How many eggs should I put under my silkie?

[AllenK RGV]

Ok today I built her a privacy/security partition as she has set up her nest right on the lower chicken wire. Everything is recycled from the lumber to the screws from my screw bucket.

Also I am hoping this will be a suitable alternative to laying under her I made sure to swirl out a nest with hay. The green top thingie is their 20% flock feeder. The box looks wonky but it is true I just shot from an off angle. Ok maybe it is a bit wonky but barely I set it up on a small cinderblock so the hay won't be falling out.

And here is the cute young lady on her nest, the non nest looking hay in this shot was stuff I added just now for her to incorporate into her nest:

 

[azygous]

That she bought into this nest alteration is testimony to how easy Silkies are. Just try doing that with a standard breed and see how far you get.

 

[AllenK RGV]

That she bought into this nest alteration is testimony to how easy Silkies are. Just try doing that with a standard breed and see how far you get.

Yep a shreeking mess of a finger biter! I do keep Sumatra, but they have no roo. I am considering adding a few Ayam Cemani as I have located eggs for them about 40 minutes away. Then just let them interbreed I like the black yard candy. Ours chase any dog or cat that gets on her porch when broody.

 

[aart]

That she bought into this nest alteration is testimony to how easy Silkies are. Just try doing that with a standard breed and see how far you get.

The 3 LF broodies I've let set, I moved with little trouble.....they really wanted to set.

Yep a shreeking mess of a finger biter!

 

[AllenK RGV]

I have developed a keel cupping method for lifting the LF's off their nests and putting them in prison to break. I know I mention this over and over but once past the screeching finger and hand biting part it seems to calm them so much when you cup the hotspots beneath the keel.

 

[Ridgerunner]

First, how many eggs, if any, you wish to have your broody hatch should be determined by how many new chickens you wish to add to your flock. Second, the number of eggs you place under your broody should be determined by how many she can cover and keep warm.

I agree. These are the right considerations.

I just don't believe in magic numbers for much of anything to do with chickens. When I was a kid we had a full-sized hen hide a nest and bring off 18 chicks. We never did find that nest so I don't know how many eggs she started off with. I typically give a hen 12 eggs of the size she lays but I had one that could only cover 10 so I cut back.

Congratulations on moving her. It's not always that easy. The way I approach the hen hatching with the flock I collect all the eggs I want to put under her and mark them. I start them all at the same time so they will hatch at the same time. Then I check under her once a day after the others have laid and remove any that don't belong. As long as you remove hen every day you can still use them. Gloves and long sleeves might come in handy for some broody hens.

You cannot tell if an egg is fertile before you put it under the hen. If you open the other eggs and most of them are fertile there is a real good chance most of the ones you put under her will be. If you haven't seen the process, this thread has photos of what to look for.

Fertile Egg Photos

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

 

[AllenK RGV]

I agree. These are the right considerations.

I just don't believe in magic numbers for much of anything to do with chickens. When I was a kid we had a full-sized hen hide a nest and bring off 18 chicks. We never did find that nest so I don't know how many eggs she started off with. I typically give a hen 12 eggs of the size she lays but I had one that could only cover 10 so I cut back.

Congratulations on moving her. It's not always that easy. The way I approach the hen hatching with the flock I collect all the eggs I want to put under her and mark them. I start them all at the same time so they will hatch at the same time. Then I check under her once a day after the others have laid and remove any that don't belong. As long as you remove hen every day you can still use them. Gloves and long sleeves might come in handy for some broody hens.

You cannot tell if an egg is fertile before you put it under the hen. If you open the other eggs and most of them are fertile there is a real good chance most of the ones you put under her will be. If you haven't seen the process, this thread has photos of what to look for.

Fertile Egg Photos

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

Well at this point it is kind of moot. I have a minimum of two sitters possibly three this morning unless the new hen is still there after I get back from my appointment. Man it will be a pita moving 3 pancakes to collect the unmarked eggs. We are not worried about egg production here. If they play soccer/football with the eggs and break them I also will not be too bothered.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You can try it any way you wish, anywhere from breaking them from being broody to just let them go and see what happens. Totally your choice. I was trying to give you the best way to get to what I would consider success.

Good luck however you proceed.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

I've just set my Bantam Silkie on 12 Bantam eggs.

The 'perfect' amount for her is actually 10 eggs as they all fit under her nicely.

12 is at a push with the extra 2 half under her kinda. However, I'm not overly fussed on if those two don't develop.

 

[AllenK RGV]

You can try it any way you wish, anywhere from breaking them from being broody to just let them go and see what happens. Totally your choice. I was trying to give you the best way to get to what I would consider success.

Good luck however you proceed.

I totally appreciated your insight please don't get me wrong here.