broody silkie keeps on sitting NEXT to eggs

[Mantou]

Hi all, my silkie Mantou has gone broody for the first time, but she seems more interested in sitting AROUND eggs rather than sitting ON any eggs...

Some information:

• Approx ~30 weeks old
• Laid 25 eggs before getting broody on 20th May
• Laid 3 more eggs after that before going full-on broody
• Nests and lays indoors - outside temperatures ~29C, inside ~25C

We tried breaking her out of it at first (collecting eggs as soon as they showed up, locking her outside, cage method etc...), as we aren't allowed roosters and have no fertile eggs. But she persisted on being broody, so yesterday we got some fertile Coturnix quail eggs from a friend and tried presenting them to Mantou. She seemed to recognize them as eggs and tucked them underneath her without prompting. But after we checked on her again in a few hours, she seemed to have lost the eggs and was sitting right next to them instead. We would've taken them away, but when we pointed them out, she tucked them back under her again... This has happened twice.

So my question is, is our silkie just a little stupid, or are the quail eggs too small for her to hatch? Should we let her try anyways and just stay vigilant in pointing out the eggs when she loses them? I've attached a picture of the setup below. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Logar]

My guess is that it is a combination of two things-
1. It is her first time going broody and may need a bit to figure out how to actually sit on eggs
2. A lot of silkies seem to be lacking in the brain department.

 

[Mantou]

My guess is that it is a combination of two things-
1. It is her first time going broody and may need a bit to figure out how to actually sit on eggs
2. A lot of silkies seem to be lacking in the brain department.

Haha, this one usually is usually pretty smart...but I guess the hormones have gotten to her. I guess I'll give it a bit more time before trying anything else. Thanks!

 

[Logar]

Haha, this one usually is usually pretty smart...but I guess the hormones have gotten to her. I guess I'll give it a bit more time before trying anything else. Thanks!

chickens can be so smart at times and then go and freak out and act like the world is ending because they forgot how to go around an open door to get inside.

 

[McChooky]

Being healthy enough to sit on eggs requires building up a fat supply which provides them nourishment while they sit on the eggs 21 days(.. which no young pullet at 30 weeks).The spirit may be willing but the body is too weak

 

[Mk_lanch]

i have a similar problem. she will be broody but sits on the roosting bars. i tried to break her but it was impossible. she began to get so skinny from not coming and eating. so i tried to put some freshly hatched chicks under her and she attacked them. so i tried eggs and she sat next to them.....im really not sure what to do. shes been broody now for over 2 months! i think i will attempt to break her again.