Newbie Hatching Questions

[TiaView]

Hi all. I LOVE this forum. Everyone is a wealth of information...so thanks in advance. I have already learned so much. But, I do need to ask what to many are probably some very beginner questions...so forgive me...
I thought that in the Spring I'd like to have some of my young silkie hens (just started laying about a month ago) hatch out some of my Delaware's eggs. I know that the Silkies must be broody first...and then I guess I must have collected and marked my Delaware's eggs....HOW do I collect and store eggs for this? Are they to be kept at a certain temperature until I place them under the Silkies?
My plan is to let them hatch and then put them right into a brooder. Does this upset the hen and interfere with her hatching the rest of the eggs?
Also, how warm should it be here in the Northeast before I let them hatch out chicks?
Any/all advice welcome.....

 

[Cowgirl71]

Here's a link about collecting and storing hatching eggs: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/166/care-and-incubation-of-hatching-eggs

Hopefully someone else can answer your other two questions!

 

[midget_farms]

She will care for the chicks when they hatch - no need to go into a brooder.

As long as she doens't have too many chicks under her - the temps can be pretty cold too - she will sit on them & keep them warm for as long as it takes.

It will upset her if you take all of her chicks - if you don't want to leave them in the cold - leave her 1 - she will love it.

You can't really predict when one will go broody though - I had 2 buff orps go broody & none of my silkies.

Store the eggs at basement temps -

 

[TiaView]

Thanks, very helpful. I was wondering if taking ALL of the chicks would be too much for the hen. Thanks for the answer.