Wishing a hen would go broody?

[bikerchic]

Put her on craigslist and she will! I put my silkie on craigslist today, came home to a broody hen!! I placed 5 eggs in front of her and she bulldozed all of them under her. I am hoping she only had only one egg under her to begin with. All of my other silkies sleep together, in the house she is sitting in. Do I lock them away from her or allow them to sleep with her at night?

 

[Judy]

Your choice. It is often recommended to separate, which is safer for the eggs, as others will lay on top of her and might cause breakage, among other things. I've done it both ways; no casualties yet, but then I've only had 6 or 7 clutches. Actually there were casualties once, when the broody ate the chicks as they hatched (I caught her eating the last one.) If you do leave them together, be sure to mark the eggs and remove any added ones daily. A staggered hatch just means the late ones get abandoned.

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

 

[bikerchic]

All the others are not of laying age, so no worries of added eggs. I will want to remove them from sleeping with her before the hatch for the babies safety, but I didn't want to upset her rountine this early in the brood.