Broody Question!!!

[Kattherat]

I have two broody silkies. They have both been sitting for 2 1/2 weeks. A nice lady gave me few fertile eggs to stick under them. Unfortunately, two were duds and the fertile was broken. I have a chance to get more eggs to put under them. Do you think I should do it? I have been watching their weight. They seem very happy and content. Is there a high chance that they will quit sititing for that long? Should I separate them into their own crates this time so another egg will not be broken? First timer, so I appreciate any advice!

 

[MuranoFarms]

Ummm....who's the first timer? You or the hens? Or both?

You I'm not worried about. If the hens are first timers that can account for the broken eggs, they will get better with each try. I'd give them another chance.
Make sure you take them out every day to eat and poo. I even hand feed mine while they're sitting...they can't resist scratch!

 

[spartacus_63]

I have three Bio-Incubators who have hatched four clutches this year. I have found that the girls do fine without my involvement. In fact they do better if I leave them to their business and do not get involved. I have a brooder cage that I fashioned from a dog kennel. It has two levels with cardboard around the lower level. I do feed the hens while they are sitting and there is always water available. I do not take the hen out to poo but she has room to poo if she needs to. I remove any broody poo as soon as I find it. It is very pungent. This set up has worked well for me.

I leave the chicks and mother hen in the brooder cage for two days after hatching. I then move them all to a brood coop. The mother does a wonderful job of taking care of the chicks. I never have problems with pasty butt and mom teaches them what to eat and how to drink. I leave them in the brood coop for a week or so and then I open the gate to the brood run. Momma hen takes the babies out to explore the big world. Around three weeks momma starts to ignore the babes, but by then they have been introduced to the flock and mingle with few problems. Of course they are at the bottom of the pecking order and if there is a cockerel in the lot they will hang out together in a sub flock manor. They all work it out in time and they all seem well adjusted. It does appear to me that the girls will assimilate faster if they do not have a Roo to hang with. Not scientific, just my observation.

 

[Kattherat]

Spartacus- Do you separate each broody into her own kennel? Thanks for the great advice