You can do that or at least try. 50% will be cockerels and not pullets. And you won't be leaving your place bird free to help eliminate any possibility of whatever virus you may be seeing right now.
But if your birds seem fine and you want to hatch it up, do it.
I just wouldn't bring in any new birds and I also wouldn't try sell or give any away without knowing for sure what the sneezing and wheezing was and if it's something that runs it course and becomes history or if it lays latent waiting to re-emerge.I bred Silkies for a few years. Quite honestly they are excessively broody but NOT the the best broody's ever. My large fowl ladies brood circles around the Silkies, fend of predators better, raise more chicks, etc. Broody Silkies can be more effort than they are worth, and that's why I don't keep them anymore personally. One reason I like to use an incubator (aside from power outages) is because *most* broody's raise their chicks to avoid people so they are often less friendly. Broody's are cranky beehive's also. One plus of incubators, bought new they don't spread anything to your flock. But broody hens do have their pluses of course. Seeing a chick mum and family is quite lovely!
Your 6 year old chicken and other will eventually face their own mortality just like the rest of us. Genetics may help her live longer or not.
With birds that age, plus Silkies who will be broody, not laying, and raising chicks int he future... I would switch away from "layer" feed and use an unmedicated "starter" or a flock raiser type feed IF you have them available... with the added calcium source on the side for active layers. Those not in lay do not need the added calcium of layer and it could lead to kidney issues including one type of gout, possible failure, and even sudden death... though most often in those that are genetically predisposed somehow. In juveniles it can also inhibit growth and delay onset of production. "Layer" is too low in protein and amino acids for chicks aside from the calcium issue.
The sneezing would not line up with my following statement. But for what it's worth... many failing birds will have a hard time breathing as organs shut down everything becomes labored, even in chicks that have no disease exposure but are simply failing to thrive.
Don't forget that chickens are omnivores. They enjoy veggies, grass, and cereal grains (should be small amounts as they are often low protein and not diminishing the vitamins and minerals in the formulated ration is key). But they like bugs, and meat as well.
Yes i will definetly wait! At least to spring, maybe the next-next spring...
) and drank in a dirty waterer (dirty cause there were some old poops [i don't know who the poops are obviously]) that i didn't disinfect and that i putted out of the coop cause i didn't want they use it.
