Young brooding silky

[chickenlovematters]

I purchased some fluff butt queens (and one rooster by accident) in March. These adorable afromaniacs can’t be more than 6 months old and I have one, Dolly Parton, who hoarded her sister’s eggs and is sitting.. It’s been about 4 days and she won’t get up to poop. That’s right..she’s pooping in the nesting box. Unless she’s come out when I don’t see her, I’m a little concerned she’s too young. My other chickens that aren’t silkies were over a year old before they went broody and had little cotton balls of their own, but I am experienced in this sort of thing. Anyone ever have a silky become a momma this young?

 

[Debbie292d]

In years of raising silkies, never their first year, and that is on the early side for laying eggs for a silkie too. Could yours be perhaps a mix? If not, maybe instead of laying eggs, she's choosing to sit on some? If you want to hatch eggs, I guess I'd see if that's what she does, but it is very unusual.

 

[chickenlovematters]

In years of raising silkies, never their first year, and that is on the early side for laying eggs for a silkie too. Could yours be perhaps a mix? If not, maybe instead of laying eggs, she's choosing to sit on some? If you want to hatch eggs, I guess I'd see if that's what she does, but it is very unusual.

Everything I have read says to let her go for it. She’s not being bullied and seems to be happy, but I noticed the broody poo and had a talk with her about keeping the nest clean . I cleaned both sides of the nesting box so maybe she can start fresh and won’t continue making the mess for me to clean up. I got silkies bc I knew they’d go broody and I only ever had one of my black sexlinks ever go broody and she hatched a clutch of FIVE ROOSTERS!! I’m going to try to remember to keep this thread updated as I haven’t found a straight answer on here about this situation yet, but I have seen similar posts.

 

[Debbie292d]

Everything I have read says to let her go for it. She’s not being bullied and seems to be happy, but I noticed the broody poo and had a talk with her about keeping the nest clean . I cleaned both sides of the nesting box so maybe she can start fresh and won’t continue making the mess for me to clean up. I got silkies bc I knew they’d go broody and I only ever had one of my black sexlinks ever go broody and she hatched a clutch of FIVE ROOSTERS!! I’m going to try to remember to keep this thread updated as I haven’t found a straight answer on here about this situation yet, but I have seen similar posts.

I currently have 6 silkie hens, 1 roo, and 7 others that are 4 months old. For the older ones, at one point, I had 5 of them broody all at the same time. Now I can put up with one or two, but I was not going to allow them moochers to sit their days away on no eggs and lay no eggs. I put them all in a dog pen on the other side of the property. They live their days there instead of sitting in a coop. At night, I open the door and they run for the coop. After three days, I go in the coop and 3 broodys suddenly aren't broody anymore. The other two took another day. I know two people who lost a hen sitting in a nest box too long. Since then, I just don't put up with it and the hens are noticeably healthier looking.

 

[chickenlovematters]

I currently have 6 silkie hens, 1 roo, and 7 others that are 4 months old. For the older ones, at one point, I had 5 of them broody all at the same time. Now I can put up with one or two, but I was not going to allow them moochers to sit their days away on no eggs and lay no eggs. I put them all in a dog pen on the other side of the property. They live their days there instead of sitting in a coop. At night, I open the door and they run for the coop. After three days, I go in the coop and 3 broodys suddenly aren't broody anymore. The other two took another day. I know two people who lost a hen sitting in a nest box too long. Since then, I just don't put up with it and the hens are noticeably healthier looking.

I appreciate that so much! I do have one other that’s trying to copy her sister but laying on nothing. I keep getting her out, but I may end up closing the door to the house with the other hen until time to go up for the night. I’ve never had to deal with this kind of thing until getting silkies lol. They really are an anomaly

 

[xlentjoyce]

I purchased some fluff butt queens (and one rooster by accident) in March. These adorable afromaniacs can’t be more than 6 months old and I have one, Dolly Parton, who hoarded her sister’s eggs and is sitting.. It’s been about 4 days and she won’t get up to poop. That’s right..she’s pooping in the nesting box. Unless she’s come out when I don’t see her, I’m a little concerned she’s too young. My other chickens that aren’t silkies were over a year old before they went broody and had little cotton balls of their own, but I am experienced in this sort of thing. Anyone ever have a silky become a momma this young?

My little Silkie-Jinx, is brooding eggs and I'm not sure when she started-away during the Holiday. I don't want to disturb her too much so I haven't candled the eggs. I've never had a hen that stays on the nest before in the 20 years I've raised chickens. This little Girl is DEDICATED! She is 9 months old.