Broody Breeds Silkies are famous for being broody hens; in fact, many people keep silkies around to use specifically for hatching new chicks. They will hatch just about anything and are good mothers as well.
How often do Silkie hens go broody?
about every 8 weeks
Silkie Bantams frequently go broody. Broody hens are quite interesting. Dolly, one of our Silkie Bantams, seems to be broody about every 8 weeks.
What time of year do Silkies go broody?
Be aware that hens are more likely to become broody in the spring, and they won’t do so until laying a few eggs first. So your silkie hen will not suddenly become broody … she will lay a small clutch first.
Do Silkies always go broody?
Silkie chickens are by far the most broody of the chicken world, often going broody even with no eggs to sit on, a Silkie chicken will sit fast even if a herd of wilder beast are running through her coup! Not much will shift her! This makes her the ideal chicken to hatch fertile eggs with a great success rate.
How long do Silkies go broody for?
Silkies will stay broody for 21 days until her eggs hatch or almost indefinitely if you leave them.
What breed of chicken is most broody?
Standard size chicken breeds that are the most likely to go broody are: Cochins. Buff Orpingtons. Light Brahmas.
Other breeds that have a relatively strong tendency to go broody are:
- Turkens.
- Buff Brahmas.
- Cuckoo Marans.
How many eggs will a Silkie lay before sitting on them?
twelve eggs
I have seen Silkie hens go broody after laying as few as a half dozen eggs and they are truly staunch on the nest. They can handle up to twelve eggs and with a small flock kept just for broodies you can selectively breed for larger sized hens.
Should you break a broody hen?
It is important to ‘break’ or stop a hen’s broodiness as soon as possible after identifying the behavior. The longer she is broody, the longer it will take to break her and the longer it will take for her to return to egg-laying.
How long do silkie chickens live?
around nine years old
Silkie chickens are easy to care for
Silkies are hardy and resilient, and they are able to thrive in both cold and warm climates. These chickens are long-lived, often having life spans up to around nine years old, and continue to stay beautiful even when older.
How long does a silkie sit on her eggs?
The incubation period for Silkie chickens is 20 – 21 days. Bantam eggs like the ones you’ll get from your Silkies tend to hatch a day or so earlier than large fowl eggs. If you only have Silkie eggs in the incubator, you should stop turning the eggs on day 17 instead of on day 18.
Can you eat Silkie chicken eggs?
Yes, a silkie chicken is considered a backyard chicken, and they lay white/cream-colored eggs that are safe to eat.
Will silkies go broody in winter?
We refer to a hen as “broody” when motherhood beckons and she answers the call to find a nest to hatch chicks. Broodiness is influenced by many factors, including genetics, lighting conditions, and hormones, and while most common in spring, it can occur any time of year, including the coldest days of winter.
How do you fix a broody Silkie?
6 Easy Ways to Break a Broody Hen
- Removal of The Broody Hen.
- Closing Down the Nest Area of the Broody Hen.
- Frozen Water Bottle and Cold Dips.
- Remove all Nesting Material.
- Stop Access to the Coop for the Broody Hen.
- Send Them to Broody Hen Jail.
- Give Her Fertile Eggs.
How do you break a broody hen fast?
How to Break a Broody Hen: 8 Humane Ways to Stop a Broody Hen
- Remove Her From The Nest Box.
- Close Up Your Nest Box.
- Put A Frozen Water Bottle In The Nest.
- Give Your Hen A Cool Water Bath.
- Strip The Nest Bare.
- Lock Her Out Of The Coop.
- Off To Jail.
- Give Her Eggs To Sit On.
At what age do silkies start laying eggs?
Make sure your chickens are old enough to lay. Silkies can start to lay at around 7 to 9 months of age, although some will not lay until they are much older. The older a silkie is when she begins to lay, the more eggs she is likely to produce. Provide a balanced diet.
What time of year do chickens go broody?
Spring
It’s hard to predict when a hen will go broody, but generally you won’t see a young hen going broody during their first laying season. Hens are most likely to go broody in the Spring as the warm weather is a signal to them to hatch and raise chicks.
Can you take eggs from a broody hen?
Method #1: Remove your broody hen from the nest.
If there are eggs in the nest, collect them right away so she can’t continue sitting on them. Try to collect every egg as soon as it’s laid to remove any temptation for the broody to sit.
What chicken is the best mother?
SILKIES. When asked, our readers and customers overwhelmingly said that Silkies made the best mother hens. A quick online search shows many articles calling Silkie hens the ‘Broody Queens of the chicken world. ‘
How can you tell if a silkie is male or female?
Crest of Feathers
A female will have a rounded crest, almost in a globe shape. The silkie male will have streamers of longer feathers that stream backward from the lower part of the crest. These streamers are one of the first things an experienced silkie owner will look for to distinguish it from the female.
Can you mix silkies with other chickens?
Interestingly, in our experience, Silkies usually get on well with other chicken breeds, despite their unusual plumage, presuming you have several (and not just one lone “different” bird).
What temperature is too cold for silkie chickens?
For Cold hardy breeds like the Barnevelder, Silkies and large soft feathered types Should be able to handle 0 F or -18 C with protection from the elements and wind. Roosters may need a little extra care because of their large floppy combs.