[thebumbles]

Hi all,

I have a broody silkie, second time in 6 months.  I was thinking of maybe getting some eggs for her to hatch.  Quite like the idea of some chicks, but the question is,  I guess I will have to separate her whilst sitting, but will I be able to put her back with the other girls later without any problems.  Will they still recognise her as their friend? Or is it a big problem ?

Has anyone got any tips etc.

Thanks.

[joyfull]

I have a silkie x that is broody at the moment and so I have her in an eglu on a few eggs, she is in full view of the others and they see her twice a day when she comes out to eat etc. After the chicks are born they will all stay in there until the mum decides that she wants to join the others. Whenever I have done this before they just fit right back into the pecking order slot without any problems it's like the other girls just accept that they are taking time out and that they can drop back into their original place.

[thebumbles]

Thanks for your reply.  Reassuring to know that hope fully they can all live together after mum has reared her chicks.  I will give it a little more thought.

Regards

[clairebeau]

Thanks for asking this, I hadn't even thought about the other hens reaction.  Plus, thanks for the reply, I bet you all get fed up of answering the smae old things all the time.
Good luck Bumbles. x

[joyfull]

Please think very carefully though about what you will do with the cockerels that hatch (and keep in mind that they could all turn out to be boys). Do you have enough housing to house the hens/cockerels when they are grown, will your neighbours complain about the noise of the boys (often you can't tell if they are male or not until you hear a crow at 4 in the morning and then you have to find out which one is making the noise  ). Sorry to sound like I am trying to put you off but we get so many cockerels needing homes on here and not many find them.
Make sure you have everything in place for after the hatch - brooder box incase she doesn't want to know them, shallow feeders and drinkers - if using just a little dish for the water pop in some marbles to stop the chicks from drowning, chick crumb either medicated or not, coxoid - just in case of coccidiosis, a secure run for when they are little as the other hens may attack the little ones as may crows, rooks, cats, magpies, dogs etc.
Whist hatching your own chicks is wonderful please think very carefully before you do and read as much as you can before embarking on it.

[thebumbles]

Hi
Yes I agree about the cockerels, poor things no body wants them.  I am thinking hard about it as you suggest, and have thought about what could go wrong. -  Have been down this road with guinea pigs a long time ago, had 2 girls as babies, turned out 1 was a boy, you can guess what came next -  3 baby boys - argh! So what a nightmare - extra hutches, runs - I could go one, but won't bore you!
Thanks for reminding me! I don't want lots of cockerels, but couldn't dispath them etc.
Actually, have had a trauma today, my little black pekin has had a stroke, I think, she was fine one minute then all of a sudden started to fall over and couldn't get her balance, - most peculiar. Just seems to be very wobbly and tumbling about, she is eating OK. This happened around 4, so overnight she will rest and tomorrow - fingers crossed. Supposedly she was vaccinated against Mareks, so will wait and see. I am really worried about her, she is so sweet and chats to me whilst I weed. 

[joyfull]

Oh I do hope she is ok  , if she is no better then get her to a vets tomorrow morning just to get her checked over, fingers crossed she will be ok xx

[thebumbles]

Thanks.  Will take her to vets if needed - she comes first. Oh dear!