My Broody Silkies are killing me!

[jBabychickn]

I've been wondering the same thing about my silkie fancy girl. I kind of feel like she's only weakly broody. She'll puff up if I go at her while she's on the nest, but she's not incredibly defensive. I can very easily steal an egg from under her or kick her off the nest. (It's been 4 days since she's last laid, she sits lets her sister lay in the box with her and then steals the egg.) Once she's off the nest, she immediately drinks water and starts scratching around, and I only kick her off the nest if her crop is empty, just in case she is actually trying to lay.

How do I tell if she's sitting on the nest from being broody vs trying to lay, by the way?

Her first day on the nest all day I thought she was feeling sick, since the night before we had some crazy cold wind blowing through, so it was a sudden weather change. I scrambled her up her most recent egg with some oregano, etc and chicken broth, which she ate a bit of. How do I tell the difference between sitting on the nest from feeling a little sick vs broody?

How do I tell the difference between sitting on the nest from feeling a little sick vs broody?
— This is where I struggle as well.

 

[jBabychickn]

Just to share my experience, my 2 Silkies are also almost always broody. I let them ride if out ONLY because they do a good job of taking care of themselves. They eat, drink, dust bathe, and maintain their weight.

Thank you for sharing this!!
I’m becoming quite curious about doing just this….

So Say, I’m not particularly into “jailing my current broody” and need a break from the whole jailbird process; Would I still be providing adequate animal husbandry if I only made sure she kept up with her food/water intake, but didn’t actually bothered to “break her”…

At the risk of sounding silly and whiney — I’m just tired of breaking one after the other, then another, then to have 2 become broody at the same time, then that 1st one I broke awhile back cycles around and becomes broody again …

Also, I often wonder. — How this could feel for them …to go in & out of these hormonal shifts?? I really, really hope it isn’t much of strain

 

[jBabychickn]

Have you tried bathing her to lower her body temp to break the broody cycle? It works, but consider the temp outside or in the pen so as to not chill /stress her.

No, I haven’t. — I have thought about bathing her tho, since they are all due for a good wash especially after this Fall weather; however, I haven’t had a chance to bath everyone yet.

Hmmm, using baths a regular technique to break her tho? — I don’t know how I feel about that. Would this type of technique break her for longer periods of time?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thank you for sharing this!!
I’m becoming quite curious about doing just this….

So Say, I’m not particularly into “jailing my current broody” and need a break from the whole jailbird process; Would I still be providing adequate animal husbandry if I only made sure she kept up with her food/water intake, but didn’t actually bothered to “break her”…

At the risk of sounding silly and whiney — I’m just tired of breaking one after the other, then another, then to have 2 become broody at the same time, then that 1st one I broke awhile back cycles around and becomes broody again …

Also, I often wonder. — How this could feel for them …to go in & out of these hormonal shifts?? I really, really hope it isn’t much of strain

My girls are almost 4 yo. The broodiness wears off eventually. Their weights and overall health hasn't suffered. I do trim their nails and check for mites, etc. I take them out of the nest daily, too, and they usually run around, dust bathe, eat, drink, and then run back to the nest.

I also allow them to raise any chicks I add, which makes them TREMENDOUSLY happy. They co-parented the last batch, which was adorable and highly successful, because they were broody in the same nest.

I can't say if it will work for yours, but I've seen zero negatives so far in my flock, other than diminished number of eggs.

 

[Aunt Angus]

No, I haven’t. — I have thought about bathing her tho, since they are all due for a good wash especially after this Fall weather; however, I haven’t had a chance to bath everyone yet.

Hmmm, using baths a regular technique to break her tho? — I don’t know how I feel about that. Would this type of technique break her for longer periods of time?

I've used this twice in my years of chicken keeping only when I have a hen who is super broody. I've not noticed that it keeps them from getting broody any longer. But I just haven't done this method enough to say for sure.

 

[jBabychickn]

I've used this twice in my years of chicken keeping only when I have a hen who is super broody. I've not noticed that it keeps them from getting broody any longer. But I just haven't done this method enough to say for sure.

Thank you

 

[jBabychickn]

My girls are almost 4 yo. The broodiness wears off eventually. Their weights and overall health hasn't suffered. I do trim their nails and check for mites, etc. I take them out of the nest daily, too, and they usually run around, dust bathe, eat, drink, and then run back to the nest.

