Silkies gone broody yay! But 1 question

[Oldmedicineranchpoultry]

Hello Everyone! I have 3 silkie hens originally only one was broody so I gave her 12 eggs to hatch she's now on day 14 but the other 2 silkie hens have decided they are all going to sit on the same nest. My question is if I add new eggs (marked differently from the first batch of eggs) for the other 2 mommas to hatch will they all abandon the nest once the first batch of eggs hatch on the 18th? Or can I remove the momma and her babies after they hatch to a separate brooding pen and will the other 2 hens stay on the unhatched eggs? I've tried moving the other 2 hens into a different spot and they aren't having it. They literally go and move the eggs to the nest with the first momma even if it's across the coop. I don't mind them being broody as that means my incubator is open for quail eggs but I want to make sure I'm set up for success and that I'm setting up the ladies for success too. This is my first time hatching with silkies so any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

 

[Ridgerunner]

once the first batch of eggs hatch on the 18th?

Sometimes full sized fowl eggs hatch early, sometimes late. Sometimes bantam eggs hatch early or hatch late. Sometimes Silkie eggs hatch early or late. Don't be surprised if they don't hatch at 18 days.

Or can I remove the momma and her babies after they hatch to a separate brooding pen and will the other 2 hens stay on the unhatched eggs?

Typically not. You may read a story on here where that happened but that is unusual. Typically all hens come off the nest hen the chicks hatch.

I've tried moving the other 2 hens into a different spot and they aren't having it.

The way to move a broody hen is to build a cage with a nest and room for food and water and not much else. Lock the broody in there until she accepts the move and leave her locked in there until she hatches eggs. Some hens may accept a move like that after a few days and accept that new nest as hers when you let her out to roam but many will go back to their old nest, even a week or more later after you think they have accepted the move.

Some broody hens can work together to incubate and raise chicks. I've had a broody hen abandon her separate nest when she heard chicks pipping in another broody hen's nest and fight that broody so she could take over the nest. They destroyed half of the eggs, all with a living healthy chick in it. Since then I separate my broody hens so they can't get to each others' nest.

If I don't want a hen to hatch eggs I break her from being broody. If you want more chicks and have room for them or a use for them by all means go ahead. But just because a hen goes broody doesn't mean I give her eggs. With Silkies you might have a lot going broody.

 

[Oldmedicineranchpoultry]

Sometimes full sized fowl eggs hatch early, sometimes late. Sometimes bantam eggs hatch early or hatch late. Sometimes Silkie eggs hatch early or late. Don't be surprised if they don't hatch at 18 days.


Typically not. You may read a story on here where that happened but that is unusual. Typically all hens come off the nest hen the chicks hatch.


The way to move a broody hen is to build a cage with a nest and room for food and water and not much else. Lock the broody in there until she accepts the move and leave her locked in there until she hatches eggs. Some hens may accept a move like that after a few days and accept that new nest as hers when you let her out to roam but many will go back to their old nest, even a week or more later after you think they have accepted the move.

Some broody hens can work together to incubate and raise chicks. I've had a broody hen abandon her separate nest when she heard chicks pipping in another broody hen's nest and fight that broody so she could take over the nest. They destroyed half of the eggs, all with a living healthy chick in it. Since then I separate my broody hens so they can't get to each others' nest.

If I don't want a hen to hatch eggs I break her from being broody. If you want more chicks and have room for them or a use for them by all means go ahead. But just because a hen goes broody doesn't mean I give her eggs. With Silkies you might have a lot going broody.

Thank you for the advice! I do have the space and use for a large amount of chicks this year so that's not a problem in fact I want each of the 3 silkies to hatch a clutch of eggs so I will separate them as you recommend! I've been keeping a close eye on the eggs/nest just incase she breaks, possible early hatchers, and late hatchers as I have 2 incubators so I can intervene if needed with the unhatched eggs. I'm hopeful that I won't have to use my incubators but I'm prepared for it. I just wasn't sure how to go about hatching eggs at different times with hens I've always used incubators other than with our waterfowl. everywhere I looked for advice all I saw was people letting their silkies nest together and hatch crazy amounts of eggs! I wanted more points of view and ideas than just a mass silkie nest! Yeah I had to break them from going broody to early for Montana I'm sure I'll have to do that this fall going into winter with the silkies. That must have been brutal when she abandoned the nest I hate when things like that happen on the ranch with any of the livestock it's just heart breaking. I'm sorry that happened but I'm thankful to learn from your experience!