new to chickens- Buff orpington hatching silkie eggs

[leanna1120]

Hi All,
I'm relatively new to chicken keeping...got my first round of peepers last fall who have matured into a nice flock of eggs layers. 3 BO's, 4 RIR's, and 4 BR's...all hens. One of my Buff's has gone broody and I'm dying to add a few silkies to the mix. I have a few questions regarding this.

1. Would it be okay to slip her some silkie eggs to hatch? Does giving her bantams change anything about motherhood for the BO?
2. If she does hatch them, is this a reasonable way to introduce silkies into a large group of hens? Would they require special attention after hatching or could I just let mama fend for them?
3. Suggestions on where to get silkie hatching eggs?

Thank you all in advance for your time!!

Leanna

 

[scflock]

Hi All,
I'm relatively new to chicken keeping...got my first round of peepers last fall who have matured into a nice flock of eggs layers. 3 BO's, 4 RIR's, and 4 BR's...all hens. One of my Buff's has gone broody and I'm dying to add a few silkies to the mix. I have a few questions regarding this.

1. Would it be okay to slip her some silkie eggs to hatch? Does giving her bantams change anything about motherhood for the BO?
2. If she does hatch them, is this a reasonable way to introduce silkies into a large group of hens? Would they require special attention after hatching or could I just let mama fend for them?
3. Suggestions on where to get silkie hatching eggs?

Thank you all in advance for your time!!

Leanna

Hatching under a broody is the perfect way to introduce new chicks into the mix. She will hatch them and treat them as her own. You just have to pay attention to how the larger hens treat them as they grow. I've had it both ways. Some of my flocks accept any new hatches as a part of the family. My cuckoo marans, on the other hand, will kill any chick that hatches in the pen. Bantams will hatch large fowl, and vice versa. I sold a friend a pair of silkies and a pair of large fowl polish last year. His silkie hen just hatched out 4 polish eggs. Cutest thing I've ever seen

 

[leanna1120]

Thanks so much for your reply!! The pic is adorable I'm still trying to hunt down some silkie eggs but hoping to get my broody something to sit on soon!!