2 broody silkie hens but no eggs????

[roll8221]

I have two silkie bantams that have been laying for a few months now, but now they have stopped laying and are just laying in the same nest box as if they were sitting on eggs. They even make noise when you reach for them. But no eggs. Is this typical?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Yes, that is VERY typical. They want to sit on a clutch of eggs and hatch them, even if there is nothing under them. Silkies are one of several breeds that are notorious for setting and can even hatch other birds' eggs, such as ducks, guineas, and even a goose egg!

 

[roll8221]

Thanks. I'm glad its normal.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

You are gonna have a buggar of a time breking them from setting. My advice is to get them a few fertile eggs and let them hatch some peeps. After the babies are about 2 weeks old or so, take them away. The hens will go back to laying shortly afterwards.

 

[SunshineSilkies]

If you have any eggs, you might as well put them under the girls. When mine go broody, if I cover up the doors to the nesting box, they will simply sit in the corner of the coop like a child that has been scolded!!!

They are very hard to break so don't let a good broody go to waste!!

 

[roll8221]

Well I may as well put their own eggs back under them. Thanks for the info. They can probably hatch them better than me anyway.

 

[SPRING CREEK FARM]

We just put our silkies in a new coop/run and one of mine is determined to sit on nothing at all; a neighbor that has a flock of silkies and an abundance of eggs was kind enough to give us 14 eggs. We put 8 under the hen (that is all that she can cover!) and the other 6 we put in the incubator. Silkies can be so funny!!!

 

[Maryallison]

Yes,it is very common! My silky is broody right now & she has no eggs!

My whole flock actually went broody!

............wait a minute.....really not that funny...I may have to go & buy some eggs......