broody hen (Updated w/pics!)

[Bring]

I got a broody silkie hen for free along with her five foster eggs. The people told me she'd been sitting on them for about two - two 1/2 weeks. I doubted they would hatch. I've had the broody silkie for four days. Well this morning one of the eggs hatched!!!! The chick is so freakin' cute!!! It's an austrolop/banty cochin cross. The previous owners had one austrolop hen and one RR hen. The silkie is sitting on one more austorlop egg and three RR eggs. My question's are: Being there are five eggs and only two chickens that layed them how long inbetween hatchings should I be expecting? And, do I have to do anything special with the chicks or just let foster mom take care of them? The silkie and her eggs and chick are in my dining room in a large tubberware bin and inside the bin I put a box for the nest.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Exciting isn't it?

Being there are five eggs and only two chickens that layed them how long inbetween hatchings should I be expecting?

When the eggs were laid is not the critical factor. When incubation started is. Chicken eggs take about 21 days for the eggs to hatch after incubation started. If all the eggs were started at the same time, you should get all that will hatch within a couple of days. If the previous owner allowed other hens to add eggs to the broody's nest after she started incubation, it will be about 21 days after incubation of that egg started.

And, do I have to do anything special with the chicks or just let foster mom take care of them? The silkie and her eggs and chick are in my dining room in a large tubberware bin and inside the bin I put a box for the nest

I don't know your specific set-up, whether you have other chickens, or anything about how you handle your chickens. We all have different conditions. I cannot tell you what to do in yours. I strongly prefer to let Mama raise them. If you keep them penned up, you need to provide food and water the chicks can get to. Mama should take care of the rest. I'll include a link to a thread about letting Mama raise them with the flock. It gives some different opinions on this subject but it might help you in your decision.

Congratulations and good luck!!!

Raise with flock? thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=215937&p=1