Right now I have 3 broody silkies, I decided to let them sit on a couple of eggs each. On Mamma is great, she
has been sitting now since March 12 and the eggs are coming along great. The other Mamma keeps getting out of her nest and goes back to another nest box with new eggs just hatched. I marked all the sitting eggs with an X so I would know not to take them. The first set of eggs she was on were about 6 days old, but by the time I found them they were very cold, so I brought them into the house and cracked one open, it was GROWING, I saw the eyes. Why is she doing this? The 3rd mamma has only been sitting a couple of days, I'll see how she does. I was happy to see that the eggs were fertile. I hope I get a few new babys soon.
Cathy
Broody Silkies
Oh Cathy, I know how worried you must be! Maybe the girls are just young and inexperienced. I would keep an eye out on them and everytime they leave for an extended period Id grab up their eggs and put them other someone else. Maybe that will give the eggs enough time to hatch! If not , maybe next year or even this year when the temps settle down, and quit confusing your ladies, they will try again! I hope so. Hang in there Sweetie!
Hi Cathy,
I agree with Eufaula. They should settle right in, often it takes them a bit of time to decide they "want" to be broody. For now, move the eggs she is abandoning to a good, broody mother and she will take them in willingly. Be patient with her, she will get it down! :-) Best of luck!
Belinda
I can't wait to do this! That's why I'm getting some more silkies. I just love them. aren't they funny when they are all broody?
Man Im telling you!!! When my girls go broody, they let you and the whole world know it! With the weather going fromcold to hot and then cold again, they just dont know what to do! Mama started a good nest of eggs and seemed to really settle in. Then the weather changed and off she jumped! Now the funny one is Cockle LooLoo! He just knew she was going to set and he really got ticked off when she left those eggs! He brooded around and chirped and made the most awful noises! He would get in the nest and talk to them," She 'll be Back, dont worry ,I just know she'll be back!". too funny!
Now when she does lay an egg, every day,but not broody, Old CockleLooLoo, will sit right next to that nest the whole time shes laying!!! When shes done, he jumps up and runs around Clacking and Crowing , for all to hear!
I think your right, they are not even a year old, they were hatched in May of last year, maybe she's just to young.
Silkies are so much fun, I love them. They all have such different personalities. 2 of my broody silkies are so sweet and the 3rd one is nasty, all you have to do is look her way and she starts to crump. Well she did it again today, off of her nest. I think I'm going to give her 2 eggs to the other mama. Do you think the other silkie will be able to sit on 5 eggs?
If anyone wants some silkie eggs for shipping I will gladly give them. They are great pets, and there eggs are wonderful. I hard boil a lot of my silkie eggs and feed them back to them, they really enjoy. We also eat them, very tasty, just small.
Cathy
Good luck hope very thing is okay with the silkys Best of luck!!!
Six of my silkies are now broody, every nest box has a silkie with eggs in them. My little Blue Old English hen is having a hard time laying her eggs, they are all snapping at her when she tries to get into a nest box. I watched her for the longest time trying to decide where to lay her egg, she finally got on top of one of the broodys and layed her egg, then she left quickly. The hen snatched up her egg so fast, I couldn't believe what I saw. They are so much fun to watch. I should have a few chicks in the next couple of days. I can't wait.
Cathy
My little Blue Splash Polish finally laid her first egg! I only have one polish and one White silkie hen( who hasnt laid yet) ! The only Hen that I have so far that even tries to set is Mama barred Rock, and she hasnt gone broody yet, but she is thinking about it. She stays on her nest a little longer each day! So I watch her like a hawk! My Old Roo, Cocklelooloo, is getting very protective of her when she is on the nest too! So I think they have been talking ,"Family Time " again!
I want to save the Polish eggs and when Mama goes broody I will add the Polish eggs! Hope fully Ill get a couple more of the cute little top knots!
I love how silkies seem to melt over eggs. I have a mixed flock and get everything from silkie eggs to jumbo extra large from my buff orpington, and I my broody silkies ( no roo to fertilize) will expand over everything. I took 9 eggs out from under my white silkie Ursula yesterday. In the winter it gets so cold here. Having some broodies keep the eggs warm, so they did not freeze before I could collect them was so great! Broody power!
