How long is too long to be broody?

[wbruder17]

I have a silkie that's been setting on a nest of infertile eggs for about 6 days. I was hoping they'd be fertile, but not the case. I am going to get some fertile eggs for her tomorrow.

I know that they lose weight and whatnot while they are broody, so I am wondering whether it will be detrimental to her health to have to set an extra week to hatch her eggs.

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

Hi is she getting up at all?

 

[Judy]

She should be fine. I've given fertile eggs to a broody who had been sitting a lot longer than that, and she hatched them.

Usually they will get off the nest once a day, eat, drink and poop, maybe scratch or dust bather a few minutes. You should be able to tell; if there's no poop in the nest she is getting up. It won't hurt, though, to take her off and encourage her to eat and drink once a day, even twice.

 

[wbruder17]

She doesn't get up on her own. I've tried to get her moving but she just sits where I move her. She's very aggressive on the nest. She's in the basement in her own happy cage, but there's a lot of action in and out of the basement. Unfortunately, there's no other option for a placement for her and I worry about all the noise and activity disturbing her....but she just sits and sits....and pecks like crazy when I try to interfere.

Like I said, she will have fertile ones under her tomorrow, but I'm worried about her having to set an extra 6 days on top of the typical 21.

 

[Lbrad7]

Don't give it another thought....she knows what she is doing and will take care of the eggs AND herself. The extra week will not bother her at all....she will be fine.