Broody silkie just won't throw it in. Tips for a hatch-out?

[danceswithronin]

I have a flock of four silkie bantams (three are hens for sure, one is questionable still at eleven months) and my main egg-sitter, Yin, is DESPERATE to hatch out a brood. Since I'm curious whether the eggs are even getting fertilized, I decided to hatch out at least one egg, so I waited until there was only one in the nest this past weekend and marked it. I haven't collected eggs since, so there's probably anywhere from 4-6 eggs in the nest now. Yin has been sitting the nest continuously, only coming off to eat/drink once or twice a day. She's been broody since Christmas and increasingly agitated when I collect the eggs - not aggressive, just visibly distraught/confused.

I was thinking though, would I have a better chick survival rate if I just let her hatch out a whole nest? I'd hate to let her hatch one chick only to have the chick fail to thrive or something just because it's a solo act, or think that my eggs aren't being fertilized at all just because the one I happened to mark didn't take. Since they are purebred silkies I don't think I'd have any issues rehoming the other chicks if I hatched more than one.

Thoughts? Space is also a consideration, as I have four pullets (currently a week old) moving into the enclosure in about four weeks. I'm not worried about the temperament of the other chickens around a brood of chicks, they are all very shy and sweet.

 

[lomine]

I think it's better to give her more eggs and give her a better chance of hatching something. Mark the eggs you're giving her and take out any new ones. You don't want a staggered hatch with broodies (you either get dead chicks or dead eggs). You can candle the eggs at days 7-10 and you should be able to see veins on any developing eggs.

If your eggs aren't fertile or don't hatch you'll need to make a decision. Being broody is hard on a hen's body. You'll either want to break her broodiness or get her some chicks to raise.

 

[aart]

She's been broody since Christmas

She's been sitting continuously for 4 months!?!?

 

[danceswithronin]

She's been sitting continuously for 4 months!?!?

She's been laying eggs that whole time (along with the other hens, who share the one nest box for whatever reason) I just take them every few days. She gets off the nest a few times a day to eat and scratch around, but then just goes back to the nest box and glares at everybody and concentrates on laying another egg. She only seems upset when I take the eggs, but of all my chickens she's the only one who has ever seemed to really care about it. I guess because she is the "designated nest sitter" and the responsibility for everyone's eggs falls to her.

 

[chickens really]

She isn't Broody if still laying eggs. I'm confused. Pictures of the suspected Cockerel are needed and Candle the eggs at 7 days.

 

[Mrs. K]

When you cook your eggs, look to see if they are fertilized. Keep a tally on the counter, and if you are finding 90% fertilized, well you can set those with confidence.

I agree that she is not broody if she is laying, but spending quite a bit of time on the nest might mean that she is being bullied? Is she hiding on the nest?

Or it might be, that she is broody, and not laying, that either other hens are laying in "her" nest, or she is stealing the eggs.

I agree a staggered hatch won't work, collect a clutch of eggs, mark them with a sharpie, and then check every two days to make sure there are not new eggs under her. Longest 21 days ever.

Good luck

 

[featherhead007]

Note: I used a crayon to mark the eggs, because of the lack of toxicity in a crayon, just saying.

 

[chickens really]

Note: I used a crayon to mark the eggs, because of the lack of toxicity in a crayon, just saying.

I use black sharpie and zero issues.

 

[featherhead007]

No offense intended, it's just that I use crayons, and different colors can also indicate age of the eggs.

 

[chickens really]

No offense intended, it's just that I use crayons, and different colors can also indicate age of the eggs.

I don't do Staggered hatches too often.