Wihat if they're not fertilized?

[wbruder17]

I have a little silkie girl that became broody last week. This is fine with me, as she hasn't laid any eggs anyway. I gave her two eggs to sit on to make her happy. I have a rooster, but I am skeptical whether the eggs are actually fertilized or not. If they are not, and 3 weeks go by, will she stop being broody and go on with life? What will happen?

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Well, you can candle eggs at day 5-7 to see if they are fertile. Generally, though, she won't give up until you get involved. She doesn't care if they're fertile or not, just that she is setting.

 

[wbruder17]

Even if they don't ever hatch?

 

[al6517]

Silkies will set on bowling balls till they hatch, they are crazy setters. If the eggs aren't fertile they may go bad from the heat of setting, and also she will set till she get's more egg's or dies trying. that happened to me once with a silkie my DW had and she just wouldn't come off the nest for anything till she finnaly passed from it. That is not the norm I know but just watch out silkie's are kinda..... Well ...... like a good blonde joke LOL.

AL

 

[wbruder17]

That's a very funny analogy, tho unfortunate. I will keep an eye on her and candle the eggs tomorrow. She does go out to eat and drink every morning, so that is good, right?

 

[al6517]

Sure is........ Silkies are great brooder chickens if you want to hatch naturally, it's really fun to watch the mothering process as the chicks grow. good luck.

AL

 

[wbruder17]

That is exactly why I wanted them. She is doing just what I want her to, and why I gave her the eggs and let her go. This is just my first time and I want to make sure she's ok and everything else will be ok. Im also worried about the fact that its winter and the chickies, should they hatch, may get cold and die.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
If they have plenty of comfy cozy bedding and a good nest area on the ground they will do just fine Mom handles everything you can believe that.

AL

 

[wbruder17]

Yes, they have very cozy nesting boxes with shavings and straw. Mystic, the" momma" tho she has not actually laid any of the eggs she's sitting on, has a buddy silkie, Skeksies, that huddles and sleeps with her every night, adding to the warmth. Its cute, because all of my banties are very interested in what Mystic is doing, and hang out with her during the day in the coop. The big chickens don't seem to care._

 

[ezgreen]

My silkie sat on nothing for almost three weeks, got up first thing in the morning, ran to eat and drink water as fast as she could for about 5 solid minutes, and went back and sat. And sat. On nothing. And was moody. About 2-3 weeks later it stopped, she is back to normal and now after about a week is laying eggs again. I just let her do her thing, and as long as she was eating/drinking at least once a day, I just left her alone.

I thought she got stung by a scorprion at first because she was almost in a trance, turns out typical broody.

Now that I have a rooster I am going to let her hatch some eventually...she is such a great mom already.