MY broody hen stopped just when I needed her. Help!!!

[Bird Collector]

Duffee my white silkie who has been brooding for a while just stopped.

But now when I want her to brood she doesn't. I work with kids and one of my young friends is doing a project on the life cycle of an egg. He is hatching some in a bator and wanted to do some naturally.

Well because Duffee was sitting and I could not break her of that I offered her services. I placed 4 eggs under her last night when I tucked the girls in and today she is out running around in her pen. I have another silkie who is often broody but Lillee is also out playing in the pen. Any help or advice will be welcomed.

 

[Southernbelle]

Isn't that always the way of it? As soon as you want them to be, they quit! I don't think there's anything you can do to get her to brood again so soon. It's a hormonal thing for them and I guess her hormones were done. I'd give the eggs back to the boy until the other hen goes broody.

 

[95yj]

i think he just proved something with the project, incubators don't turn off, broody birds can...

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
I disagree. A good broody is wonderful! I used to keep a flock of pet-quality Silkies just for hatching eggs and brooding chicks. I didn't own an incubator for the longest time. You don't need to worry about turning the eggs, temperature spikes, humidity levels or power outages AND they take care of the chicks and itegrate them into the flock.

I'd just wait until Lillee goes broody and give her eggs within a few days of her going broody instead of waiting until she'd already been sitting for a while.