I also allow them to raise any chicks I add, which makes them TREMENDOUSLY happy. They co-parented the last batch, which was adorable and highly successful, because they were broody in the same nest.

I can't say if it will work for yours, but I've seen zero negatives so far in my flock, other than diminished number of eggs.

You say:
You allow them to raise any chicks that you ‘add’ — Does this means you’ve given them baby chicks? I’m thinking of doing this, or perhaps seeing if they can hatch out a few chicks this coming Spring/Summer.

I’m still quite undecided on if I should buy fertile eggs or order a few babies from the hatchery and slip them some 3-day olds.
My focus is for the whole journey to be the easiest and best outcome for the Mamas!

 

[Aunt Angus]

You say:
You allow them to raise any chicks that you ‘add’ — Does this means you’ve given them baby chicks? I’m thinking of doing this, or perhaps seeing if they can hatch out a few chicks this coming Spring/Summer.

I’m still quite undecided on if I should buy fertile eggs or order a few babies from the hatchery and slip them some 3-day olds.
My focus is for the whole journey to be the easiest and best outcome for the Mamas!

I give them chicks. I don't want any more roosters, so I only give them female chicks. I've done this numerous times. Here's how I go about it:

• I make sure the hen is serious about being broody - by waiting until she's been broody at least a week
• I set up a brooder in case the adoption doesn't work and I have to raise the chicks myself
• I buy chicks from a feed store or breeder
• Late that night (after 10pm), I take the babies into the coop with no light - darkness is your friend!
• I put them under the hen 1 at a time
• Then I listen. If mama starts clucking and the babies trill happily, that's a good sign
• If I hear nothing and mama is silent, I wait
• If mama freaks out and starts pecking the babies, I take them out and try again the next night
• If it sounds like all is going well, then I wait at least an hour, just to make sure nothing goes wrong
• Then I go out again in the morning before sun up and make sure everything is still good and everyone is happy

Here are Violet and Dandelion co-parenting my last batch of chicks. I put the babies under them both because they were broody in the same nest box:

 

[Aunt Angus]

If I didn't have to worry about roosters, I might let them hatch eggs.

 

[jBabychickn]

I give them chicks. I don't want any more roosters, so I only give them female chicks. I've done this numerous times. Here's how I go about it:

• I make sure the hen is serious about being broody - by waiting until she's been broody at least a week
• I set up a brooder in case the adoption doesn't work and I have to raise the chicks myself
• I buy chicks from a feed store or breeder
• Late that night (after 10pm), I take the babies into the coop with no light - darkness is your friend!
• I put them under the hen 1 at a time
• Then I listen. If mama starts clucking and the babies trill happily, that's a good sign
• If I hear nothing and mama is silent, I wait
• If mama freaks out and starts pecking the babies, I take them out and try again the next night
• If it sounds like all is going well, then I wait at least an hour, just to make sure nothing goes wrong
• Then I go out again in the morning before sun up and make sure everything is still good and everyone is happy

Here are Violet and Dandelion co-parenting my last batch of chicks. I put the babies under them both because they were broody in the same nest box:
View attachment 3324126
View attachment 3324125

Ah, Yessss! Thanks so much for sharing your information and experiences!! Very helpful indeed, my friend!!

I’m excited; I’m gonna go with placing some chicks in with them this Spring. I really like the idea of adding in my choice number of females with no roosters as well. This way you raise exactly what you want to have in your flock.
I order day-old chicks online using the post office, Hatcheries like to add in an extra chick or two for more warmth, safer travels, or even in case one doesn't make it. I’m happy I have a few family-friends on farmlands who can take a few extra pullets or roosters.

I already know who will likely be the best Broody, my Princess Buttercup. She’s always been the toughest to break and she’s really sensitive to others hormones levels. If another bird goes broody and doesn’t break fairly soon, I already know Buttercup will be my next broody girl, right away — guaranteed!! Ha!


—————
Love your photos!! — Violet and Dandelion look like my Buttercup and my Blossom or Bubbles …

Bubbles is the Dark Blue/Black
Buttercup is the Splash Blue/Black

This photo is from last Winter and on a very Windy 🌬 day, apparently… But, these Silly girls did not care one bit. They were 5 to 6mos here and were just starting to lay their beautiful eggs!