How many chicks can a Silkie Bantam mother raise?

[Dragonwolfmastr]

Hi there fellow chicken keepers!

I'm hoping to raise some chicks soon, and I have only 1 available mother: a Silkie Bantam.
I've seen her incubate a clutch of 3 of her own eggs without my help, but I've also had her foster 4 chicks.
Does anyone know what the limit is to the number of chicks she can raise on her own?

Thanks!

 

[Chick_Maelle]

I don’t know the answer but I have the same question! How many eggs could a standard silkie hatch out?

 

[Chicalina]

I have had 8 bantam eggs under a bantam silkie before. I wouldn't put more as I want her to cover them all well. Of course they were reduced throughout the incubation period for fertility and development, so didn't all make it to hatch day. And even then only 2 hatched, so I can't comment on how many little peepers she could raise safely.

I've had a LF hen (red sex link) hatch and raise 12 ducklings though with no problem!!