No eggs, so sad

[tbest5179]

I picked up my 6 chickens from a local farmer here on Mar 6: 2 silkies, 2 RIRs and 2 australorps. Love them all!
The 2 silkies were 10+ months old and I got an egg a day between the two of them for the first 3 weeks or so; pure bliss! The other 4 were born around Nov 1 or so (if I remember her right), so I'm not really expecting anything out of them for another couple weeks.
The silkies, though, are worrying me. They dont leave the nest box hardly ever. We had golf balls in there, but removed them for fear they were trying to hatch them. Now, they just sit on nothing all day. No eggs from either for a few weeks.
Ideas? Tips? Tricks?
Thanks!

 

[Chickenaddict]

Silkies are known for going broody and from what it sounds like seems to me they are either going broody or are full blown broody. Get some fertile eggs and use those broodies to hatch more chickies

... Thats what i'd do. I have been wanting silkies for a long time. Do they puff out and scream at you when you put your hand in the nest? If they only get off the nest a few times a day to eat and drink looks like you hit the free incubator jackpot

ETA

 

[tbest5179]

Not to be ungrateful to the silkies for all their efforts, but I dont really want/need to incubate anything at this point. Is there any way to get them out of their broodiness? You described them exactly: they puff up when I reach in!

 

[Chickenaddict]

There are a few ways to try and break them of the cycle, one is to put them in a wire bottom cage without nesting materials for a few days, another way is to dip them in cold water. I have tried the wire cage but it doesn't always work with a super stubborn hen and the cold water trick seems cruel so i have never tried it personally.

 

[alanb]

Quote:
NEW EGG ; I'm a new Egg also , BUT !! You are trying to make them do something that isn't natural !!! If you have a "ROO" in the pen , just give them some Egg's to set on .... You will enjoy !!! .... ALAN B .

 

[cmom]

Silkies are broody. I would try the wire bottom. It worked for some friends of mine.