Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Scooter&Suzie]

Just how does one determine the sex of a Silky. outside of waiting for it to crow....?

Me needs a couple of Silky pullets.

deb

I do it by body shape, comb, feathers, and personality. The males sometimes seem a bit stockier and bigger (not always, though). They also seem a bit more skittish and sometimes bite and peck aggressively (although silkies are calm, so they aren't normally aggressive). Sometimes they get their combs faster too. I had a feeling that two of my chicks were a rooster, and the other was a hen. I was right, at only a few weeks old I was right. I have NO clue how I guessed that! There is no 100% way to know until they crow or lay an egg though. I right now think a certain two are males and a certain one is a girl. The one already has a big comb while no one else does, so I'm sure that one is a cockeral.

 

[perchie.girl]

I do it by body shape, comb, feathers, and personality. The males sometimes seem a bit stockier and bigger (not always, though). They also seem a bit more skittish and sometimes bite and peck aggressively (although silkies are calm, so they aren't normally aggressive). Sometimes they get their combs faster too. I had a feeling that two of my chicks were a rooster, and the other was a hen. I was right, at only a few weeks old I was right. I have NO clue how I guessed that! There is no 100% way to know until they crow or lay an egg though. I right now think a certain two are males and a certain one is a girl. The one already has a big comb while no one else does, so I'm sure that one is a cockeral.

Ok so there is hope..... as long as I get to choose from a group that are all the same age.... I already have nine roos so an extra couple wont make a difference.

I was given two Silkey roos I bought an Aruacana hen and Roo.... his cage mate needed a home too so I wound up with a MONSTER barred rock roo. I swear that Rock is at least two feet tall.....

with a Kazoo crow He does a Doodle do and then finishes with a Kazoo. All are very sweet and under a year. Then I have fourteen Wellies and four Wellie Roos all under two months. So my Silkey boys need some girlfriends. But I would like to keep my bachelor flock small enough so they can share one breed pen.

deb

 

[bobbieschicks]

I am sure of the days and since I didn't see or hear anything in them, I went ahead and opened them. They were dead, fully formed other than absorbing the yoke. One had even pipped the shell.
Any ideas why two different hens would both lose the chicks right at the end?

I am so sorry for your loss. If they were in a bator I'd say they had humidity or temp problems. Were these shipped eggs or from your flock? Could there be genetic issues? I don't know why that would happen and I hope it doesn't happen again.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I am just sitting here waiting on my silkie Wilma to start laying again. She was a great momma and I cant wait to do it again. I had to sell her last two layer chicks that were her first hatch.  She was not happy at all but there was no room for them to stay.  I also realized that they were half the size of the other 10 that hatched the same day.  Is it because they were out and about and not in a brooder or because they ate like a silkie(next to nothing)?

Did they hatch from smaller eggs? My two chicks from the WL/EE mix came out of pullet eggs. They started much smaller then the other chicks of similar age but hae caught up in size.

 

[lisaequine1]

I am so sorry for your loss. If they were in a bator I'd say they had humidity or temp problems. Were these shipped eggs or from your flock? Could there be genetic issues? I don't know why that would happen and I hope it doesn't happen again.

These were from my own flock. Three of the eggs were from the same parents and the other one was possibly the same father. I am also wondering about the genetics, they are just hatchery birds. Arrgh, this was supposed to be fun!

 

[JoshU]

Did they hatch from smaller eggs? My two chicks from the WL/EE mix came out of pullet eggs. They started much smaller then the other chicks of similar age but hae caught up in size.

Nope. All from large eggs. Same hens layed them all. I really think they just thought they were silkies. Didnt perch either. Just strange that they were half the.size of the others.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Opened the broody area to clean, walked away for a second and both Brodie's flew out to run around. They both got up into the main coop and tried to talk with the babies through the hardware cloth. Then they went at each other for being near the babies. I ended up putting both girls back in with their babies. I think that is safest for now.

 

[MuscovyMad]

I usually get mine out sit them on the ground and they usually stay off about 30 min. but even on hatch day i will go out pick them up or scoot the egg out from under them look at it listen to it and if I see or hear anything then i know we're on schedule after that i leave them alone till the next day when i look to see if all have hatched. Mine just naturally go back to the nest. maybe you should try to see if they will go back on their own.

Ok thanks. I guess i was being a bit paranoid about the eggs cooling down as it's quite cool in their shed. I had them out today and they went back in by themselves after 12 minutes of being outside. I just kept putting them back in the other days as they were just lying sun bathing on the grass.

On hatch day i'll have a look to see whats going on. It's just so tempting. I'm used to having them hatch in incubators where you can see every pip unzipping right in front of you. It's going to be tricky leaving her to it but i suppose it's for the best.

Thanks again for your help. Just 6 days left now

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok thanks. I guess i was being a bit paranoid about the eggs cooling down as it's quite cool in their shed. I had them out today and they went back in by themselves after 12 minutes of being outside. I just kept putting them back in the other days as they were just lying sun bathing on the grass.

On hatch day i'll have a look to see whats going on. It's just so tempting. I'm used to having them hatch in incubators where you can see every pip unzipping right in front of you. It's going to be tricky leaving her to it but i suppose it's for the best.

Thanks again for your help. Just 6 days left now

You'll love it when you get to see mama and chicks together. It is just awesome. Glad they went back on their own. If your hens are pretty easy going it shouldn't be a problem to check of and on through the day, just remember they have been hatching alot longer than us and know how to do it better. let us know!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nope. All from large eggs. Same hens layed them all. I really think they just thought they were silkies. Didnt perch either. Just strange that they were half the.size of the others.

They learned from the one that hatched them.