My Silkie is going Broody...what do I do? NEWS

[SarahF]

My grey silkie (Molly) is just over 6 months old and has gone broody since yesterday. DH took the eggs away from her both days, and I'm starting to think that maybe we should leave the "fancy" eggs (polish and silkie) and see what happens. We live in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario (Canada) and nights are usually around 2 degrees lately. Would it be wise? If success, I could put a heat lamp in...

Another thing is, she's a bantam, and I have other standard chickens. They aren't very nice to the bantams. How could I keep her and her chickies safe?

Any suggestions/advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

SarahF

 

[austinhart123]

i think u should try to hatch a few eggs, a heat lamp is a must for where you live...............if possible ,at night, move her box into a big dog crate or cage and move her to the garage/barn/ inside where its warmer to hatch and raise the chicks and keep her safe from the standards. hope all goes well keep us updated

 

[lowcountrypoultry]

Yeah, you should give it a run..

I hear silkies are great moms! Hope you have alot of baby chicks running around soon!

 

[SarahF]

I can move her into a rabbit cage in our basement..but how would I re-integrate her and the babies back to the coop? Wouldn't the big girls pick on them?

 

[cjeanean]

well, from what I've read about silkies there's nothing you can do...except give her some eggs to hatch!!!

 

[SarahF]

So, we brought Molly in tonight and she's in my pantry. She's been inside for over two hours and is not sitting on the eggs!?!?!!

What do I do???

 

[HenniePennie]

My silkie, Frenchie, has been more broody than not in her 1 1/2 years!
I finally got a couple aracaunas in June and let her take care of them. She was so proud. Now that they have grown up and don't need her she has gone broody again. Everyday I go into the hen house and pick her up from the nest box and take her out into the yard where they free range. She stays out for a little while but then goes right back in and sits. She is not laying but when one or more of the other girls lay in one of the nesting boxes she goes to it and lays on them.
Silkies are natural wonderful mommies. I kept her and her little ones seperate from the other girls until they were 10 weeks or so & Frenchie kept the other girls at bay.

 

[SarahF]

We had Molly in last night, and she wouldn't sit on the eggs. This morning, they were stone cold, so we put her back in the coop.

What does she do...goes and sit on the eggs that were in one of the nest boxes! She can't be helped I guess.

When is a good time to move her inside? How do I track which eggs she has been sitting on the longest, as the other chickens are laying in her nest box?

I really need help, as I feel hopeless!

Thank you!!!!!

 

[amyquilt]

Quote:
this is my understanding of Silkies, too. They are known to be super broody and the best moms.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Maybe its because you moved her . THEY DO NOT LIKE ANY KIND OF CHANGES . USUALLY when a hen goes broody she will fuss/fight NOT to get off of her eggs . You sure the eggs are fertile ? IF SO , 21 days and you will have chicks

e

I had 2 hens go broody . I moved the NEST with the eggs and Hen into a cage . I made sure she had plenty food and water . I actually had to lift my hen off the nest to get her to eat and drink . She would take only a couple of bites and sips and jump right back on . I usually after about 5 days of the chicks hatching , I just put my hen back with the flock and keep the chicks separate from the main flock until they are about 3 months old . That moma hen needs to get back to her usual " thing " of eating , drinking and within maybe 2 to 4 weeks start laying again . She will put up a fuss not to be away from her chicks , BUT worked for me .