Silkies just started laying.

[Sublight]

They just started laying about a week ago.
I want them to become broody, so how soon can it be? Im going to make her a little dark box and put a few fake eggs in it to get her "in the mood".

Should I give her a little while to do this? She is not hatching her own eggs, she will be hatching eggs laid by other chickens.

 

[chicmom]

Broodiness is sort of a hormonal thing with chickens. It sort of just "comes over them" randomly. I suppose you could put a few eggs in a nest and see if she gets in the mood, but I don't think it can be forced. I have a broody one that just started last week! I thought it was an odd time for a hen to want to hatch chicks. We don't have a rooster, so I just put her outside each day to make sure she gets to eat and exercise....

 

[MageofMist]

My silkie hen goes broody roughly every 2 months... Pretty much as soon as her last batch are 2 months old. She isn't a pecky broody when she first starts, thankfully, so I can roll the eggs out from under her with little resistance other than her trying to roll it back under herself... As much as I love the adorable chicks, I don't have the room for more... I started with 2 and ended up with 12 in just 6 or 7 months!