Today my first white silkie eggs are due to hatch 3 of them. I'm so excited. We candled them on Saturday and they look like there about to hatch, we could see movement. I marked on the callender that i put them under her on the 12th of March. I check a few time yesterday and they have not started to pip yet. I will be checking on them as soon as I get a few things done.
Backyardhens, I know what you mean, when we had below zero for a few weeks I did not loose one silkie egg to freeze, but now my big hens I did, they are in a different coop. DH said I could raise a few new silkies, well guess what. I now have 6 broody silkies sitting on 16 eggs altogether. Now how did that happen, LOL. I told DH I was collecting the eggs that I saw, but I didn't check under the hens. He just gave me this look of well you can imagine and went into the house. I also have 5 in the bator, because I was not sure if my girls would do a good job. I'll post pictures soon, I hope.
Cathy
Cathy -
What an EXCITING day for you! I can't wait to see your pics of the baby silkies. I must admit that the silkies are by far my favs as far as being the best ever broody hens. I am still cracking up at your 16 egg story...............LOLOLOL, I can only imagine the look your DH gave you. lololol Been there. Seen that look. lol :-) Keep us posted today on your hatch! Can't wait!
Belinda
Me too! me too!
The rooster has been anxious all day, he's been pacing in front of the nest box and crowing. He wouldn't let me near the nest box, well he finally went out of the coop and I peeked under the hen and there are 2 babies. She started squacking and the rooster came to her rescue, LOL. I will get pictures as soon as they let me. There is still one egg in the nest box, but I didn't get to see if it was pipped or not. What an exciting day.
Cathy
Cathy,
Do you have pics???? Look at mine if you would like.
What are silkies??? Tracey
Cathy,
Thanks for sharing the story with us. I can just see the rooster RUSHING to his damsel's rescue. I'm sure that made his day, feeling SO needed like that. Too funny. I am thrilled for you.............two babies and maybe one more! Can't wait to see the pics. Those silkie babies are precious. I'll keep my eyes open for your new post! :-)
Belinda
WOW! Congrats!
Right now still only 2 hatched, one is going to be white like the mama and daddy, we didn't get a good look at the second baby yet, and the 3rd egg has not pipped. I will try to get pictures tomorrow, maybe they will all settle down some. We heard the peeps when we entered the coop and all the broody silkies started to squack. And the daddy, well he's right there. We have decided to bring them into the house tomorrow since it's going to SNOW on Thursday and get cold for the next week. DH is just as excited as the rest of us, LOL. Tracy silkies are a type of chicken, small little fluff balls. I'll take pictures tomorrow so you can see them, they are wonderful chickens, great pets for kids. And they lay a medium size egg, I use 2 silkie eggs when a recipe calls for 1 large and it seems to work out.
Cathy
Oh Congratulations Cathy! I had to go to town all day, and just could not wait to get back home and get to the computer! I just couldnt wait to see how you babies were coming!!!!
Oh and my news!!!!! mama Barred Rock is still on the nest!!! Yayyyyyy! That means right now she has 7 BPR eggs, 2 Sultan/Polish eggs, and 1 RIR Bantam egg! If my luck hold out , and she is still on the nest tomorrow, I will take one of Her BPR's and put in another Sultan/Polish!
Tracey , I will see if I have a picture of my Silkie in my Browser for you!
Yep, not a good pic,but shes the one on the far left! Her name is Pom Pom!
Well mama silkie is so protective of her babies I only got to take a picture of one of them. She wont let me see the other one yet. DH brought them down to the house this morning, so he did see the second baby, he said it is also white. She is still sitting on one egg. Everytime I talk to mama silkie her one little peep trys to escape and she pokes him/her back under her.
Sorry not a very good picture, I'll get more when DH gets home from work.
last one for now.
Cathy the pictures are great! We can see the little guy just fine! Congratulations! they are so Cuuuuuuuuuute!
Here is a splash silkie, from my little flock
This is my first experience with a mama and her babies, what a joy. My silkie is such a great mama. She is so protective of her babies. The 3rd egg hatched last nigt, she/he had a hard time hatching, DH had to help it out of its shell. He put the baby under mama and we have not seen it since. She's doing a good job keeping them under her. When I start talking they try and come out and mama will not have that. They peek out of her wings or pop up next to her and she pokes them on the head to make them stay where she wants them. When DH was helping the new chick out i snuck them out, she was more worried about the new baby. The baby in the front is the 2nd baby that hatched, it's a mix.
