Hatching with a Broody Hen

[LynnGrigg]

I bought a silkie hen for hatching eggs. She did a fantastic job - first time for me- back in December. She hatched 4 of 8 eggs/4 eggs were not fertile. She hatched the chicks outside and I brought her and the chicks inside for about six weeks(smelly-yucky!). They are all outside now and doing well. I will only allow broodies to hatch in warmer months from now on. My silkie is a wonderful mom. Best of luck. Lynn

 

[RepoBob]

Jag, I am getting 2 to 3 Blue orp eggs a day, and another 2 to 3 mixed. I have a commitment to the egg swap thread and a dozen to another person in a trade, but after that I can trade you some if your interested. These are not pure bred. I have a mixed pen. It would be the same chickens that the chicks in the picture came from.


Bob

 

[BikerBabeRules]

I had two silkies who started laying for the first time in December/January and went broody immedietly. Between the two of them (no clue who laid what or if they both laid) they sat on 8 eggs. I candled them every few days and brought in the ones that looked like they had something in them. Of the 8 eggs, we got 4 silkie babes. I didn't let them hatch them, i brought them in and put them in the incubator. They haven't laid since. I also haven't set the babies out yet either, they are still inside. It was just way to cold here and still is. I paid close attention to them while sitting. They both sat on the nest at the same time always, one at a time gettign off at supper time to eat and drink and stretch, then right back on. I was amazed. They bot got kind of skinny looking, but were dedicated to the eggs and co-sitting.

 

[tiffanyh]

Do you let your broody and her chicks stay outside in the colder weather with them??? Like 20F?

I have 3 week old chicks in the basement with their "momma". If is in teh 20s at night and I would like to move everyone out to the shed. I am not comfortable with hooking up a heat lamp in there......

 

[jag]

Well, my blue laced gave up already (or she got up to eat just as DH was going in to do chores and he took the eggs out.

) then the same thing happened with my Partridge Rock...DH again also. (supposedly, the eggs were cold)
So...yesterday 6 girls laid eggs in Brownies nest and she's sitting on them, still today!!
I haven't given up hope yet. The girls do bully her out of the nest, I just witnessed it...but she goes right back in. I marked the ones I want her to keep so I can take out new ones if they keep doing this.
BTW, how long can she be off the eggs before I should worry?

Tiffany...no, my broody is not outside. My coop is insulated and the birds themselves keep it warm in there. I also have electricity out there, so setting up a brooder in the front of the coop would be easy enough, and easy to keep warm.
We'll see how it all works out. If I have to move them inside, I will.


...and Bob...I would be interested in eggs.

This Spring I should have some Blue Laced Red Wyandotte eggs available. (My BLRW's are MM hatchery birds, though.)