How many chicks could a small silkie raise?

[gritsar]

My silkie Jethro is broody again. I plan to give her some eggs and incubate some, then give her the bator babies to raise along with the ones she hatches. However, she is a very small silkie, compared to others I have seen on here and at the fair. She's right around 2 lbs. I guess.

It's very warm here right now so she shouldn't have too much trouble keeping them warm.

So how many?

TIA

 

[gritsar]

I was correct in my guess. I dug the old chicken scale out and weighed Jethro. She weighs 2 lbs., 2 ounces.

 

[Tanichca]

I'd say the highest number would be eight... five is better...

 

[sonew123]

My 2lb silkie had hatched 7 eggs before-sat on 10! all silkie eggs though. I have another bantam can't even weigh 2lbs successfully hatch out 3 very large SLB eggs about 2 months ago-If you let her hatch out 2-3 I'm sure she can take on another 3-chicks. You should see the LF chicks now trying to snuggle my millie

not happening! Poor babies! Good luck

 

[Karen09]

Are the eggs standard size chicks or bantams? I have put 6 standard eggs or 8 bantam eggs under a silkie. Once they hatch, at first she could have more, just make sure as they grow, their heat is the temperature it needs to be if they are not covered by her. A colder chick won't grow at the rate they need cause their energy goes to keeping warm (or they get too cold and die). I was suprised on how many eggs fit under a hen.

 

[zookeeper15133]

My silkie sat on 12 and is raising 11. 1 wasn't fertile. They are a week old and she's fine with them all.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Sorry, I forgot to mention. She will be sitting on bantam cochin eggs. She successfully raised 3 standard chicks, two polish and a turken three and a half months ago. It was quite a bit cooler then.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks all.

 

[Faith Hope]

My silkie is very small. She successfully hatched 7 of 8 eggs this spring, only 2 were silkie eggs, the rest were large fowl. In addition, I gave her 4 10-day old silkies the day after hatch. She raised all of them and did fine (except when the young turkeys ganged up on her, but that is another story!), although I think it was a few too many. I could tell she was a bit overwhelmed the first week or two. I would think 8 to 10 would be about the maximum I would give her in the future.

 

[gritsar]

Thank you for all the input. I really appreciate it.

Blessings