first time real hen setter

[gavinandallison]

Although the DH and I have hatched lots of chicks in the bator - we now have a lovely silkie hen ( Sheba ) who has been brooding a nest for about 18 days.. she has been so good and I have worried myself sick over her , as the time grows near I am worried WHAT if's:
If her egg ( we added 2 of our barred rock's eggs just in case ) 3 total eggs do not hatch - we have 4 babie silkies inside that are a week old do you all think we could slide them under her and she take them as her own (which in truth they are her own ) ??? Or do we let her deal with the heart break , or do chickens have heart breaks ??? See I am a softie and I will cry if I see her sad .

Please advise me a new natural chicken grandmomma to be

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Normally I would say that one week is too old (I have read three days is the limit), but silkies are so laid back in my experience. I think I would try it but hover to see if she pecks them. I have two teenage silkies right now in with a bunch of chicks and they are great with them. But I did have some silkies a while back that tried to kill some chicks I put in with them.

She might not accept them as "hers" though and I would definitely run those heat lamps in case they don't stay under her. She might not kill them, but she might not sit on them either.