Broody questions.

[Tanichca]

Hi there! I have a white silkie pullet (she'll be a year old in december) and she has been laying eggs in one specific place for a few days now (before... she laid everywhere! The run, the boxes, in the rabbit cages, etc.) before she sits on her little nest (which is in a small, safe area of the coop) she will spend forever arranging hay (straw by straw,) feathers, and the eggs, and THEN sit down to lay. Is she getting ready to go broody?
Also, for a normal sized silkie, how many eggs can fit under her and how many chicks can she safely raise? If she does go broody, I will buy her some eggs, and she may end up with 12 babies or so. Too much?
Thanks in advance!

 

[Tanichca]

Anyone???

 

[TigerLilly]

I had a banty sit on 13 eggs when she went broody & all hatched. If you buy eggs for her to sit on, she will still lay her own. Are you going to mark the ones you buy & collect the others every day?
She may try to sit on more than she can handle, but they may not all hatch if she cant regulate the temps for too many eggs.