Silkie

[Bowenzoo2018]

I have a silkie who would always come out of the coop and walk around and peck around. She starting laying about 4 weeks ago and about 2 days ago she has been up in her nesting box. This is my first time having silkies and not sure if there is something wrong or if this is normal.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Silkie are famous for going broody more than likely that is what she is doing does she flatten and puff as you reach in ?

 

[Bowenzoo2018]

Sometimes she does but not all the time.

 

[lilmillefleur]

She's very likely broody. That means she wants to hatch eggs and raise baby chicks!
If you have a rooster and you want to hatch chicks you can switch her to chick feed and keep her somewhat isolated from the rest, or keep them integrated.
If you don't have a rooster or don't want her to raise chicks, you can find or build a cage with a mesh bottom that is raised off the ground, a couple days in there and she will (temporarily) stop brooding. The airflow under her butt is supposed to make her stop wanting to set on eggs.

 

[Littlesilver87]

No need to worry about her going broody.. hens tend to stop laying for a bit while they’re broody - that’s about it. absolutely no need to worry

 

[Bowenzoo2018]

She's very likely broody. That means she wants to hatch eggs and raise baby chicks!
If you have a rooster and you want to hatch chicks you can switch her to chick feed and keep her somewhat isolated from the rest, or keep them integrated.
If you don't have a rooster or don't want her to raise chicks, you can find or build a cage with a mesh bottom that is raised off the ground, a couple days in there and she will (temporarily) stop brooding. The airflow under her butt is supposed to make her stop wanting to set on eggs.

Thank you! I don't have a rooster... I will try the other option

 

[Bowenzoo2018]

No need to worry about her going broody.. hens tend to stop laying for a bit while they’re broody - that’s about it. absolutely no need to worry

Thank you! I appreciate it. I won't worry

 

[pennyJo1960]

A bird can actually cause herself ill if broody is not broke

 

[lilmillefleur]

Thank you! I appreciate it. I won't worry

She may not like it but don’t give in !
I have never personally used the ‘broody jail’ method but it is reported to work better that frozen peas In the nest box. We tried sharp rocks and the still sat :/
Someone once said that they gave in and let her stay broody and their hen died. Not to say that your hen will starve if not broken, but it sometimes happens.

 

[Bowenzoo2018]

She may not like it but don’t give in !
I have never personally used the ‘broody jail’ method but it is reported to work better that frozen peas In the nest box. We tried sharp rocks and the still sat :/
Someone once said that they gave in and let her stay broody and their hen died. Not to say that your hen will starve if not broken, but it sometimes happens.

So I have a question today I decided to pull her out of the nesting box and just closed the door. She is not having it lol, but she has food and water outside the coop . So do I just leave the door closed til later this evening before they go in and go to bed? Sorry silkies are new to me and I don't want her to end up sick or die.