Broody silkies

[brissilkie]

Hi. I'm just wondering if there are other silkie owners out there that have a hen that is extremely broody. My hen seems to be broody most weeks. Will have a week where she will lay an egg a day and then nothing for weeks. At the moment she has been broody for 2 weeks. I do the whole take them out of nest, I've removed it all together at moment. I pick her up out of run every morning but she seems to just lay there then fluff herself up. It takes me to make her stand and throw a bit of dirt on her to snap out of it and dust in her garden. This lasts about half hr then she wants to get back on nest. She is about 12 months old. Her friend is 4 months old. So really just wondering if this is common with all silkies or do I have a girl that is just keen to be a mum.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't currently have silkies but when I did that's normal, I have bantam cochin who are just as broody, sometimes I leave them and they give up after 6 weeks or so, sometimes I block off the nests to break them and other times I use them to hatch some eggs. Just watch out for mites and lice while they are broody sometimes they can get out of control and they need a dusting with poultry dust.

 

[brissilkie]

Ok thanks will keep an eye out. She is otherwise healthy, hopefully my young hen won't be as bad as her.