How long are fertile eggs laid after hens leave rooster?

[RWise]

True enuf that one cannot force a hen into a broody mode. However one can encourage it by using fake eggs in the nest/s. I use golf balls (will kill snakes that eat them), works the same as plastic eggs. I take out an egg and replace it with a golf ball. It may not be the hen I want that takes the nest, but most often one of them will by the time there is about a dozen eggs,, balls in the nest. Then after dark remove the balls and put back the eggs I want her to set on. I also put her and the nest full of eggs in a breading pen so no other hens can continue to use the nest.

 

[rebrascora]

I agree but in this case, if there is no specific reason to remove the silkie's own eggs and replace with golf balls then why not just leave them. They will get turned and stores as nature intended them and since there has been no money invested in buying hatching eggs, I can't really see the point of removing them. Are these two silkies in a pen on their own or in with a larger flock? If they are alone together I would not move the nest and broody as that can unsettle them and it will leave the other one entirely alone or needing to be integrated into another flock as a single hen which is always difficult, but more so with silkies which are more vulnerable to pecking. It may be that if one goes broody, the other one keeps her company, but you would need to mark the eggs and remove any that the other one laid into the nest of she continued to lay. Broodiness can be quite contagious, so it may well be that if one sets, it triggers the other.

Sending you broody hen vibes!

PS. Please give some consideration to what you intend to do with surplus cockerels from any hatch. Hatching chicks with a broody hen is probably one of the most rewarding chickeneering experiences. Dealing with surplus adolescent males that are running riot and causing havoc in your flock, one of the most challenging.

 

[aart]

Hatching chicks with a broody hen is probably one of the most rewarding chickeneering experiences. Dealing with surplus adolescent males that are running riot and causing havoc in your flock, one of the most challenging.

True Dat!!^^^

 

[lazy gardener]

Even if you choose not to build or buy an incubator, please read "Hatching Eggs 101". Lots of useful information there, including candling an egg, ideal storage conditions prior to setting eggs, and the list goes on and on. There are also articles and threads dedicated to broody hatching.

 

[PouleChick]

Even if you choose not to build or buy an incubator, please read "Hatching Eggs 101". Lots of useful information there, including candling an egg, ideal storage conditions prior to setting eggs, and the list goes on and on. There are also articles and threads dedicated to broody hatching.

Thanks - I'll go and read it now!

She laid another egg this morning so 1 is in my tummy so exciting my first homegrown egg (pretty sure it was fertile from looking at pics and hubby double checking me) and 2 are in a box, dated and in my guestroom (which is unheated and cool and thick walled so totally steady temp) I'm going to add until the 2 week post being with a rooster point - ie Sunday so may have 3 or 4 eggs - not sure if this is enough but no worries if not I can get some off a friend.

They will get turned and stores as nature intended them and since there has been no money invested in buying hatching eggs, I can't really see the point of removing them

That makes lots of sense but we are due some hard frosts in the next few nights (well -3 anyway - enough to freeze the waterer so not sure if that would be an issue) I'm scared though as I can't replace the fertilised eggs if they get broken!

Are these two silkies in a pen on their own or in with a larger flock?

They are in on thier own as we just got them - the couple of times they have got through the gate (once the wind, once my 3 year old) my 3 adolescent pullets were very mean to Hermione (didn't go near Doris weirdly) and I had to grab her to safety (which I'm sure is the wrong thing to do but they had her down on the ground pecking her head bully girls!). I'm more than happy to keep them alone and can do some sort of extension to the little coop they are in to have more space for them if chicks are on the cards. Even long term I think I may never be able to integrate them - I'm not sure I can cope with the violence to get to that point!

It may be that if one goes broody, the other one keeps her company, but you would need to mark the eggs and remove any that the other one laid into the nest of she continued to lay. Broodiness can be quite contagious, so it may well be that if one sets, it triggers the other.

Now that would be cool

Sending you broody hen vibes!

Thank you - it is a huge long shot but I'm up for it

Please give some consideration to what you intend to do with surplus cockerels from any hatch. Hatching chicks with a broody hen is probably one of the most rewarding chickeneering experiences. Dealing with surplus adolescent males that are running riot and causing havoc in your flock, one of the most challenging.

Yeah I know (farm girl from Australia so pretty OK with the realities of life!) - not sure I could eat one of the fluff balls (black bones eek ) but other breeds I think I'd be OK - I may need help with the killing part but have various neighbours / friends who dispatch their birds a couple of times a year.

 

[PouleChick]

True enuf that one cannot force a hen into a broody mode. However one can encourage it by using fake eggs in the nest/s. I use golf balls (will kill snakes that eat them), works the same as plastic eggs. I take out an egg and replace it with a golf ball. It may not be the hen I want that takes the nest, but most often one of them will by the time there is about a dozen eggs,, balls in the nest. Then after dark remove the balls and put back the eggs I want her to set on. I also put her and the nest full of eggs in a breading pen so no other hens can continue to use the nest.

I have a couple of lovely plaster eggs I bought to show them where to lay which I'm leaving in there - is 2 enough to have to hint them towards broody or should I get some more in there to encourage them?

 

[PouleChick]

PS. Please give some consideration to what you intend to do with surplus cockerels from any hatch. Hatching chicks with a broody hen is probably one of the most rewarding chickeneering experiences. Dealing with surplus adolescent males that are running riot and causing havoc in your flock, one of the most challenging.

Sorry meant to say particularly with my silkies (who are pretty cute) I'd probably try to give them away or sell them if I can and then look at the other options! I may even be brave enough as time goes on to have a rooster of our own (he would have to be hugely docile though as I have a 3 year old).

 

[RWise]

I add more each day, take an egg leave a fake,,,they do count them. when I really want new chicks, I use the incubator, I get a better hatch rate and better survival rate than the hen does. I also dont get to watch the hen raise them, though my rooster has tried.

 

[PouleChick]

please read "Hatching Eggs 101".

I feel really dim but I can't find this anywhere I have done a search in articles and forums with no result. Could someone please give me a link this article? TIA

 

[aart]

I feel really dim but I can't find this anywhere I have done a search in articles and forums with no result. Could someone please give me a link this article? TIA

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hatching-eggs-101.64195/