Which is better broody or laying?

[SilkieSaint]

So I have silkies and they are about to lay in spring when it starts getting hotter but Iv heard tha ti can make them broody... So I was thinking is it better to make them broody and put my other cross breed eggs under them or should I just wait for them to start laying... I want to start making money but also I want silkies iv heard they will come out of broodiness in about 3 months so I was just wondering if I should make them go broody or just wait for them to start laying.

 

[Pyxis]

You can't make them go broody nor can you keep them from it. They won't go broody until they themselves have been laying. It's hormonal and when their hormones say to do it, they will, whether you give them eggs or not. When they do go broody you have the choice of either giving them eggs to hatch or breaking them of it.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. @pyxis is correct - you will have to be patient, I'm afraid.

Ct

 

[SilkieSaint]

I have 2 ones that are 2 years old but they only layed 1 egg before winter when I got them. So I wanted to make them go broody

 

[silkiecuddles]

Hi, and

Like the above comments say, you can't make a silkie (or any chicken) go broody. But when they do, stick some large fowl eggs under them! silkies are not the best of layers, but they will lay about 4-times per week in their prime.
Your 2 yo should definitely be laying more. Are you feeding them a layer feed? Are they maybe hiding their eggs?

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

Are these hatchery silkies, or from a silkie breeder. Hatcheries breed out the "broody," instincts, etc. They want eggs. Your silkies should have laid more eggs than that. Are you sure that more than one of them is female?

 

[Pyxis]

This poster is in Australia, so they are just coming up on spring. It makes sense that their birds only laid one egg if they got them right before winter, what with the stress of the move and then the low daylight hours causing them to take their winter break.

 

[SilkieSaint]

Thanks everyone