Difference between normal laying and preparation for going broody???

Lori · Post by **Lori** » Wed May 04, 2016 10:24 am

OK...my first question on PTO!! I should start by saying I have experience with laying hens, never hatching any chicks. Now, I have 3 Silkies, a rooster and 2 hens. One hen is 6 months old, the other is around 10 months old. SOMEONE (I believe the older hen) has laid an egg every day for the last 5 days. When I saw the first one I was excited, so I left it there in hopes she would add more and then sit on them. Went out the next day, SOMEONE had rolled the egg out of the nesting box!! Same thing happened the next 3 days, so I know it isn't a random act. There are 3 nesting boxes in the pen, so lots of room for everyone. I have seen both the hens sitting in the nesting box where the eggs are being laid though. My separate layers don't act like this, they will lay 5 to a nesting box with no problem at all. So yesterday I took the Silkie egg and put it in a safe spot. I was thinking of stealing the eggs each day until I have 5 or 6, and then put them back in and hopefully convince the hen to sit on them. I know you can't force a hen to go broody, but I thought one of them was heading that way herself by laying an egg every day. Should I put the older hen in a spot by herself? How do you know the difference between normal laying, and laying a clutch in preparation of going broody? If I knew no one was going broody I would just use the eggs for consumption.

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Wed May 04, 2016 10:46 am

You may want to crack that first egg and check if it's fertile..... :)

Lori · Post by **Lori** » Wed May 04, 2016 10:48 am

I cracked the first and the second eggs and they were both fertile....so that got me even more excited/disappointed!!

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Wed May 04, 2016 10:52 am

There are many experienced Silky breeders on PTO, they will be able to help, I have not had Silkies in a very long time,
but if it was me I would start saving, because it's pretty much certain "somebody will go broody and that will be the end of laying.
Having a week or two worth of eggs at the ready is going to come really handy. :)
ps: they will find couple of golf balls just as inspiring as eggs.

Post by **Killerbunny** » Wed May 04, 2016 12:12 pm

Usually a broody will take eggs and roll them under her if you put one in front of her. She may start puffing and growling at the other hens to keep them away from "her" spot. You may see her doing what I call "mantling" with her wings where she extends her wings in a protective manner. When she actually goes broody I think you will know.

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Wed May 04, 2016 1:46 pm

It sounds to me like normal laying behaviour, from what you've described. Sometimes one of my hens kick another hen's egg out of the nest box before laying one herself. That's just part of her personality - she's a diva.
My Silkie usually gives me hints in the days or weeks leading up to getting serious about going broody. The most obvious sign is that she starts screaming at me if I come within 3 feet of her in the run. Not that an especially friendly towards me at any time, but this behaviour is usually the harbinger of upcoming broodiness for her. However, time frame between first signs of broodiness and actual setting can vary from hen to hen, and even with each broody period, as I recently discovered with mine. Another sign that mine is planning to set is that she will spend more time in a nest box during the day, and spends less time hanging with the rest of the flock. As KB said, she might also growl or churr at you if you come near her while she's on the nest.
You can try putting some fake eggs under her, but if she's spending the majority of her day off the nest, she's not broody, and so fake eggs won't likely help to encourage her.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Wed May 04, 2016 5:09 pm

As OC said, take her eggs away and give her golf balls, that way the eggs won't get dirty or broken, store her eggs somewhere with the date laid on them, when she really goes broody you'll know. Then put the freshest eggs back under her, no way to make them go broody, they just do. It's not a matter of if they have enough eggs, it's just light and hormones.

Lori · Post by **Lori** » Wed May 04, 2016 6:33 pm

Thanks for the advice everyone. I guess just being hopeful won't push nature along!! I took another egg from her today and will keep taking them until hopefully I can give them back.

Doug The Chickenman · Post by **Doug The Chickenman** » Wed May 04, 2016 7:03 pm

If you keep taking them then she will just keep laying. If you give her a cluster of about 4-6 she may decide to sit.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Wed May 04, 2016 7:24 pm

Yes Leave her some gulf balls, 3 - 6 to make her think she has lots.
Must be something you can get at the dollar store that will work.