Staggered Hatch with Silkies

[CrownJewelDanes]

So what started as about 7 eggs and 1 hen around the 4th has now become 17 eggs with 3 hens all piled up on them lol. I have 4 silkie hens and one rooster in a pen together and they have been laying like little machines for the past month or so until the one went broody. I saw the 2 others sitting on the eggs along with her about a week into it but didn't think anything of it because silkies are notoriously broody and just thought that's what happened. I've been working a lot lately so haven't done my usual checking and candeling. Anyway, this evening I decided to candel a few and was shocked to find 17 eggs. So obviously they all aren't going to hatch at the same time, but because there are 3 hens trying to hatch them all what do you all think the chances of them continuing to sit once the first few hatch are ? Should I take them away as they hatch or leave them ? I have always had much better luck when hens raise their own. It just seems like the chicks do better and are hardier. So any thoughts/opinions ?

 

[nchls school]

So what started as about 7 eggs and 1 hen around the 4th has now become 17 eggs with 3 hens all piled up on them lol. I have 4 silkie hens and one rooster in a pen together and they have been laying like little machines for the past month or so until the one went broody. I saw the 2 others sitting on the eggs along with her about a week into it but didn't think anything of it because silkies are notoriously broody and just thought that's what happened. I've been working a lot lately so haven't done my usual checking and candeling. Anyway, this evening I decided to candel a few and was shocked to find 17 eggs. So obviously they all aren't going to hatch at the same time, but because there are 3 hens trying to hatch them all what do you all think the chances of them continuing to sit once the first few hatch are ? Should I take them away as they hatch or leave them ? I have always had much better luck when hens raise their own. It just seems like the chicks do better and are hardier. So any thoughts/opinions ?

Remove the chicks as they hatch and dry. When you have a few give them to one hen and leave two on the eggs. Keep doing this until all the eggs hatch. Good luck. Definitely candle again soon and remove any eggs that have DIS.

 

[CrownJewelDanes]

Thanks for the advice that's what I'm going to do. Candles all 17 last night and all lol fertile lol . Some are close to hatch and others are at various stages. This should be interesting to see how many actually hatch and make it

 

[nchls school]

Thanks for the advice that's what I'm going to do. Candles all 17 last night and all lol fertile lol . Some are close to hatch and others are at various stages. This should be interesting to see how many actually hatch and make it

Good luck. Post pictures when they hatch if you can. All 17? That's great.

 

[CrownJewelDanes]

Ok of the 17 I found 2 that looked ok the other day but had a blood ring so I removed them and candeled the rest again and the other 15 all look good. Can't wait to see how many hatch. I should have some chocolate and some black. cant wait to see how many of each lol. I'm sure more black than chocolate. Wonder if I'll be able to tell when they hatch ??

 

[nchls school]

Ok of the 17 I found 2 that looked ok the other day but had a blood ring so I removed them and candeled the rest again and the other 15 all look good. Can't wait to see how many hatch. I should have some chocolate and some black. cant wait to see how many of each lol. I'm sure more black than chocolate. Wonder if I'll be able to tell when they hatch ??

You will be able to tell color when they hatch. If you do no know the bird's background you could get other colors too.

 

[CrownJewelDanes]

Well the person who started the project started with a chocolate serama roo and 2 black silkie hens. The hens carried only black. She then bred strictly black silkies back in periodically. The roo and 4 hens I have are 5 generations from the original breeding. So that considered will the chocolate chicks look chocolate when they hatch ? They all look black but the roo has some white tail feathers and some white feathers hear and there. He almost looks kind of salt and pepper for lack of a better way to put it and the hens are all black but a couple of them have what looks like a very few reddish brown feathers on the neck. I'll try and get some pics to show you. It might be hard because the 3 hens are one big pile. The roo will be easier.

 

[CrownJewelDanes]

Well the person who started the project started with a chocolate serama roo and 2 black silkie hens. The hens carried only black. She then bred strictly black silkies back in periodically. The roo and 4 hens I have are 5 generations from the original breeding. So that considered will the chocolate chicks look chocolate when they hatch ? They all look black but the roo has some white tail feathers and some white feathers hear and there. He almost looks kind of salt and pepper for lack of a better way to put it and the hens are all black but a couple of them have what looks like a very few reddish brown feathers on the neck. I'll try and get some pics to show you. It might be hard because the 3 hens are one big pile. The roo will be easier.

 

[nchls school]

Well the person who started the project started with a chocolate serama roo and 2 black silkie hens. The hens carried only black. She then bred strictly black silkies back in periodically. The roo and 4 hens I have are 5 generations from the original breeding. So that considered will the chocolate chicks look chocolate when they hatch ? They all look black but the roo has some white tail feathers and some white feathers hear and there. He almost looks kind of salt and pepper for lack of a better way to put it and the hens are all black but a couple of them have what looks like a very few reddish brown feathers on the neck. I'll try and get some pics to show you. It might be hard because the 3 hens are one big pile. The roo will be easier.

I'll look forward to seeing pictures. If you go online and look at images of chocolate silkie chicks you will know what to watch for.