Broody Silkie Hen: CANDLING and HATCHING... We have babies!

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I bought 10 bantam blue silkies and 10 bantam eggers last year. Cackle Hatchery. First batch arrived dead. Second batch, February, lost 5. Wanted to cross them to see what happened.

Ended up with 2 egger roos, 10 egger girls, 3 silkie roos (1 with messed up toes so he's a pet) and 4 silkie girls. With all the girls, I have only one egger roos, Scout. They get along well, all those girls with Scout.

Went into the bantam pen on Friday and noticed a silkie in the same space she'd been in since morning. Moved her off and she went up to roost for the night. Same thing on Saturday. But on Sunday, she refused to move. I actually picked up this tiny little bird and found she was sitting on 3 rocks! Okay, enough! Grabbed her and all the bantam eggs that had been laid that day, plus another silkie girl, and we moved them into the garage. We had 2 dog kennels in there where the goat girls kidded, so they were all set up with hay on the ground, food and water. Put a couple of small pet carriers in there, put some hay in them, and placed the 5 eggs in one. Let Broody Girl down to walk around. Seriously ... broody-hen poop is one of the worst smells there is (in my opinion). We picked her up and placed her on the eggs and she settled right down. The other silkie slept with her in the nestbox. Also turned on a heat-fan a foot away and up, plus a red lamp to provide a little light at night. Hoping the garage mice don't eat the eggs. Will be VERY disappointed.

This morning the girls and all 5 eggs were still there. I shooed them off, gave them more grain and fresh water and went off to take care of all our other critters. Came back to find them still wandering around. Put Broody Girl back in her nestbox and she settled right down. Hope she, at some point, remembers to go back to the nest on her own.

So, today is Day 2 of 21

I'll try to add pictures as I update this.

Geez, I guess I'll have to name her now.

We had two girls go broody last year: Mama May, a black australorp, went broody in May. Lola already had a name, is a full-sized egger, and went broody in August.

 

[Denim Deb]

Why 28 days? I thought it was 21 for chicken eggs.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

You're right. Typo.

Hard to type in gloves, plus my head just isn't working right. ARGH!!

 

[Denim Deb]

Happens. I wouldn't even try to type in gloves!

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Have to wear gloves 24/7 for next 2-3 months. Wish I didn't have to. On 4th pair and boy are they disgusting. Waiting until I have 7-8 pairs to wash then will do them.

Eggs get slippery with cotton gloves.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Now comes the monotony.

Day 3 of 21.

Every morning, I need to lift this little thing off her 5 eggs and put her on the ground. She stays squatting for another moment so I have to gently move her again. THEN she remembers it's time to eat, drink and poop.

Left her and her friend to wander around the 6x10 hay-lined kennel and to do their thing while I cared for the goats and other chickens. By the time I finished, went back in, put broody girl back on her eggs, and now we're done until tomorrow.

2 blue egger eggs
3 creamy white silkie cross egger eggs

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Day 4 of 21

She's still sitting on her 5 eggs: 3 creamy white and 2 blue. And still needs encouragement to go do a morning constitutional. Wondering if we should shoo her off tonight after dark and candle with a powerful flashlight? Never have candled before, but usually we have bigger hens doing the job. If we did it tonight, would we be able to see anything inside?

 

[Denim Deb]

You're supposed to candle on day 7 and 14. Don't know if you'd see anything now or not.

 

[NovaAman]

Ok... Leave her be. Candle on day 8. If the nest crate is big enough, put a chick water-er and a bowl of chick feed 24% with her. Silkies are great, she will get off to eat and drink and go back on the eggs. I put my silkie hen in an area by herself. I carefully clean the eggs a few days before hatch with my finger nail if they get too poopy. Also trim her butt feathers around the vent if they get poopy. I do only take her of the eggs if she's dropping weight to make her eat. But her food and water was always with in a foot of her. I change the nest hay a week before hatch also. Good luck!

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I've got food and water across the 6x10 kennel. Too close to the nest and the mice will go there instead, finding eggs to eat. As of this morning, she put herself back on her nest after her morning constitutional. Guess she just needed me to help get the ritual started.

My last two broody girls knew better what to do. Or maybe it was because it was summer then, or the breeds.

At any rate, she's finally gotten the hang of it.

Her "nest" is a small cat carrier on top of an overturned big black goat water tub. Just high enough to keep all but the most determined mouse out, but short enough so my silkie girl can get down and up. Once I notice shells cracking, I'll probably put the nest box on the ground (which is also hay covered) so any chicks moving around and falling out won't go far. At that time, I'll also change her food to chick starter.

She hasn't defecated in there yet. She's actually pretty fastidious and never has any poop on her. The eggs are also pristine.

As she's in my garage, I see her several times a day. I just love broody hens!