8 Eggs or Less Should be Given to Silky Hens who are Brooding! Gave my hen too many and now she seems injured

[Yucky_ducky_kentucky]

I made the mistake of giving my broody silkie hen 10 eggs to hatch. She now makes the splits sometimes and falls. There was a 100% hatch rate so she had to sit on 10 eggs for the 20 day development period. And I didn't notice she was doing the splits until it was too late. So it's actually unhealthy to give your hen too many eggs.

Does anyone know about the health condition of doing the splits?

 

[Chicalina]

I've never heard of this and I'm betting its not the number of eggs she sat on. Her legs will have been tucked under her not splayed out while she sat. It's her body and wings she will have fluffed out to cover them.

I would say that she is likely got a nutrient deficiency from not enough food while sitting. It really does drain the hen. Or that she didn't get off every day (or did but not for long enough) to stretch her legs and has lost muscle tone/developed stiffness.

How did she brood - did she get off the nest every day and for how long?

What have you fed her while brooding?

It won't do any harm to give her chicken vitamins now, and lots of high nutrient treats to get her back into condition. Plenty of protein.

Another suspect could be that she has a disease that affects her ability to walk. Perhaps Mareks or Newcastle for example but there are plenty others. How is the rest of the flock?

She might have been carrying something before and not unwell, but the stress of brooding lowered her immune system.

Just some theories.

 

[Chicalina]

I'd add that I've currently got 2 hens sitting on 10 eggs each and they are doing just fine.

 

[LaFleche]

I would also inspect her for lice or poultry mites, which love to feast on broodies and can leave them very weak.