Broody hen or Heat Lamp?

[AussieHens96]

Ultimately, we have enough time to plan for either. So, just doing some info. We already have a darling silkie, 22 weeks, who is starting to be broody and will probably be 30 weeks (max) when we get the chicks. We decided to make sure she's broody, broody, before buying the babies - can't have her ditching em can we? Anyway, do you reckon a real mother is better or a heat source? It'll be spring and our springs can be rather warm, so I'd prefer not to have the fire risk. But if it's worth it, bubs will be inside. Yada yada yada.

How often would you wait while a silkie is properly 'broody' before adding babies? A week? A few days?

Should be give her fake eggs before hand? Her first clutch to raise?

They'll be kept seperate in small coop, within sight of others, out of reach.

Or do you think its better to do heat source? Why?

How often to handle babies while they're a few days old? Daily?

Where to have food? In roosting room/box area or in the bottom section - they'd have to go down a small (very small, 35-40cm) to get to the bottom. Or too hard? Keep water and food in roosting area? Have it down below?

We'd like to get 3 (maximum 4) - is this an appropriate number? We have a enclosed, smallish yard so 7-8 chooks is our max. Would be a variety of breeds (possibly 2 Isas, maybe 3, a silke and/or a rhode island- or something similar) be okay?

 

[Johnn]

Ultimately, we have enough time to plan for either. So, just doing some info. We already have a darling silkie, 22 weeks, who is starting to be broody and will probably be 30 weeks (max) when we get the chicks. We decided to make sure she's broody, broody, before buying the babies - can't have her ditching em can we? Anyway, do you reckon a real mother is better or a heat source? It'll be spring and our springs can be rather warm, so I'd prefer not to have the fire risk. But if it's worth it, bubs will be inside. Yada yada yada.

How often would you wait while a silkie is properly 'broody' before adding babies? A week? A few days?
2 weeks at the least.
Should be give her fake eggs before hand? Her first clutch to raise?
Yes, then when you give her the chicks at night take the eggs away.
They'll be kept seperate in small coop, within sight of others, out of reach.
You can leave them in with the rest of the flock if you want, but its up to you. You will either have to move her to the coop with her eggs until she gets her babies or leave her in your main coop and as soon as she has formed a bond with the chicks, move her then.
Or do you think its better to do heat source? Why?
I think you should use the hen, its funner, cheaper, easier and makes the hen happy.
How often to handle babies while they're a few days old? Daily?
You shouldn't handle them too much but daily is fine. (that's if they have a mother because she might get upset if its too often)
Where to have food? In roosting room/box area or in the bottom section - they'd have to go down a small (very small, 35-40cm) to get to the bottom. Or too hard? Keep water and food in roosting area? Have it down below?
I would put it in the nest until day 3, I would then move it to the bottom floor and put the mother and babies down there and see if she can get them back up at bed time, if not you can help her or she might just make herself comfy n the lower floor.
We'd like to get 3 (maximum 4) - is this an appropriate number? We have a enclosed, smallish yard so 7-8 chooks is our max. Would be a variety of breeds (possibly 2 Isas, maybe 3, a silke and/or a rhode island- or something similar) be okay?
Yes to both.

My answers are in the box!

 

[AussieHens96]

My answers are in the box!

Thanks so much Big help!!!