinct was to somehow separate them out and make sure that each one has egg batches in exactly the same stages. However, I have forced myself to not intervene this time. I have let a broody standard hen hatch out babies, and did separate her because the other girls stepped on an egg early on. I will separate her out if she goes broody again. But, the silkies are very gentle and light, so they have not so much as cracked an egg. I don't know who has what underneath them, I am just letting them be. When one hatches, I'm not sure that there won't be problems. These birds have never been aggressive with each other, but they are chickens so anything can happen. If one baby hatches, the other broodies may sit on the eggs that haven't hatched yet if mommy chicken gets off the nest to care for the baby. Or, they may all bail entirely. My hope is for a peaceful, successful hatch with minimal intervention from me. There are 4 eggs in different stages (all between 16-19 days development) and all are growing.
The first baby is hatching right now, 2 days early. I heard it peeping underneath mommy when I was cleaning out the coop, trying to prep it for chicks. I'm nervous about how the moms will react, they are all first time moms. But, so far so good! If anyone has experience hatching this way, I'd love to hear about it.
The first baby is hatching right now, 2 days early. I heard it peeping underneath mommy when I was cleaning out the coop, trying to prep it for chicks. I'm nervous about how the moms will react, they are all first time moms. But, so far so good! If anyone has experience hatching this way, I'd love to hear about it.
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