Silkie Hen Hatching Question

[303hunter]

I have a white silkie hen that lays ~2 eggs per week. Will she lay until she's ready to sit on them? I'm fairly new to raising chickens, and have hatched 3 of her eggs in my incubator, but several people have told me that I don't need the incubator, because silkies are so broody. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[nchls school]

I have a white silkie hen that lays ~2 eggs per week. Will she lay until she's ready to sit on them? I'm fairly new to raising chickens, and have hatched 3 of her eggs in my incubator, but several people have told me that I don't need the incubator, because silkies are so broody. Any advice would be appreciated.

The quickest way to get her to brood is to leave her eggs in the nest if no other hen is laying eggs in that spot. Often silkies will go broody on an empty nest (two of mine are doing just that right now). Silkies go broody quickly. I don't think that my two laid more than a half dozen eggs before going broody. They make excellent mothers.

 

[furry feet]

Most of the time other hens will lay in with her if you only have one see very well may stop laying and just sit on the one

 

[303hunter]

The quickest way to get her to brood is to leave her eggs in the nest if no other hen is laying eggs in that spot. Often silkies will go broody on an empty nest (two of mine are doing just that right now). Silkies go broody quickly. I don't think that my two laid more than a half dozen eggs before going broody. They make excellent mothers.

I'll leave her eggs then. Might add some orphington eggs to her nest.

 

[303hunter]

Most of the time other hens will lay in with her if you only have one see very well may stop laying and just sit on the one

She's the only one in that coupe thats laying right now.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

If you leave the eggs in the nest, mark them so you can remove them later. Depending on how long it takes her to go broody and your weather, you probably won't want to use the eggs you "bait her" with, they'll probably be bad. I use golf balls when I want to encourage broodiness. Then I take a few days to collect or track down fresh eggs when I'm sure my hens are serious about sitting.

Good luck!

 

[303hunter]

If you leave the eggs in the nest, mark them so you can remove them later. Depending on how long it takes her to go broody and your weather, you probably won't want to use the eggs you "bait her" with, they'll probably be bad. I use golf balls when I want to encourage broodiness. Then I take a few days to collect or track down fresh eggs when I'm sure my hens are serious about sitting.

Good luck!

I meant that I'd leave the other eggs for her to hatch. I've read many times where silkie hens will hatch other hens eggs. My other hens lay well, but are not broody at all. I do have a few golf balls though....