5 years of owning chickens and this may be my first broody experience!
I have a silkie (not quite a year old yet) who I am 95% sure has gone or is going broody. The strange behavior started about a week ago. She was still laying eggs a week ago, but she sat on the nest for extended periods of time. Which was weird, because she was the hen who always came to greet me at the gate, but she just sat on the eggs/golf ball. I expected that she was going broody a few days later after this behavior continued. She didn't sit on the nest 24/7 though AND she would continue to move the golf ball. I mean move as in she would just up and move to a different spot on the other side of the coop with her golf ball. I'd go to move her back and she would make a strange noise. Then I'd occasionally see her out and about, but not for too long.
Here we are today. She still keeps changing spots. I left her with the golf ball because I don't necessarily break her broodiness, I sort of want to take advantage of this opportunity. BUT she takes it with her everywhere. I think it's so funny. Is this something that could happen "normally"?
Moving on to more questions:
If she is in fact broody,what is the best course of action to take here?
This spring I planned to add a few more silkies to the flock, but I don't have a male silkie so I would need to buy eggs. I could take action now though and take advantage of my maybe broody hen, but I'm skeptical because this is her first time. I don't want her to damage or abandon silkie hatching eggs that I paid good money for. OR should I purchase eggs, incubate them myself and just give her the chicks?
Also, how long can I wait? She has been "broody" for almost a week now. If I do choose to use her as an incubator, will my broody give up after 28 days or will she just keep sitting until she gets a chick?
I have a silkie (not quite a year old yet) who I am 95% sure has gone or is going broody. The strange behavior started about a week ago. She was still laying eggs a week ago, but she sat on the nest for extended periods of time. Which was weird, because she was the hen who always came to greet me at the gate, but she just sat on the eggs/golf ball. I expected that she was going broody a few days later after this behavior continued. She didn't sit on the nest 24/7 though AND she would continue to move the golf ball. I mean move as in she would just up and move to a different spot on the other side of the coop with her golf ball. I'd go to move her back and she would make a strange noise. Then I'd occasionally see her out and about, but not for too long.
Here we are today. She still keeps changing spots. I left her with the golf ball because I don't necessarily break her broodiness, I sort of want to take advantage of this opportunity. BUT she takes it with her everywhere. I think it's so funny. Is this something that could happen "normally"?
Moving on to more questions:
If she is in fact broody,what is the best course of action to take here?
This spring I planned to add a few more silkies to the flock, but I don't have a male silkie so I would need to buy eggs. I could take action now though and take advantage of my maybe broody hen, but I'm skeptical because this is her first time. I don't want her to damage or abandon silkie hatching eggs that I paid good money for. OR should I purchase eggs, incubate them myself and just give her the chicks?
Also, how long can I wait? She has been "broody" for almost a week now. If I do choose to use her as an incubator, will my broody give up after 28 days or will she just keep sitting until she gets a chick?
