Clueless Newbie Silkie Mama

[Poppycocks]

I got seven Silkie babies nine months ago. Miraculously, four survived my ineptitude. 3 roos and 1 hen.

My hen started laying a few months ago. First two eggs in the nesting box area of the coop. Not knowing any better, I removed the two eggs because she wasn’t sitting on them. I assume, because I stole her eggs, she began laying in the corner of the coop beside the door opening where they enter the run. I tried moving the eggs to the nesting area, but the eggs just piled up and she ignored them. I finally gathered them all up and we ate the eggs.

I purchased an incubator and a brooder box and decided to start incubating the eggs myself as she showed no interest in them. If I left the eggs where they laid, the three roosters would roll them around all over the coop. With three roosters and a single hen, I definitely need more hens. The first two chicks hatched 11 days ago and are much healthier and happier than the original seven chicks.

This morning, I noticed Sunshine, my hen, is perched in her egg-laying spot. She stayed there all morning, but I didn’t think too much of it as she lays around 1 pm. She suddenly gets up, goes out into the run, squats in front of the door to the run, lays an egg and immediately turns around and goes back to her laying spot. This befuddled me as she has never laid an egg out in the run. I went and got the egg and placed it with my clutch to be incubated.

I watched her all day. She stayed inside the coop in her laying spot. It finally occurred to me that she is broody, but I didn’t understand why she laid the egg in the run. I went outside to check on her as she hasn’t eaten or drank anything all day, put food and water beside her which she gobbled. Not knowing what to do, I removed 3 fertilized eggs from the incubator and took them out to her. She screamed and pecked at me, something she has never done, which told me that she is indeed broody. I stuffed the three eggs under her hoping they hatch, making her happy.

The roosters came in about 30 minutes before their bedtime. One attacked her because she did not want anything to do with him. I ran out there and ran them back outside of the coop. They’re spending the night in the run which they’ve never done before.

From all the stress of the day, I feel like I need to get her moved to the brooder box area of the coop and close the door to keep the roosters out? How will she react to my moving her and her eggs to a nesting area? She won’t be able to escape with the door closed, but will she abandon her eggs because of the disturbing move? Or should I just let her stay parked where she is and keep the roosters out in the run?

I’m sorry to be so clueless. I thought I was going to be doing all the chick hatching for her as she did not seem interested and did not care that the Roos were playing soccer with her eggs; thus the situation has shamefully caught me unaware.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

Broody hens don't lay eggs, so my thinking is that initially she was in there sitting to avoid being triple-teamed. But, now it does sound like she is.

I'd try whichever method is safest for all. Like, is your run predator-proof if you keep the roosters out there?

You could try move her if that seems like best for all, and the worst that happens is she goes right back to the eggless nest she was in before. It might work though as she'll feel way more comfortable knowing they can't get to her there.

 

[Poppycocks]

Thank you. I also meant to ask if I should make a small brooder box and just set it where she lays her eggs to give her some protection from the Roos. The run isn’t completely varmint proof; thus I am worried about the Roos. I finished varmint-proofing three sides of it today, but one long side could be dug under if a varmint wanted to get in there tonight.

I went ahead and closed the door to the coop to prevent anything from getting into the coop. I left it open for several hours to let the Roos back in, but the Roos went to sleep and did not want to go back into the coop after I so rudely yelled at them and ushered them out of the coop with a broom.

And you may be correct about her not being broody. One of the eggs got out from under her tonight and she did not move it back under her. I went outside and pushed it back under her myself. She cackled at me sweetly as if she was saying, “Thank you.”, as opposed to the nasty way she acted earlier, but she had seen me rustle the roosters out of the coop; thus may have been scared I was going to rustle her out too.

It didn’t occur to me that she might want some alone time as she normally hangs with the Roos constantly, following them around wherever they go.

Thanks again!

 

[amarsano]

I would give her a brooding box around where she is. Make sure it has enough room to give her space to poop, since they leave the nest to do so. I’ve found that moving a hen and her nest results in breaking her. I’ve never had silkies, though, so I don’t know how they do with being moved.

 

[SnackMeat]

You need to pen the roosters separately if you plan on keeping them and rotate who has access daily. Or, create a bachelor colony out of sight of the hen and keep whichever roosters you want to breed with her.


Alternatively, it's time to get rid of two of your roosters and get more hens. 3 on 1 is not okay.

