Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Chickabee]

My silkie went broody a few days ago, so I took the plunge and got some eggs. She's refusing to sit on them. She's sitting near them but not on them. Any ideas ?

[sjp]

sounds like she's not fully broody yet just thinking about it I've got one at the moment sitting tight on eggs but this is her 3rd attempt in 2 years shed show all the signs and would sit on eggs in the main house and be a right royal main but as soon as I moved her that was it she'd changer her mind. this time she's happy to be on her own and is 11 days in

[Chickabee]

So are the eggs wasted ?

[Beantree]

They are only wasted if she started to sit and got them to the necessary internal temperature Chickabee. That would take half day perhaps? They will be wasted if they are not incubated quickly though. Our hatch rates start to drop when the eggs are over 7 days old.

 

Is she very young, like less than 2 years? Do you have an incubator, because you may be able to start them and get them to about 10 days or closer to hatching than that. If she goes broody you may be able to put them under her? How many eggs, because you may be asking her to cover more than she is able so she won't attempt it? I would suggest 6 maximum, otherwise late hatchers will be abandoned, so you may only get 2 or 3.

[Chickabee]

She's 3 and had been reliably broody since she was about 1. I've never put eggs under her before, although she does pinch them from my others. I did only get 6 because I didn't want to push my luck. She hasn't sat on them at all yet. Will leave it til tomorrow, then decide what to do.

 

Thanks Beantree

[Chickabee]

Don't know if I've done the right thing, but I've swapped broodies. Will check in an hour.

 

Sorry sjp, meant to say thanks to you too

 

[Chickabee]

I'm so happy right now. My pekin frizzle has managed to tuck all 6 eggs under her. She is making very content noises