I have 2 broody

[momofdrew]

My 2 oldest silkies have gone broody together...

this will be the first time....one is on the egg and the other is laying right next to her...only one egg under her but had 2 eggs in another nest earlier today my question is should I let them hatch a chick in the winter????? What should I do??? how long does it take???I have read that they will not leave the nest...how do you get them to eat and drink...

I need help

 

[chicklet]

I will be waiting to see the replies to your question. I have 4 hens that want to sit right now. There are no eggs under any of them and two are snuggled together. I simply take them off the nests a couple times a day so they eat and drink but it is surely not enough. It will be a long winter with nesting hens and no eggs!

 

[cajunlizz]

1st. you do have a rooster right ? if so , collect fertilized eggs from other laying hens . and put at least 6 eggs under each of them .... Mark your eggs with pencil or magic marker . I always put the date due to hatch on the egg and 21 days later you have beautiful baby chicks ...


I always moved my broody into private quarters ... I have a 6 ft. cage especially for that . that way no other hen or rooster disturbs her ....

I had decided to do this when one of my broody's got off her nest to eat and drink and another hen jumped in her nest to lay . NO NO NO .... I did not want her eggs broken , so I took the nesting box with the pine shavings and eggs and put into the brooder cage , Placed the hen in on the nest with plenty of food and water really close by her . She was one happy little setter and made an excellent mommy

 

[momofdrew]

should I move her into the house while she hatches??? it is normally 10F here sometimes warmer and sometimes much colder she only has 1 egg the other eggs this morning were already cold so I put them in the ref...

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
take them back out of the frig , leave room temp. for like 24 hrs. and place under her .... You sure don't want to just have her hatching 1 egg ... She wants to be a real mommy . Put her at least 6 eggs . 21 days for the eggs to hatch

I would move her inside if its that cold . maybe utility room .

 

[momofdrew]

thanks we have a large dog kennel tht we can bring in will it disturb her if I move her and the egg??? will she abandon it???

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
NO , I moved both my broody's .... and they went right back to the nest .


PLEASE put her more than just 1 egg .... You never know when that 1 single egg might not hatch right .

I had a black austolorp and I put 6 eggs under her and 6 unde my little english game bantam , naturally the larger the breed the more eggs you can put . the hen spreads out to cover the eggs , and you do not need to worry about rolling the eggs , she does it all .

WHAT KIND OF HEN is she ?

 

[momofdrew]

she is a little white silkie

 

[momofdrew]

what will the others do??? will they look for her???

Ok I brought her in but she doesnt seem to want to settle back on the egg...though she is drinking a lot

 

[cajunlizz]

try putting 4 or 5 OR MAYBE EVEN MORE .... you might be surprised at how many she can set on . they do SPREAD OUT.

My little game bantam is also considered small and she hatched 6