encourage broodiness?

[khawks]

I purchased a laying silkie 2 weeks ago from a friend. she has laid 2 eggs since. My friend collected 11 fertile eggs and I have put them in with the others. I've placed water and food and enclosed the hen in a 2x4 foot enclosure that is dark and surrounded on 3 sides (kind of like a dog house). Any other suggestions to encourage broodiness? How long before I should give up?

 

[stuckinthecity]

That's the best method I've found since keeping chickens. Except I would use fake eggs so you don't have to waste them while you're waiting on her to go broody. I would think it shouldn't be long until they take to the eggs since they're silkies. Good luck!

ETA: sorry I missed that you enclosed the hen in the cage... I've never done that before, but leaving a big clutch of (fake) eggs in the nests can encourage them to set. It has worked for me several times.

 

[khawks]

Thank you for your reply. for the last week, I've had 3 golf balls in there and she is still not interested. I'll leave here in there for 3 days and if no luck, then i'll just have to give the eggs back to my friend to put under one of her broodies

 

[khawks]

That's the best method I've found since keeping chickens. Except I would use fake eggs so you don't have to waste them while you're waiting on her to go broody. I would think it shouldn't be long until they take to the eggs since they're silkies. Good luck!

ETA: sorry I missed that you enclosed the hen in the cage... I've never done that before, but leaving a big clutch of (fake) eggs in the nests can encourage them to set. It has worked for me several times.

Thank you for your reply. for the last week, I've had 3 golf balls in there and she is still not interested. I'll leave here in there for 3 days and if no luck, then i'll just have to give the eggs back to my friend to put under one of her broodies

 

[chickster5003]

What I did was go to the grocery store and got just regular eating eggs I got 18 I think but since you have a silkie I would only get a dozen. So get the eggs and than warm them to room tempature and than put them in the nest. Works like a charm, since it's such a big clutch, than after sitting in those eggs for about a week and you are certain she's fully broody than take those eggs throw them out and than put your fertile eggs in

 

[khawks]

What I did was go to the grocery store and got just regular eating eggs I got 18 I think but since you have a silkie I would only get a dozen. So get the eggs and than warm them to room tempature and than put them in the nest. Works like a charm, since it's such a big clutch, than after sitting in those eggs for about a week and you are certain she's fully broody than take those eggs throw them out and than put your fertile eggs in

I have 9 more days of fertility in these eggs...if the temperature stays down like it has been...i think i'll wait 4 more days and if she hasn't gone broody then i'll return the eggs so they don't go to waste and she can put them under one of her broodies. I think that you present an excellent idea that i should try next time. thank you

 

[chickster5003]

No problem keep us updated