should i give her another egg?

[technodoll]

My silkie hen is sitting on two eggs right now (one from yesterday morning and one from today), will that mean the potential chicks will hatch 2 days apart?

Should I give her a 3rd one tomorrow morning?

Would that mean a potential hatching over 3 days?

I need to move mom & babies out of the nesting box as soon as they're born so it's a concern, need to plan this out...

ps: one egg is small and one is normal -sized, is this an issue?

THANK YOU!

 

[HorseFeathers]

If she's been sitting on them consistently since the day they were laid, then yes, I think they will. But it is more probable that she is waiting for more eggs... but you tell me.
I'd go ahead and give her the egg, though you run the risk of her abandoning either the first-hatched chick(s) or remaining eggs if the hatching is, in fact, staggered.

Did she lay both eggs? If so then the smaller one is probably a dud. If not, no worries. One chick will just be bigger (standard) and one will be a bantam.

 

[dacjohns]

The two different size eggs is not an issue. I would go ahead and add the third egg just to see what happens.

One of the miracles of hatching, especially with a broody, is a synchronized hatch. Mother Nature takes care of things. A typical clutch has 8 eggs. You know they all laid the same day yet they still hatch on the same day.

 

[technodoll]

OK thanks, I will add a 3rd egg tomorrow and see what happens...

She's too small to comfortably sit on more than 3 or 4 eggs, so I hope she'll be happy with that!

She's not laying anymore since she's gone broody, so the eggs aren't hers - in fact this morning I found her sitting on a clutch of 3 eggs in one nesting box, she had abandoned the one egg she had been sitting on all day yesterday in another nesting box. It was cool to the touch, not cold, so I put her back on it again and she hasn't left it since (also added one of the eggs she was sitting on this morning).

hope all goes well... specially with the move after the chicks have hatched, if there are any

 

[Farmer Benjii]

Quote:
EIGHT?! My australorp was sitting on 34 for eggs!, unfortuantly only 5 hatched, one got out of the coop and died

and the other one well it did'nt hatch properly and died

leaving us with 3 chicks, but we were still happy with our three cute chicks

(another chicken went broody leaving us with three chicks

Oh and i would would say if you loves having chickens around give her as much as you can! Happy chickening

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
EIGHT?! My australorp was sitting on 34 for eggs!, unfortuantly only 5 hatched, one got out of the coop and died

and the other one well it did'nt hatch properly and died

leaving us with 3 chicks, but we were still happy with our three cute chicks

(another chicken went broody leaving us with three chicks

Oh and i would would say if you loves having chickens around give her as much as you can! Happy chickening

I might be wrong, will have to research.


34 eggs, sounds like other birds were using a communal nest.



How about 8 to 12?

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Actually, If she is constantly sitting, and brooding then they will still hatch a day apart.
The syncronizing thing only works if she lays a clutch, and THEN broods.


If she is brooding though, then she shouldnt be laying.

Good Luck!
Jason

 

[technodoll]

Should I take a couple eggs from the fridge and go slip them under her right now, so that the eggs can hatch at the same time?

Eggs that were laid a couple of days ago...

Would they still be viable??

 

[dacjohns]

They might be. There are stories of store bought eggs being hatched out.

 

[technodoll]

OK I'll try that, in the hopes there MAY be a chick in there or two...

I mostly want her to STAY on the eggs she has and not wander off in the morning looking for a bigger clutch, you know?