Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

Thank you very much for taking the time and for all the advice.
I am so nervous!!!

I am sure I will have more questions.

You'll do just fine...you've got a broody who knows by instinct what to do...I find I do my best when I stay out of her way. It is AMAZING what they know to do.

Lady of McCamley

 

[chicken farmer]

My white silkie hen is already thinking about her brood,yesterday I opened the coop door and she was sittin in the corner by the door and wall and she got up and there was a little depression in the straw but no egg so I put a little nestbox in the back of the coop so she can go to the back out of the way and have some walls around her and she always laid her eggs in the top nestboxes and now she's wantin to lay low(naturally knowin chicks ned to be on the ground) and there has been a few days that have been in the 60s and has been real colder for a long while here in Ohio so I think it's gettin her thinking it's time and it is just about so I wanted to share that and I thought it was cool how she was already thinking about her babies and nesting low...here's a picture of her and this will be her second brood she is a VERY good and protective momma and can't wait to let her sit on some eggs and have another brood to take care of......I love chickens
Here she was sittin her first clutch

 

[mrstodd]

She's beautiful!!! What a sweet story!

 

[KayP]

How many eggs can a silky incubate at one time?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

How many eggs can a silky incubate at one time?

Depends on the Silkie and the egg size.

My Banty Silkie has a good "spread."

I can easily fit 6 standard large eggs under her. I hesitate for more, but she could probably handle that...however I don't think she could care for that many standard chicks until they were old enough to care for themselves. Others will step in with their stories.

Mine seems happiest with about 5 eggs, 6 at most...she has been typically hatching and caring for 3 standard chicks of the eggs set...I don't know if that is just the luck of things or if that's because of her size/skills.

Lady of McCamley

 

[fisherlady]

How many eggs can a silky incubate at one time?

Honestly, I would have to say 'it depends'... body size can restrict them to 4 but some hens can cover up to 8 or 10 if they aren't big eggs.
Egg size, many more smaller eggs, fewer if bigger.
Ambient temps... can effect clutch size a few ways. Eggs are easier to incubate when it is a bit warmer out, eggs on the edges still do OK, mama can cover more babies without problem when it is warmer, when temps are near or below freezing the risks to the chicks increases. Mama may be ok when they are a week or two old, but if they are large fowl chicks they will begin to rapidly outgrow her by the time they are 2 or 3 weeks old, so she will not be able to cover as many.
If it is your first experience with a broody and her first experience also then I would keep it below 4-6 to allow you both breathing space. Technically you can give her as many as she can cover, when you start to see the eggs popping out around the edges then she is at her max, then remove one egg to allow her more maneuvering room. Our hatchery silkie mix has hatched as many as 8, but she is happiest with 5 or 6...

 

[kmollyhughes]

I have 2 silkies and a sizzle sitting on 6 eggs each right now. Its contagiousin that coop. I agree with Lady of McCamley...seems to be about what looks comfy for them. Last time one of these silkies was broody she had 8-9, but that seemed like a lot for her. Silkies are the best broodies. My splash silkie already raised a group of babies this winter and has decided after only about a month of freedom that she wants to sit again. Fine by me since she's so good at it and raising babies.

 

[KayP]

Thanks. That's just what we needed. We've never done this before, but I always felt like she wants to be a mom so badly, I decided to buy some fertile hatching eggs for her to give it a try. They're supposed to come the week of Mar. 10, but she decided to go broody this week. I keep taking her off and telling her to be patient for 2 more weeks, but how do you explain patience to a chicken? (They're brains are pea-sized after all.) Do you think this will mess up her hatch?

 

[fisherlady]

Thanks. That's just what we needed. We've never done this before, but I always felt like she wants to be a mom so badly, I decided to buy some fertile hatching eggs for her to give it a try. They're supposed to come the week of Mar. 10, but she decided to go broody this week. I keep taking her off and telling her to be patient for 2 more weeks, but how do you explain patience to a chicken? (They're brains are pea-sized after all.) Do you think this will mess up her hatch?

Don't take her off of the nest, just give her golf balls to sit on (2 or 3 should keep her happy) and if you are planning to move her to a different area to hatch out or raise her young then now would be a great time so she can get settled in before you give her the hatching eggs. Since her broody period will be extended because of the egg shipment date you should make sure to keep her well fed with high protein foods and tasty snacks to keep her in good condition.
You can't schedule a broody, though if you have one who is frequently broody you can eventually figure out her routine and work with it...I wouldn't try to discourage her broody behavior now, since you are so close to getting your eggs, or she may not be willing to brood when you do get them.

 

[fisherlady]

KayP,

If/when she is sitting well I would contact whoever you have eggs ordered from and see if you can move the date up a week or so, we often have hens wait two or three weeks for eggs, but it is usually because they go broody at very inconvenient or odd times, not because I want them to wait longer.
I have yet to have a broody who makes it convenient for us!