This is the front of the 2nd chick born
Mama wants her chicks back under her.
Going into hiding again. As soon I can get a look at the 3rd baby I'll get some pictures.
They look so cute and momma and daddy must be proud!!!
Good jod!!!!! Tracey
I only have one Silkie and she has yet to lay! She is however starting to "Chirp" she will stand and turn her head at a funny angle, Like shes thinking really hard, or hears something! I know she is probably feeling the urge to lay her first egg. So we are watching her closely!
Cathy your Mom looks as if she has everything under control! She is obviously going to be a really excellent Mama! Congratulations again! the babies are so sweet, and look how the camera picked up their soft shiny down, it looks so silkie already!!!
Cathy - - - GREAT pics and the babies are precious. Your mama silkie did GOOD! That little mix is darling - - - I am crazy about the ones that are different. :) DH says that I always take in the "odd ducks" as he calls them. ha ha So glad your silkies all hatched, I know how exciting that is.
BYH- your splash silkie is gorgeous! What a nice size and such pretty feathers and fuzz. I'm nuts for silkies. Literally.
I was away from my computer for a day and a half and just about had withdrawals from DG's forums and you guys! Couldn't wait to sit down and get caught up with all of you!
Belinda
Thanks for all the wonderful comments. We are having a lot of fun here today. They are all sneaking out and getting food and water, mama taught them how to eat as we watched. She kept picking up food and dropping it, the babies watched her intensly then started to eat. What a joy. Baby #3 was born last night, the poor thing looked so weak, but this morning it was peaking out from under mama. Here is her/his picture. This chick is a mix of a small old english bantam, either BBR or Blue.
This upclose is kind of blurry.
Here is the gang with mama.
DH is now in compatition with mama silkie, a week ago he stated we will see who's better at hatching the chicks, him or mama silkie. Well if he don't hatch all his eggs in the bator she's better at it than him. She's now 3 for 3. His hatch will be a few weeks. He has 5 silkies and 14 Ameraucana eggs in the bator. I told him since he's so much bigger that him he should do as good as her.
Awwww, too cute! Mama is a good teacher! That little mix will be tough, crosses usually are strong chickens and make it through everything!
Tell Your DH , Hes got a lot to live up too!!!!!
HAHAHAH!! That's for sure.
My splash actually died this winter :( She was so mean that no one would roost near her. Oh well. I can't wait to get my silkie chicks. I have two white ones like your mama. take good notes cbrandenburg, cause next year I am going to be asking you oodles of questions about the whole thing!
I'm so happy for you!
Eufaula et al, the thing that is so funny about silkies is how they can go broody on the drop of a hat. When I had three someone was broody almost all of the time! I can see why they make such good mamas. I pulled 11 eggs of various sizes out from under my broody silkie today! Ursula was not too pleased, but I put my fake orange easter egg back under her and she was placated.
Backyardhens, I'll have a lot of experience, LOL. I have another silkie sitting on 2 eggs due Easter or the day after, and another one is sitting on 5 eggs and one more sitting on I think 6 eggs. They are great mama's, what a joy. I was so happy to see number 3 yesterday morning, what a cute little baby, it sure is tough, DH had to help it out, it was kind of sticky.
I asked him when the weather got below zero if we could bring in the silkies and he said no way, they will survive the winter outside. No house chickens. Well last night I said it's so nice to have a house chicken and he just laughed. He's an old softy. I heard him talking to the babies this morning, they knocked over the water container and he changed everything, all the while talking to them. I think he's attatched to the 3rd baby, it was born in his hand. Since 6 of my girls are broody I'm not getting many eggs from them these days, but soon I will have enough if anyone want to incubate them when they start laying again.
Cathy
Cathy,
Look at mine. I will send to you. It maybe the rooster it waits for me and watches everything but it doesn't crow yet. I will watch and see .. What do you think????
Tracey
Cathy, that is really adorable. I love what men say and do for pets when they think we aren't watching :)
Mine is openly excited about the impending arrival of our box of chicks from the mail (18 days left!!) BUt I'm not sure he's so thrilled about the prospect of building a new chicken barn on his time off ( with my help and supervision of course :) )