I think my white silkie went broody!

[DerbyChook]

She has found a quiet corner in the coop and is sitting on a couple of eggs

I have no rooster, so they will not hatch. What is the process if I get some fertile eggs? How soon do I need to put them in? I saw some nice ones that are ready to ship in the hatching eggs section, or I could travel out to a local farm, but probably not until this weekend. Is that soon enough? Would love to get some chicks the old fashioned way!

 

[newchik715]

i would give her a few days...make sure she is truly broody. one of mine went on for days and stashed 20 or so eggs and then whn i gave her a smaller number to work with she lost interest and never stashed eggs again. so first make sure she has the commitment to hatch. give her another day or so and if she is truly broody go get some fertile eggs and just put them under her. make sure she can cover them all easily with her body and then wait.

 

[crtrlovr]

should be soon enough, just pop them under her and let her sit for about 3 weeks.

Some of them brood so tightly, you may even have to go out once a day and gently ease her off the nest to encourage her to eat, drink, and poop. I had 3 who took turns brooding some eggs, so they all got to enjoy motherhood and still got exercise and fresh air.

I hope all goes well for you and that sweet little wanna-be mommy!

 

[newchik715]

i would give her a few days...make sure she is truly broody. one of mine went on for days and stashed 20 or so eggs and then whn i gave her a smaller number to work with she lost interest and never stashed eggs again. so first make sure she has the commitment to hatch. give her another day or so and if she is truly broody go get some fertile eggs and just put them under her. make sure she can cover them all easily with her body and then wait.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I bought some silkie eggs and put under my Welsummer hen who had been sitting for a week. She carried through and is raising them well.

I kept them in the incubator for a week and she sat for a week with fake eggs under her. I didn't trust her for the first week.

 

[newchik715]

oopssorry for the double post...don't know how that happened.

 

[DerbyChook]

I will let the flock out to free range this afternoon. If she stays put, I will know she is serious and start tracking down some fertile eggs! I do have a small incubator, so if she loses interest, I could always pop them in there.