Can Silkies count and please help!

[PouleChick]

hi - me again! So Hermione my Isabel silkie has now been sitting on 6 hardboiled eggs (and as I discovered 2 other silkie eggs) for 3 days. I have been struggling a bit about what to do as the nesting box she was in is pretty small and I saw Doris sitting on her to lay her egg today - just the 2 of them live in the small coop (which is destined for being a maternity ward anyway) they have only integrated in the last week with my 20/22 week old 3 'big' girls (typical). So I decided before I go and collect the fertile eggs tomorrow that I wanted to move her so when I saw her outside I took the opportunity to do so. I have filled a flat rectangular plastic container with bedding and moved 5 eggs back. I removed the 2 'fresh' eggs (OMG they were so hot ) and one of the hardboiled ones that had been damaged - I'm actually worried about that that one of the others had pecked it - we had an egg eating incident a couple of days ago with the pullets. Anyway so 8 came out but only 5 went back into the new tub - I sat her there so she could find them and she seemed OK but then was starting to look in the nest box for them - would she have known I'd taken some (can they count???) or was she just trying to work out what is going on?

This is the set up where there is the crate lent up is the nesting box that they both use that she has been in - the blue and white stripey curtains were up but she pushed them so she could see straight out - as you can see I've moved her into the larger area - I quickly put the curtains up just to help her when she seemed a bit unsure but I'll sort out a proper curtain for her. At night the front gets covered by some plastic roofing stuff that gets lent up over about 2/3 of the front. Until she went broody they both slept in the big area on the piece of wood and only laid in the nesting box. I thought this would be a good solution to free up the nest box for Doris in the day and that they will both have some company at night.

• Now I've done it I'm questioning myself - is it too open - are chickens happier in a more enclosed space?
• I can easily build another wall or something or more of an enclosed box or just curtains? What do you think?
  
• Is this set up suitable for a maternity ward?

My other concern is that I just went out to check on her and she had got back off and one of the big girls was in playing around with her eggs I shooed her out and locked all 3 of them out of the smaller silkie run - Hermione then ran straight back in to check on and sit on her eggs. They have not shown any interest in the eggs / what Hermione is doing until the move today (although saying that they actually were sniffing around checking out the little coop before I moved her for the first time today but I didn't think anything of it). This is what the set up looks like:

Doris (the cuckoo silkie) is the bottom of the pecking order and has only just been allowed to hang out with the big girls a bit more today / yesterday - she was pretty lonely looking the first full day or so of Hermione sitting. My questions about this bit are:

• Should I keep the big girls locked away from her (which would also mean leaving poor Doris all locked up and on her own when the 2 little flocks have only just integrated)?
• Should I just keep them both locked up in the run until Doris has laid and then open the run and shut the coop? If I did this how would she be happy with water and food just being in the coop with her - seems better to me for her to get out.
  
• Will hanging a curtain / more of a box thing make her less of interest to them?
• could it just be a 'new' thing and they'll be over it tomorrow?

They were all 5 going to be moved into the new coop 3 weeks ago later this week but now thinking maybe it was good we got delayed finishing due to weather and illness as it may have all been more stressful for her / them. As a total newbie with sooooooooo many things happening this week with them (first eggs from 2 or even all 3 of my girls, egg eating incident , Hermione going broody ). I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and I'm not sure how to manage them in the best way I can.
The plan is to go and pick up the eggs tomorrow so want to make sure

1. she is still sitting properly after being moved and
   
2. I have a plan for managing her and the flock for the next 3 weeks and
   
3. A plan for when the chicks are born (I used this little coop as a brooder for the 3 big girls from 5/7 weeks until maybe 15 weeks and it worked really well so thinking a 1/2 dozen tiny chicks and a silkie should be OK!)

Is there anything I've missed or forgotten to ask ???

I'm so sorry for such a long post but I so want to do the best for my new chooks!

 

[cavemanrich]

Just do your best....
I will follow your progress.
WISHING YOU BEST......

 

[PouleChick]

Just do your best....
I will follow your progress.
WISHING YOU BEST......

Hi, Thanks I'm trying!

Would still love any thoughts anyone has on how to manage the logistics of them all, and the broody in particular? Maybe I should have posted on the management or coop forum instead of here as my questions aren't really about the hatching and more about flock management. I wonder if a mod could move the thread?

 

[PouleChick]

I'm now the proud owner of an Orpington Splash, an Australorp, a Bresse, a random unknown and a few arucana eggs the lady was so lovely and helpful, 3 of the eggs were free and she told me I needed to let them sit on their sides for 24 hours after travelling so I haven't put them under her yet - I'll do it tomorrow. I'm very excited

She also said that I should separate her from Doris as well to keep her and the eggs safe (and to be fair Doris seemed to be sitting on Hermione today and kind of gently pecking her which I've never seen as usually Hermione pecks her). So the plan is that Doris and the other 3 will be moved into their new coop tomorrow and they can all get on with it hopefully and I can let hermione be in peace with the babies. I had to put Doris back in the same coop with her tonight as there is not room where the other 3 are sleeping but I'll move her straight out tomorrow. Fingers crossed this plan works (and she doesnt' get lonely) and I actually end up with some chicks!