A couple of firsts and some questions

[Foxhound lady]

I'm so excited my little red silkie hen April went broody

. She decided she was going to sit on 17 eggs standard and bantam combined. I took away all but 4 and let her be figuring that after 3 weeks I take her off the nest.

Well one of the other silkies finally found herself a boyfriend with our Welsummer cockrel who is 4 1/2 monthes old. She laid a egg in front of April and she quickly snatched it up a week into her broodiness.

Well I candled today jsut for kicks and one of the 5 is fertile and boy was it kicking. by my calculations it should be due on the 7th

I'm so excited!

Will it be ok with mom outside in the coop ( 8x12x6) with 4 other banty (3 silkies and a WCBP bantam) or due I need to bring her in a few days before. Will the other birds bother the baby or do I section the pen off

 

[pamperedpoultry]

She should be fine until they hatch, then I would keep a close eye after she brings them out on how the others are treating them. I'm kinda in the same boat I have a brownleghorn hen that just hatched out 6 eggs Sunday morning. 1 standard blk cohin, 2 lavender bantam cochins, black bantam cochins and 2 OEGB. So far she hasn't came out of the actual coop with them (they have a 6 x 3 run also) She's in with another hen and a roo. The roo is being a pure gentleman as always (his name is romeo) the other hen will peck at the babies if they get too close. I've watched them close and its more like your not my baby go back to your momma kinda peck, instead of I'm goin to hurt you. So Ive got my fingers crossed. Good luck with yours!!