How long do Silkie Bantam eggs need to hatch?

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Our one year old Silkie Hen has been sitting on one little egg for 27 days. Its a nice hot little egg, when she comes out for a poop and a drink&snack we sometimes pick the egg up, very gently. We are getting worried about our little hen. When she went out today the other chickens attacked her (maybe 27 days is too long away from the flock). I rescued her, now she's back on the egg in her nest. What's the longest time for a Silkie egg to hatch? Anybody have advice?

 

[kandyg_99]

Have you candled the egg?

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

We used a flashlight which isnt very good. We have 3 boys and not a single good flashlight with batteries. It looks like a half-full egg. Maybe something dark against the inside of the shell and the other almost-half seems like the light goes through.

Could she be pretending to be broody just to avoid getting pecked by the other chickens? Like a teenager "Leave me alone! I'm going to my room!" Do chickens get depressed over a lost baby? If the egg hatches into a tiny little chick, what are the chances the other chickens would attack them both? Could Silkies incubate as long as guineas etc 28-30 days?

Thank you.

 

[JewellFarm]

If you are sure she has been on this particular egg for 27 days and you candled it and see light in the egg, then the egg is not viable. Eggs usually hatch in 21 days. Sorry....

 

[steve2495]

i think u might b mistaken for how long she has been on the egg mayb she was on and off at the beggining because how u described ir seems like there is a chick inside see if u can make her a seperate little mini coop of sorts for her to stay on the egg by herself

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Yes, its the same one egg. At first it was kind of a joke. Another chicken had stolen and sat on 9 eggs, hatched 2. So the family figured this is just Chloe's strange way. Unless all silkie hens are a little strange. She never has been very social with the other chickens and has a few strange little obsessions, esp. with water. Very much like an autistic human child. In fact we sort of figured she's kind of autistic. So the one egg obsession, it fit her personality. Our nine year old son would go count it with her, "lets see, thats oooone....yes they're all there" it's so sweet, she stands up and rolls it gently back between her knees and says sweet little gurgles to it. But sometimes after the other chickens went out in the morning, she'd be running around cackling all upset, far away from her egg. So we'd show her the water, she'd take a drink (but only if it was in exactly the right place) and we'd show her the food, she'd eat, then make a giant poop, then turn to her nest and gently coo to her egg, count it and commence brooding again. And there's no evidence she's laid any other eggs all this time. We do coop care every morning.

So sad. If it's not viable, I dont know what's next for her. Wish I could slip a little chick under her wing.

 

[steve2495]

hey u live in st.charles im in lakeforest i hae some eggs hatching in a week and i might have some extras would u like a chick or two u could pick them up

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

hey thank you for the offer! I will go tell dear hubby and sleep on it. Do you know anything about silkies? I'll look forward to chatting with you and your chicken knowledge tomorrow. Thank you!

 

[steve2495]

yeah some of the eggs i am hatching r silkie one things for sure about silkie is that they r the broodiest chicken

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

Thank you for the offer, but the egg was a dud, I finally opened it after candling it and seeing through, it was just full of yellow yolky sulfury stuff. We dont really want another chicken. We live IN TOWN by public stuff, and I feel like 6 chickens is more than I bargained for anyhow.

But do silkies tend to stay broody even with no egg? Its hard to get her out for long. We give in to her whining and let her back into her nest. The other chickens finally gave up trying to peck her with our boys' squirtguns to fend them off, but she really doesnt want to stay out for long. Just wants to hunker down in her nest and act broody. She's only done 3 hours outside per day.

Maybe she needs to see a vet. Steve, do you have a chicken vet?