Broody silkie partially covering eggs.

[Ben a 620]

My silkie went broody 2-3 months ago but never actually had fertile eggs to hatch our since I took them all before she went broody. So after 21 days I took the opportunity to get chicks and let her adopt them. It went great, she was a great and protective mother but now that her chick is 2 months and a half she is broody again but this time I saved 5 of her own eggs to hatch out. I know she can mother but I’ve never had a hen hatch out her own eggs yet. I sometimes see her sitting on her eggs with parts of some visible from under her feathers. It just seems to me like she’s not doing too good at incubating them. However, it is currently pretty warm right now it’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit so maybe she doesn’t need to fully cover them. I guess I’m worried that with that big silkie Afro she can’t see when an egg is not under her but I want to believe she knows what she’s doing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If she laid the eggs they are of a size she should easily be able to cover 5 of them. That should not be an issue. If she had 20 of them I'd say you have a problem. But she only has five, not a problem.

When it is hot they do not need to cover them as much as when the weather is cold. Trust your broody, she should know what she is doing. I've seen broody hens raise up off of a nest in hot weather to cool her eggs.

 

[turkey girl 0964]

I guess I’m worried that with that big silkie Afro she can’t see

I love your use of words So true!

 

[Ben a 620]

If she laid the eggs they are of a size she should easily be able to cover 5 of them. That should not be an issue. If she had 20 of them I'd say you have a problem. But she only has five, not a problem.

When it is hot they do not need to cover them as much as when the weather is cold. Trust your broody, she should know what she is doing. I've seen broody hens raise up off of a nest in hot weather to cool her eggs.

This is great news, I was hoping it was the warm weather or something like that. Thank you for your comment.

 

[Ben a 620]

I love your use of words So true!

I love the way she looks with that Afro but I was seriously debating whether or not to cut it or tie it into a bun.

 

[yakitori]

I had the same issue with my satin! She’s just heading into day two. Yesterday when she just started sitting on 6 big eggs she had a bit of trouble keeping the one on the perimeter covered. I pushed the egg back under her, and by today she seems to have gotten the hang of it and now covers them perfectly.

I also took the opportunity to trim her crest and beard... I’ve never had her stay so nice and still before, lol!

 

[Ben a 620]

If she laid the eggs they are of a size she should easily be able to cover 5 of them. That should not be an issue. If she had 20 of them I'd say you have a problem. But she only has five, not a problem.

When it is hot they do not need to cover them as much as when the weather is cold. Trust your broody, she should know what she is doing. I've seen broody hens raise up off of a nest in hot weather to cool her eggs.

I just checked now that they’re all sleeping and I think there’s a bigger problem. 2 of her eggs were not under her while she slept. They were still warm so I slipped them under her but does this mean she’d just sleep with the eggs hanging out and let them die?

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Again trust you broody, she knows better then you. Eggs can be left in room temp for up to 6 hours before you have problems.

 

[Ben a 620]

Again trust you broody, she knows better then you. Eggs can be left in room temp for up to 6 hours before you have problems.

Well I really don’t have a choice but to trust her so I’ll just do that. Thank you for your advice.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Yup, I can't count the times I was worried about my broody not taking care of her eggs/chicks but she was doing a great job.