- Jun 23, 2012
- 225
- 12
- 83
So I have these two silkie hens that are bonded together (one is blind in one eye, and the other takes care of her as needed.) I do not believe either hen has laid any eggs yet, but one of them has been sitting in the corner of the coop pecking at the frame for the past two weeks or so. She attacks me if I get close, and is pretty consistent about sitting in that spot (the exception being at night, when the hen that she cares for takes that spot).
Whenever I put eggs under her, she rejects them, and they end up on the other side of the coop.
I have another hen (a silkie as well) who is broody, and I grafted six chicks to her (they had been raised under another broody hen until that point), and she accepted them without any trouble. The oldest chicks were two days old, and seemed to like her no problem, but one of them, Foster, seems to have issues staying in the nest. Whenever I go out to check on them, I see Foster on the ground, usually with the hen that won't accept eggs.
Is the hen that won't accept eggs broody? Is she broody and doesn't know how to be broody, because she's always playing mother to a full sized bird?
Is Foster bonding to the hen that won't accept eggs, instead of the mamma hen? Should I let Foster be with the hen that won't accept eggs, or keep convincing her to be with her mamma??
Lastly, the hen with the chicks was having trouble finding her nest, which is why I got her chicks, but now, it turns out that she still has trouble finding her nest... I can't lock her up, as I don't have the supplies to do so, so what should I do to help her keep her nest? (I think other hens kick her out of the nest to lay eggs...)
Thank you for your time, sorry about the length...
One last question... Has anyone else experienced a hen that appears broody, but won't accept any eggs?
Whenever I put eggs under her, she rejects them, and they end up on the other side of the coop.
I have another hen (a silkie as well) who is broody, and I grafted six chicks to her (they had been raised under another broody hen until that point), and she accepted them without any trouble. The oldest chicks were two days old, and seemed to like her no problem, but one of them, Foster, seems to have issues staying in the nest. Whenever I go out to check on them, I see Foster on the ground, usually with the hen that won't accept eggs.
Is the hen that won't accept eggs broody? Is she broody and doesn't know how to be broody, because she's always playing mother to a full sized bird?
Is Foster bonding to the hen that won't accept eggs, instead of the mamma hen? Should I let Foster be with the hen that won't accept eggs, or keep convincing her to be with her mamma??
Lastly, the hen with the chicks was having trouble finding her nest, which is why I got her chicks, but now, it turns out that she still has trouble finding her nest... I can't lock her up, as I don't have the supplies to do so, so what should I do to help her keep her nest? (I think other hens kick her out of the nest to lay eggs...)
Thank you for your time, sorry about the length...
One last question... Has anyone else experienced a hen that appears broody, but won't accept any eggs?
