broody sussex

[silkieowner]

Hi everyone our light sussex is still broody she is almost been broody for 3 weeks. I did give her some silkie eggs but i had to take them offf her cause she broke 2 eggs and started eatting one of the broken eggs. i have 12 fertile bantam cochin eggs being sent to me on monday, What i was thinking of doing is giving the eggs my broody silkie is sitting on now when the cochin eggs arrive on tuesday or wednesday hoping the sussex will still be broody. That way the silkie eggs wiould have been sat on for 6-7 days so the sussex only has 2 weeks of sitting instand of 3 weeks.I think the reason why 2 eggs broke under the sussex is cause her nest box is too small she can't even turn around in it. So i'm thinking of giving her a bigger nest box then give her the eggs to sit on. Then once the eggs hatch under the sussex i plan on taking them and putting them in a brooder eg i have 3ft by 2ft cage which i can make into a brooder. I know for a fact i will not be able to let the sussex raise the chicks cause the other chickens that are in with her would kill the chicks. I'm not sure with the silkies if i should let silkie raise her chicks or put them in the brooder too. I'm just guessing my cochin eggs will arrive on wednesday which mines the silkie eggs will hatch first then a week later the cochin eggs will. So the silkie chicks will be a week old where the cochin will be just hatched.

 

[Annabella]

Being broody takes a fair bit out of a hen, as they don't drink/eat often.
Would it be wise to extend her past her "normal" time of hatching eggs i.e. 21 days?

Just a thought?

 

[silkieowner]

I know what your saying annabella can't seem to break her broodiness. i've kept kicking her off the nest,dipped her water,locked her out of the coop. My parents won't allow me to put her in a cage, PLus if i want chicks i have to use the hens for incubators, my parents won't allow me to use a real incubator then a brooder. So its either i use the hens as incubators then when the chicks are hatched put them in the brooder. This sussex has had no eggs under her for about a week and half almost 2 weeks and still she sits in the nest.

 

[tellynpeep]

My Speckled Sussex is going into week 5. Her first eggs broke, and I replaced with a couple of others. She shows no signs of getting bored with nest-sitting, and still looks good.

 

[Annabella]

mmm sounds like you've done your bit to try and break her out of her broodiness.
Putting her into a different nesting box, might be enough to break her out of it.
But its a bit of a guessing affair I suppose.
It'd be such a shame if you put the eggs under her and she decides she's over it by then.

Sorry I am not much help for you.

 

[silkieowner]

Hi i have 12 fertile bantam cochin eggs being shipped to me on monday i hopefully will have them by wednesday. Can i put the eggs under my broody silkie as soon as i get them or do i need to let them sitfor a bit?