Silky raising chicks?

[Angelic Vampyre]

I got two silky hens over the weekend, they are approx 14 weeks old and later down the track if they want to go broody I will let them and then buy fertile eggs and put under them that way they can do all the work

However when i mentioned this to a few people they said that the silkys will abandon the chicks if they believe they are not theirs, I really did not think this was the case. Should I only put silky eggs under them or would another breed be ok?

 

[KellyHM]

A Silkie (with an "ie"

) will take care of any babies that she hatches. People are probably referring to trying and stick chicks from the feed store under them, which works occasionally but not often. As long as they hatch the eggs they will raise the babies as their own.

 

[Judy]

I don't really think there are any absolutes with broodies. They might set the 21 days or not, they might accept feed store chicks, they might be good moms, or they might attack the chicks. Silkies probably average better than many other breeds at setting and raising chicks, but any chicken is still an individual.

My Kraienkoppe spent 8 weeks mothering three feed store BO's, after her hatch produced one BO chick who died in a couple of days. She had mothered before. I don't know how the one hatched chick died. It is possible that she or the other chicks killed it because it was a few days younger, and smaller.

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[Angelic Vampyre]

thanks guys. I have a friend who is happy to give me fertile eggs or there are a few places I can buy them from for about $20 for half a dozen. If it all goes to hell I am out $20 if the bator stuffs up I am out closer to $300 so figure Ican always chance it with free eggs but just wants to make sure that I could in fact put them under her and at least try