Can my silkie hens" mother"my day old peeps?

[rughooker]

I am going to Meyer Hatchery in Polk, Ohio on Tuesday to pick up some day old d'uccles. I will keep them under a heating lamp until they don't need it anymore. After that, can I put them with my 2 silkie hens? They lay an egg once in awhile, then lay on it for days thinking it's going to hatch. They have no rooster to fertilize the eggs! I read that they make good moms to other chicks. Is this a possibility?

 

[MysticScorpio82]

it will only work if you have a broody silky. If your silky is broody then you need to sneak the chicks under it at night, but keep an eye on them. If she hasn't been broody long enough, then she may reject them, and you will need a back up plan (i.e. a brooder). Best wishes.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Rather than keep them in a brooder, why not try to see if a silkie will raise them? If she will, it'll save you time & energy, plus the pain in the patootie of integrating them later. Watch her carefully to see if she'll take them. From what I've heard, silkies are excellent mothers.

 

[rughooker]

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Thanks, Amy. One of my hens won't come outside 'cause she is so busy laying on that unfertilized egg!! Don't you think she would be a good candidate?

 

[rughooker]

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Thanks Jenn! Exactly what I was thinking!!