Is she broody?

[SilkiesForEver]

Hi!

I have a silkie hen (She's about a year and a half) that I think just went broody. She sat on one (of her's) egg the day before yesterday from morning till later in the afternoon, around five, had a dust bath then went back into the carrier (where her egg is) and sat on the egg all through the night.
Yesterday morning she layed another egg and sat on them (both eggs) all day except for getting up to eat and drink.

Last night we moved her to a brood pen and a new nest, she is doing great there.
My concern is that she takes pretty lengthy breaks off the nest. Is that normal?
This is my first time having a hen go broody so I'm not sure if she is really going to sit on the eggs for the full 21 days.

While I wrote this my mom let her out of the nest to get some sunshine and closed the door!! She couldn't get back in so the eggs got around room temp. would this affect the growing embryo?? I'm really worried.
She is sitting on the eggs again.

Here is a picture,
Her in the brood pen.


In the nest


Any Comments Will Be Appreciated!! Thank you!!

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Now she is standing and panting. She's not touching the eggs, but it is pretty hot here, so I guess it would be hotter on the nest.
Anybody with good advice?

 

[SilkiesForEver]

The hatch date is: 7/4/2012

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Anybody? I could use some helpful tips.

 

[sumi]

It does sound like she's broody. I heard Silkies are very good broodies and moms.
They get up now and then and it won't affect the eggs. It takes a long time for the eggs to really get cold, so don't worry! And it's better if the hens take a toilet break away from the nest!
You have a nice little set-up for her, just watch she doesn't get too hot. That may affect the eggs.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Now I'm worried she doesn't want to sit anymore. She stands in the nest box and doesn't really touch the eggs.

She sat all night and in the morning until about 11:20. Now she's off. Should I take the eggs away? Maybe I'll let her have just one......

I don't know what to do!! I have really wanted momma to do it but, now I'm not so sure.

One minuet she seems interested in sitting and then the next minuet she doesn't. She has three eggs total.

I don't want to make her do something she doesn't want to do by putting her in the brood pen.
I'm so confused!! I hope I didn't interpret her behavior wrong.

 

[sumi]

Leave her in there a bit longer. She'll let you know if she wants to come out. And leave the eggs too. Hopefully she'll settle down and cook you some babies.

 

[ValleyPoultryFarms]

Thats when an odd situation like mine is handy.
2 hens, 8 eggs, 1 nesting box. One takes a break, the other sits, and so on.


Best of luck, don't worry about her breaks, silkies are the best moms..

 

[En Plein Air Farms]

Some threads here have shared the information that when the eggs didn't all start at the same time sometimes the mothers leave the unhatched eggs to mother the chicks in the world.
Some suggestions were to save 4-6 eggs and put them under all at one time, marked with a pencil or something so you can pull out any newly added eggs.

Best wishes for you and the want to be mother!

 

[SilkiesForEver]

She's been off the nest since 11:20. I'm starting to worry.

This is what I'm thinking of doing, Take the eggs out and put them in our incubator and replace them with golf balls. That way if she changes her mind and doesn't want to sit she won't be dealing with live eggs. What do you guys think? I'm still not sure of it myself.