Bantam silkie

[Amandarob5]

My silkie is sitting on 5 eggs she is a new mother they should start hatching today what if they don’t ? I am new at this and very worried right now they are all still moving if I can’t help them hatch what can I do ? Any advice would be awesome !

 

[Swbertrand1]

Not much you can do for eggs under a hen. The hen knows what to do with them, and she'll tend to new chicks as they're hatched. The downside is the slow-to-hatch eggs could get kicked out of the nest because mama hen can't tend to chicks AND eggs, nor will she usually, for more than a few days (2, 3 at the most).

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Just relax.
Some eggs are sometimes just a bit late. Your silkie will know when to help out, she might peck the eggs open a bit.
Silkies tend to be amazing mothers.
My silkie, Pippin, managed to hatch 3 chicks (one of them had a saddled air cell and was porous and it still hatched!) and she was an amazing mother.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Mamas will take chicks out around 3-5 days after the first chick hatches.
If she leaves an egg behind you could incubate it yourself and give the chick back if it hatches.
I'd put some shallow bowls of food and water a few centimeters away from the hen. The chicks will explore and mama (or you) can teach them to eat and drink

 

[Amandarob5]

Thank you so much!!! I was patient and the first was neelix

 

[Amandarob5]

Second one hatched last night three more to go!

 

[Amandarob5]

Thank you so much!!! I was patient and the first was neelix

 

[Amandarob5]

That is neelix also haven’t seen the new one just yet waiting for it to “dry”

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Congratulations