broody setting eggs?

[abhaya]

I got a few silkies with the intention of useing them as silkiebators. My question is how do I go about setting eggs under a broody? do I just let her go broody and save up some eggs and set them under her all at the same time?Will she stay broody long enough to order eggs to have her sit on? The silkies are in a coop and run of their own they dont free range because of a stream and hawks in the area. So my plan is to just leave her in the coop with the chicks I bought her with 2 chicks she had just hatched and she did well with thw other 2 silkies in the coop. Does this sound like a doable plan?

 

[saladin]

Put some golf balls into the nesting boxes; once a hen goes broody (and make sure she is by watching her for at least 3 days) then after dark take the golf balls away and replace with the hatching eggs; it is as simple as that.

 

[cmitchell]

I have a broody hen that just hatched 2 chicks with a few eggs left to hatch. When all chicks are hatched will that break her broodiness and how long will it take for her to be broody again? If we take the chicks and raise them in a brood box will she continue to be broody? And if so..is it unhealthy for a hen to be in perpetual broodiness..if that is even possible. We're still learning about broody hens and hatching chicks.

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
She will take care of the chicks, until they are about 4 weeks old. Once you take the chicks she will stop being broody, she may try later to hatch more eggs but I don't think you can have her just sit on eggs over and over. I think it is really hard on them they lose weight or at least mine did. I think it is great to watch a mommy hen sit, hatch and raise her chicks.