Silkie broody for the second time!! Ive never hatched but i want to!!

[Birdmom2020]

So shes been broody before. It didnt work out I think because I didnt get her away in time. This time shes 2 weeks in and I'm bringing her in this weekend. I'm curious tho. Shes sitting on a full nest. Not on purpose but the other girls keep squeezing in and laying in only that box for some reason. I understand if some dont hatch. I'm sure a silkie can't hatch 15 eggs. But would it be wrong for me to bring her in my house until they hatch and get a little older? Everyone is free range but I'm going to build an enclosed area for her and her babies where everyone can see but can't touch. Id love some pointers and any info I can get on this as this is my first time hatching but her second time broody.

Also I have made a nesting box on my porch that my girls have all started using so were not getting so many extra eggs in there. They were more than happy to use it but I dont understand why they wont use any of the other 6 nesting boxes in the coop!?

 

[MysteryChicken]

So shes been broody before. It didnt work out I think because I didnt get her away in time. This time shes 2 weeks in and I'm bringing her in this weekend. I'm curious tho. Shes sitting on a full nest. Not on purpose but the other girls keep squeezing in and laying in only that box for some reason. I understand if some dont hatch. I'm sure a silkie can't hatch 15 eggs. But would it be wrong for me to bring her in my house until they hatch and get a little older? Everyone is free range but I'm going to build an enclosed area for her and her babies where everyone can see but can't touch. Id love some pointers and any info I can get on this as this is my first time hatching but her second time broody.

Also I have made a nesting box on my porch that my girls have all started using so were not getting so many extra eggs in there. They were more than happy to use it but I dont understand why they wont use any of the other 6 nesting boxes in the coop!?

I have chickens like that, like laying eggs in one nesting box even though there's 4 more there to choose from.


If you want chicks, then let her hatch them. Do you have a small prefab coop you can put her, & her eggs in?

 

[Birdmom2020]

I have chickens like that, like laying eggs in one nesting box even though there's 4 more there to choose from.


If you want chicks, then let her hatch them. Do you have a small prefab coop you can put her, & her eggs in?

I'm actually moving her to a walk in closet I have. It's only used to store christmas decorations and I'm going to move them to a different closet for the time being. Once they're hatched and of course weather permitting were putting her out with a modified section of our coop so she can be around the other birds and they can see the babies but nobody can hurt them.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I'm actually moving her to a walk in closet I have. It's only used to store christmas decorations and I'm going to move them to a different closet for the time being. Once they're hatched and of course weather permitting were putting her out with a modified section of our coop so she can be around the other birds and they can see the babies but nobody can hurt them.

Okay, that may work.

 

[Birdmom2020]

Okay, that may work.

Is there anything else I can do?

 

[Yardmom]

You might want to give her a new set of eggs. With to many eggs it is likely that none of the eggs have had consistent heat. Also if other hens were adding eggs she will be ready to leave the nest with the first chicks before the others hatch. Ideally there should be less than 24 hours from first hatch to last.

 

[William Mellor15]

Is there anything else I can do?

Be careful not to move her about too much, i did that with one of my hens and the day after i had moved her into a new pen with the eggs, she was not clucky anymore. Try and secretly move her into the new pen and keep it covered with a blanket or something (make sure she can still breathe) for a couple of hours until she's settled in.

 

[Yardmom]

Some hens can be moved easier than others. A Silkie that has been broody for 2 weeks most likely can be moved. Some have had better luck doing it at night. I have moved hens during the day.

 

[Birdmom2020]

Some hens can be moved easier than others. A Silkie that has been broody for 2 weeks most likely can be moved. Some have had better luck doing it at night. I have moved hens during the day.

So now my other silkie is broody on this same nest. I went out with the intention on moving my original broody girl inside like we talked about before. But now I'm not sure what to do!?

 

[Birdmom2020]

So out of all the eggs that these 2 girls were sharing they hatched out 2 baby ducks!! But theyre still sitting on other eggs. I brought them in when I notice the pip on the first duck egg. Then a day and a half later the second baby hatched over night. They are doing awesome! They are 2 and 3 days old now. I had gotten some babies from tractor supply and one of the pair of ducklings I got from there didnt make it so I put the other with my silkies and they took it in as well as a black majestic baby that wasnt doing well. So my girls are raising 4 babies (3 ducks 1 chick) and they are such great mommas! I'm so very proud. Every one is doing great and theyre all healthy and happy!