Strange Nest Box Behavior - young Black Silkie Bantam

[SapphireVL]

I have a mixed breed flock of all hens. They have a clean coop and run, and free range in our large yard for several hours each day. One chicken is a black silkie bantam that is 6 1/2 months old. She recently started to lay eggs (about 2 weeks ago). For the past three days, she has sat in a nesting box (on no eggs) all day and all night. She will not leave the box unless I remove her from it, then she promptly races back to the nesting box. I took her to the vet yesterday -- they checked her and said she is healthy, and not egg bound, although they couldn't tell me anything more. I figured she was broody, so I tried several recommended tips including secluding her in a dog crate this morning. I left her in the crate for five hours, during which she was very unhappy. She kept chirping and trying to jump out of the crate, although at least she ate and drank and pooped normally while she was in the crate. However, as soon as I let her out of the crate, she raced back to the nesting box. I thought she was too young to be broody, so why is she in the nesting box on -0- eggs for such a prolonged period?

 

[SilverBirds]

I've had a cochin hen that would sit on nothing. It sounds like she is broody. You need to leave her in the crate for AT LEAST 24 hours. Sometimes 48-72 is an order... She is pretty young to be broody, but silkies have hard core mother instincts.

 

[SapphireVL]

Thank you for your response. I will try the crate again, and this time leave her in there for 24 hours.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you for your response. I will try the crate again, and this time leave her in there for 24 hours.

Silkies are notorious for being broody. 24 hours would be pretty short as far as breaking goes - 48 hrs is more typical but you can easily go into several days if the bird is dedicated. I wouldn't let her out to test if she's still showing signs of broodiness, like puffing up, making ticking sounds, pacing and obsessing over getting back to the nest, etc. - once she stops showing those signs you can try testing her and see if she heads back to the next box. If she does, at least another 24 hrs in the crate, and so on.

 

[Painted Calls]

Silkies are notorious for being broody. 24 hours would be pretty short as far as breaking goes - 48 hrs is more typical but you can easily go into several days if the bird is dedicated. I wouldn't let her out to test if she's still showing signs of broodiness, like puffing up, making ticking sounds, pacing and obsessing over getting back to the nest, etc. - once she stops showing those signs you can try testing her and see if she heads back to the next box. If she does, at least another 24 hrs in the crate, and so on.

Agreed.

I've had birds take 2 weeks to break.

 

[Aunt Angus]

My Silkies are broody so often that I don't break them anymore. They still eat, drink, and dust bathe. I monitor them to make sure they don't lose too much weight, etc, etc. But they do a good job being broody and taking care of themselves.

But both my Brahma and one of my Orpingtons are different stories. The last time my Brahma went broody, it took almost a month to break her. I had to move broody jail into my bathroom to finally break her.

And that is why my Orpington is in my bathroom tonight...