Silkie hen hatching/brooding questions

[Sandwitch]

Hi! So let me start off by saying that this is all still rather new to us so I have a couple questions. So we have a little silkie hen who has recently started to go a bit broody. We've still been taking the eggs but I'm starting to think about if we should just let her keep a couple and see if she really is broody enough to trust her with trying to actually hatch eggs.

One of my main questions is, is there some sort of fake egg thing we can give her that maybe changes color if it's being kept warm enough so we can see if she is taking it more seriously or anything like that?

We obviously aren't going to go give her fertile eggs today and see what happens but it is something we are starting to think about especially since we were looking at expanding our flock this spring.

Previously she hadn't been all that broody but since we lost our little silkie roo (RIP Batman ) and another silkie hen the rest of the littles have been acting a bit differently. Honestly given the fact that the silkies have been getting taken recently I do kind of like the idea of her maybe not being out free ranging with the big girls. I'm obviously not sure and am just kind of spit balling and brainstorming what we want to do now. Thank you guys!

 

[nuthatched]

I don't think any such product exists. Silkes are known for being insistent broodies, she'll like sit and sit.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Hi! So let me start off by saying that this is all still rather new to us so I have a couple questions. So we have a little silkie hen who has recently started to go a bit broody. We've still been taking the eggs but I'm starting to think about if we should just let her keep a couple and see if she really is broody enough to trust her with trying to actually hatch eggs.

One of my main questions is, is there some sort of fake egg thing we can give her that maybe changes color if it's being kept warm enough so we can see if she is taking it more seriously or anything like that?

We obviously aren't going to go give her fertile eggs today and see what happens but it is something we are starting to think about especially since we were looking at expanding our flock this spring.

Previously she hadn't been all that broody but since we lost our little silkie roo (RIP Batman ) and another silkie hen the rest of the littles have been acting a bit differently. Honestly given the fact that the silkies have been getting taken recently I do kind of like the idea of her maybe not being out free ranging with the big girls. I'm obviously not sure and am just kind of spit balling and brainstorming what we want to do now. Thank you guys!

There should be no testing. If she is dedicated to a nest those are very good odds she will hatch.

If you really want to assure yourself, let her sit for a day or two on infertile eggs. That there should be enough to tell you she is willing to go the whole time on them.

I have not had a broody hen quit before, though its always possible, no device can tell you how dedicated she will be because It can be completely random.