- Jun 8, 2014
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My white silkie hen (Puff) went broody about 3 months ago and hasn't gave us any eggs since! Also, she has lost a lot of feathers, should I be worried?
Silkie not happy
- Thread starter EmilysChickens
- Start date
It sounds like your little hen has had a ' double whammy '. They stop laying when they are broody and also when they are moulting. Sounds like she's done both. You should up her protein and perhaps a little probiotic powder on her feed would help .
Hello 
and Welcome To BYC! Silkies are really determined broodies and will often brood almost indefinitely, they don't lay while they are broody and hens will often pluck their chest feathers to make a nest. She is acting normally for a broody, but if you are not going to let her hatch eggs/ raise chicks, I would try to break her of being broody... since they will go on for months and months as you are finding out, it really isn't the best thing for their health since they don't eat and drink or exercise right etc. You might like to check out the BYC Learning Center, lots of good articles on all aspects of chicken keeping. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center and there are several good ones on broody hens in the Hatching Eggs section you might find helpful. a nice article that has some tips for discouraging them, https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens I like to use the wire cage method mentioned, usually a wire dog crate, I like to put roosts in because the wire is usually spaced wide enough that they can't stand/sit on it comfortably (most dog crates seem to be around 1x4" spacing). and keep the crate in the middle of the coop/barn isle where thing are really busy, you want the hen to be bothered. For food and water I like to use small bowls I hang from the sides since some hens will sit in bowls on the floor.
and Welcome To BYC! Silkies are really determined broodies and will often brood almost indefinitely, they don't lay while they are broody and hens will often pluck their chest feathers to make a nest. She is acting normally for a broody, but if you are not going to let her hatch eggs/ raise chicks, I would try to break her of being broody... since they will go on for months and months as you are finding out, it really isn't the best thing for their health since they don't eat and drink or exercise right etc. You might like to check out the BYC Learning Center, lots of good articles on all aspects of chicken keeping. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center and there are several good ones on broody hens in the Hatching Eggs section you might find helpful. a nice article that has some tips for discouraging them, https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens I like to use the wire cage method mentioned, usually a wire dog crate, I like to put roosts in because the wire is usually spaced wide enough that they can't stand/sit on it comfortably (most dog crates seem to be around 1x4" spacing). and keep the crate in the middle of the coop/barn isle where thing are really busy, you want the hen to be bothered. For food and water I like to use small bowls I hang from the sides since some hens will sit in bowls on the floor.
Welcome to BYC!
X2...Many times a hen will go broody and then when the broodiness has passed, she goes into a molt. Very common. They will stop laying during these times. So not to worry. Once she is done regrowing all her feathers, she will get back to laying.
Enjoy all your poultry adventures and welcome to our flock!
- Thread starter
- #7
- Jun 8, 2014
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- 7
Thank you for all the fast replys!! Means a lot!!
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