(Edited a dumb typo)

 

[FrostRanger]

I agree that your hen to rooster ratio sounds like the problem here rather than her being broody. Ideally you'd want 6-10 hens for one rooster, for roosters kept together you'd want at least 30 hens. Since that is an unreasonable number of chickens for most people, I would also recommend either rehoming 2 of the roos and keeping the nicest or starting a bachelor flock. Also know that about half of the chicks you hatch will be male so you will have to get rod of some boys eventually. Having too many boys is stressful for everyone involved especially the hen, and it's very likely to result in her being over bred and can even kill her if it gets bad enough. Definitely separate her for the time being

 

[Slothinc]

As others have said, keep her separated from the males and either get rid of them or have them in their own space permanently. Until you have 4-6 girls, I wouldn’t introduce a rooster back.

If you want to move her to your broody area and see if she stays broody (it does sound to me like she is starting to go broody), take the eggs out and put them in your incubator. Then move her and put some fake eggs or store eggs under her. If she starts to consistently sit on them, you can bring the eggs that are in the incubator back out and put them under her to hatch on her own.

 

[Poppycocks]

I would give her a brooding box around where she is. Make sure it has enough room to give her space to poop, since they leave the nest to do so. I’ve found that moving a hen and her nest results in breaking her. I’ve never had silkies, though, so I don’t know how they do with being moved.

I agree and have tried to get my husband to agree to getting rid of two. He won’t hear of it as he loves them. I know which one I want to keep and that’s the one he cares about the least. His name is Dick Clark because he had his first crow on New Year’s Eve that sounded like “Happy New Year!” He still says Happy New Year instead of the regular crow that my husband’s favorite makes. The middle one has learned to crow “Happy New Year” as well from hearing me answer “Happy New Year” back to Dick Clark. I just can’t give up Dick Clark and he can’t give up “Big Boss” who is the dominant rooster of the bunch.

I know. We humans are more childish than my young flock. . We love our babies insanely.

 

[Poppycocks]

I agree that your hen to rooster ratio sounds like the problem here rather than her being broody. Ideally you'd want 6-10 hens for one rooster, for roosters kept together you'd want at least 30 hens. Since that is an unreasonable number of chickens for most people, I would also recommend either rehoming 2 of the roos and keeping the nicest or starting a bachelor flock. Also know that about half of the chicks you hatch will be male so you will have to get rod of some boys eventually. Having too many boys is stressful for everyone involved especially the hen, and it's very likely to result in her being over bred and can even kill her if it gets bad enough. Definitely separate her for the time being

Thank you. I’ve kept the roosters locked out of the coop. She IS broody and is sitting on the eggs. I moved the food and water beside her and she’s eating and drinking. She got up to do her business this morning, got a drink from the normal water as opposed to the one I gave her. I guess she didn’t like it as I put Starber Red Vival in it as I thought she probably needed some vitamins. After the drink of the plain water, she went back to sit on her eggs. She no looks like she’s about to die as she did yesterday. I am VERY relieved and thankful to all of you for the help.

 

[Poppycocks]

I agree and have tried to get my husband to agree to getting rid of two. He won’t hear of it as he loves them. I know which one I want to keep and that’s the one he cares about the least. His name is Dick Clark because he had his first crow on New Year’s Eve that sounded like “Happy New Year!” He still says Happy New Year instead of the regular crow that my husband’s favorite makes. The middle one has learned to crow “Happy New Year” as well from hearing me answer “Happy New Year” back to Dick Clark. I just can’t give up Dick Clark and he can’t give up “Big Boss” who is the dominant rooster of the bunch.

I know. We humans are more childish than my young flock. . We love our babies insanely.

Sorry. This reply was meant for the person those that said I need to get rid of two of the roosters. Obviously, I clicked the wrong “Post reply” button. Sorry to all. I appreciate ALL of your replies.

I did try to put a box around her yesterday, but she went ballistic. She wants things just as she has them. Thus; I’ve kept the roosters out of the coop to leave her alone.

She and Dick Clark are best buds and sleep cuddled together with the other two up on a perch watching over them. Dick Clark has spent the entire time wedged up against the outside of the coop wire where he’s still next to her. The two are adorable together, and being human, I think they love each other. I’ve thought about letting just him back in the coop and might try it later today since she seems to feel so much better to see how she reacts.