Broody Silkie, and We Don't Want Chicks...

[mdtansley]

My seven month old silkie hen is being broody because she wants to be a momma and it breaks my heart that we cant have one. We're about to start breaking the cycle, but I just have some questions before we do so. Our cage is about two feet (2) by four or five (4-5) feet and three-ish feet tall. Is this too big? We do have food and water in there, but no bedding or hay or anything right? Should it be near the other chickens or even inside the chicken run, or farther away. Should we cover it with a blanket? It is outside and if it was in the chicken run, the run has chicken wire walls and she would not have the other hens to cuddle with. This is the first time we've had to do this, so I just want to make sure I'm doing it right. Thanks y'all for the help1

 

[Chicken poppy]

It seems fine, but if it helps try giving her a store bought egg . *Just dont leave it in there to long or it will get smelly and rot* it may help her out and give her a sense of comfort

 

[mdtansley]

It seems fine, but if it helps try giving her a store bought egg . *Just dont leave it in there to long or it will get smelly and rot* it may help her out and give her a sense of comfort

Would one of her eggs work?

 

[turkey girl 0964]

I put my hens in a medium dog cage in their run with food and water. Leave to bottom of the cage open so air can flow through and lower broody body temp. She will squack and act like she wants out but leave her in. Check her in a few days and let her out into the coop and if she puffs up and goes back to the nest she needs to be in the cage for a few more days. It is fine if she has no other hens to roost with. Breaking a broody is not supposed to be comfortable that is how they stop.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Would one of her eggs work?

If you want her to hatch some chicks she needs fertile eggs, if you have a roo they will be fertile and they will start to develop.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Would one of her eggs work?

Yep! but if you dont want baby chicks id make sure its not fertile.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Would one of her eggs work?

Tip: if you do use her eggs, make sure to humanily kill it before letting her hatch it *from what i understand you DONT want baby chicks correct?* by humanily killing it i mean before it starts growing inside put it in the fridge or something, and make sure to not leave it under her to long or it will start to get smelly and rot. *Thats only if theres no live activity in the egg*

 

[mdtansley]

Tip: if you do use her eggs, make sure to humanily kill it before letting her hatch it *from what i understand you DONT want baby chicks correct?* by humanily killing it i mean before it starts growing inside put it in the fridge or something, and make sure to not leave it under her to long or it will start to get smelly and rot. *Thats only if theres no live activity in the egg*

Yeah we don't have roosters so none could be alive, they aren't allowed in my neighborhood and we have friends that have them if we want chicks. Thank you!

 

[Chicken poppy]

Yeah we don't have roosters so none could be alive, they aren't allowed in my neighborhood and we have friends that have them if we want chicks. Thank you!

Yep! Your good then. And of course, happy to help, tell me if you have any more questions, i have nothing to do and would be more then happy to awnser any!

 

[mdtansley]

I put my hens in a medium dog cage in their run with food and water. Leave to bottom of the cage open so air can flow through and lower broody body temp. She will squack and act like she wants out but leave her in. Check her in a few days and let her out into the coop and if she puffs up and goes back to the nest she needs to be in the cage for a few more days. It is fine if she has no other hens to roost with. Breaking a broody is not supposed to be comfortable that is how they stop.

Do I let her outside to roam ever? Or constantly in the cage.