Too many silkies setting--any suggestions???

[MIgourdgirl]

For several weeks, one of my silkies has been setting. I kept taking the eggs, but finally bought some eggs and put them under her. Next thing I know, another silkie decided to "help" the first one. Last week, a third silkie figured the other two couldn't handle all eight eggs, so she joined in. This morning, I counted four white heads in the corner. I am positive the first girl could have done the job just fine, but it seems everyone wants to be a mama right now. Maybe it's contagious?? Meanwhile, I'm losing eggs from setting hens. Anyone have a suggestion on how to break up the newest setters? I was thinking of moving one silkie or maybe two just in case to a separate area with the eggs (which should hatch close to easter), but a friend said if you move the eggs, the hen might not like being moved and may leave the eggs alone. Any thoughts?

 

[brendapa]

Silkies don't always cooperate

I have never had any luck with communal setting. The hens are more interested in who has what and the eggs lose out, in the end.
Seperate. Give each hen a few eggs to see if they really are broody. Or give them all to one experienced hen and let the younger ones sit on air. Put them otside to break them from setting as early as possible.

I numbered the eggs so I could see what egg I gave to what hen. They were different every day. Inevitably, an egg was left out in a squabble, in the cold.
Or, they crack them moving them. Hairline cracks from dropping them on other eggs.

A regular hen my abandon a nest or eggs if they are moved but not a silkie. If they do, they were not really broody. They just like to cuddle.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I would move the hens and seperate them, the mistake was you left the broody around the other silkies, with silkies broodiness is catchy, to seperate I use tidy cat litter containers, cut to open part of the lid off place chips, chicken and eggs in box, cover/block the front, for around 24 hours. open the box. don't have the broodies around each other they will go back to sharing. the hen that doesn't go back after 1/2 hour gets broke of being broody, a wire cage off the ground, somewhere she can't made a nest

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

you could send one to me....