How do a get chickens to lay again?

[Gabbi02]

Hi guys,

I have a silky and she was laying very consistently, I’m talking an egg a day…

After introducing new baby chickens she still was laying constantly.

Fast forward to now and the baby chickens have grown up so you’d think she would start laying again but she is spending all day on her nest and there are no eggs.

What can I do to encourage her?

PS she’s eating lots so I don’t think it’s food

 

[Lady of McCamley]

LOL. Oh honey, she's a Silkie and she's gone BROODY. You gave her the idea with all of those sweet little chicks who've now grown up and left momma alone.

Of course she's eating well (thankfully), and she'll ponder that nest. Pretty soon she'll sit and stare deep into space 24x7.

You can get her some more chicks (that empty nest is lonely), or give her some fertile eggs (once she's sat into Zen-zone for 2 days getting up only once to eat/drink/poo).

Or you can attempt to break her brood. For that you can keep taking her out of her nest or put her in a cage that has good airflow underneath to cool her body and hormones off.

But...remember this...if you consistently break a good broody, you discourage good broody behavior. Plus, Silkies can be very stubborn about wanting to brood. I consider a good brooding Silkie worth their weight in gold.

So I tend to use a good brood to hatch chicks. If I want eggs, and no nonsense brooding, I get a red sexlink. But that's me. LOL.

LofMc

 

[nuthatched]

Like Lady of McCamely said, she's gone broody!