Silkie thread!

[ocap]

sounds like every breed has hens that want to be mothers and go broody, thanks for all the input, I am glad I ordered silkies again, I miss them. I am going to keep them near the house, coffee every morning with the broods

 

[sheeshshe]

Ok, I am SOOO confused right now. I went out there to get the silkie egg from my broody to candle it, it is gone!!! she has the LF eggs I gave her, but the silkie egg is gone, no trace of it!! did she eat it or something??

 

[aoxa]

Ok, I am SOOO confused right now. I went out there to get the silkie egg from my broody to candle it, it is gone!!! she has the LF eggs I gave her, but the silkie egg is gone, no trace of it!! did she eat it or something??

She'll eat it if it's bad, or if it was broken. Their instinct is to keep the nest clean, and if there is a bad egg, the only way to save the other eggs is to either eat it, or roll it far away where the predators wouldn't find her current nest.

Some will just roll it immediately out of the nest (not far) and others will roll it very far. I've had them eat bad eggs and quitters. I've had other hens try to get in and break the egg and then the mother cleans it up.

Have also found an egg stuck under broody's belly and bum fluff.

 

[sheeshshe]

i looked in her feathers and didn't see it I'm so bummed!! I had given her an infertile egg and that one was still there! that was my test egg to see if she was really broody or just egg bound. she took it, so I gave her the silkie egg. man Oh man. and she went out side and was still out there for 10 min, so I took the other 3 eggs and put them in the incubator (LF eggs my friend gave me) and left her with just one. who knows! Now I just want to see something hatch out! LOL

man. so that silkie egg must not have took then, huh? what a bummer! nobody else is laying yet. I'm getting impatient!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My broody has a seriously dirty butt, like seriously dirty. Its pretty cold here, so I'm not sure if I should leave it or clean it. If I bring her inside and bathe her, I'll have to blow dry her too- and that seems to take forever. Also, I think if I clean her up, her little bum will just end up poopy again. I've caught her pooping while sitting on her eggs several times. She does, then moves the eggs to a spot away from the yuck (she's not actually pooping on them though). I pulled her off and made her come out this morning, while she was getting a drink I checked her butt. It doesn't look like the poo is touching her skin (to me) but its close. Should I bathe her or leave it until the eggs hatch? I don't know what to do with her!!!!
Nikki

 

[aoxa]

My broody has a seriously dirty butt, like seriously dirty. Its pretty cold here, so I'm not sure if I should leave it or clean it. If I bring her inside and bathe her, I'll have to blow dry her too- and that seems to take forever. Also, I think if I clean her up, her little bum will just end up poopy again. I've caught her pooping while sitting on her eggs several times. She does, then moves the eggs to a spot away from the yuck (she's not actually pooping on them though). I pulled her off and made her come out this morning, while she was getting a drink I checked her butt. It doesn't look like the poo is touching her skin (to me) but its close. Should I bathe her or leave it until the eggs hatch?

I don't know what to do with her!!!!
Nikki

In the summer I just sprayed my broody's butt with a hose on a light setting (cochin). Otherwise I just leave it. I don't want to mess too much with a broody.

Kick her out of the nest twice a day to prevent any further pooping.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Okie dokie. I'll leave her then. I guess when the eggs hatch I'll bring her in the house, plop the chicks in the brooder and clean her booty. It doesn't seem to be bothering her, but its bothering me bc it looks gross. Thanks
Nikki

 

[aoxa]

Okie dokie. I'll leave her then. I guess when the eggs hatch I'll bring her in the house, plop the chicks in the brooder and clean her booty. It doesn't seem to be bothering her, but its bothering me bc it looks gross. Thanks

Nikki

That's what I would do.


My broody silkie Pearl had a terrible dirty bum. She kept pooping in the nest.

Lorraine did not (right).


Clean as a whistle (what is up with that term anyway? )

 

[sheeshshe]

man, I am so sad about the egg! she's the only one laying, we're not going to get any eggs till who knows when now again.... she probably won't lay again for another month. Let's see, Peppermint is about 7 mos old, and Lucia (still not sure if she's really a she, but she's tiny) is 5 mos.

I might be waiting a while! I am quite disappointed in Peppermints crest. I was hoping it would have filled out by now, but it still hasn't!

 

[aoxa]

man, I am so sad about the egg! she's the only one laying, we're not going to get any eggs till who knows when now again.... she probably won't lay again for another month. Let's see, Peppermint is about 7 mos old, and Lucia (still not sure if she's really a she, but she's tiny) is 5 mos.

I might be waiting a while! I am quite disappointed in Peppermints crest. I was hoping it would have filled out by now, but it still hasn't!

I wouldn't worry about one egg. Your 7 month old will start laying soon enough.

The egg was most likely bad if it's gone.