Broody Silkie

[Litewings]

I put 4 eggs under my broody hen (silkie). Today I saw her get up to go get some water. She now has 16 eggs under her. It looks like some of here friends decided that since she was broody anyway........... why not.

Litewings

 

[muddyhorse]

I had one that would "steal" eggs. If she could roll it to her nest it was hers. i finally confined her with a batch because she was trying to hatch 30 eggs!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear she could hatch a door knob

 

[Litewings]

Should she be able to hatch 16 eggs?

Litewings

 

[RGEISENDORF]

you will have more each day if you don't confine her....

I ended up moving mine and after candeling and such narrowed it down to three fertile ones. One hatched this morning. My silkie is white and the baby is black.... stolen egg! Can't wait to see what the other two look like.

 

[Chicken Girl]

My silkey went broody today! I have a cochin that went broody too! I still dont know if i want to give her eggs or not. lol



Chicken Girl

 

[Ridgerunner]

I suggest you read this link. It could be helpful.

Isolate a Broody? Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=213218

I think you are headed for problems for two reasons.

1. It takes 21 days of incubation for an egg to hatch. Since some eggs have been laid after she started, some will not hatch before she needs to take the chicks that have hatched off the nest so they can get food and water. You might be successful in taking the chicks as they hatch and brooding them yourself so she will stay on the nest and finish the hatch, but life gets real complicated that way. It is a good way for chicks to die or not hatch to start with.

2. The eggs need to stay warm. If they cool off too much, the chick inside can die. If the broody cannot cover all the eggs, some will cool off. Then, when she pulls these back under her, some with live chicks inside will be pushed out to the cold and these chicks will die. If she has more eggs than she can cover and keep warm, you can expect a very poor hatch.

There are ways to deal with these in the link above. Good luck!!!