Pom Pom and Lavender Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 Hi all Wondering if you can help me. I have four silkies (two pairs that I got a couple months apart). The new pair are currently broody so are taking up the nesting boxes and have been for about 16 days now. The other two aren't and one is still laying fine, but the other hasn't laid in five days! She went up to the nesting box about four days ago and squashed herself in to try and lay and made an awful racket but wasn't able to. She isn't egg bound as she isn't displaying any of the symptoms of that, she's acting completely normal and eating/drinking fine and going about her normal day. Is this something I should be concerned about or is she perhaps upset due to the others taking up the boxes the whole time? Should i add a temporary box underneath? Thanks for your advice! 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 Pure breed hens often don’t lay through winter and will slow down and stop somewhere during Autumn. Silkies are sketchy layers at the best of times anyway. I wouldn’t worry too much as long as she is still doing her chicken things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pom Pom and Lavender Posted October 20, 2021 Author Share Posted October 20, 2021 Thank you very much! I will see how she gets on 🐔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 On 10/20/2021 at 9:53 AM, Pom Pom and Lavender said: . The new pair are currently broody so are taking up the nesting boxes and have been for about 16 days now. Just wondering if they are hatching any eggs ? 16 days is a long time to be broody otherwise. If not, you will probably need to put them into separate broody cages for 3 days and 3 nights. Being constantly broody isn't good for them as they don't eat and drink properly and they are also a magnet for mites. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pom Pom and Lavender Posted October 20, 2021 Author Share Posted October 20, 2021 Hiya No they arent hatching any eggs. I'm taking them out three times a day to eat and drink something and they have a mooch around. Should i still try and break the brood? I read so much info online and some people say to leave them and others say to break them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 If you leave them, they can easily take weeks to come out of it. Takes away from the fun of chicken keeping, not seeing your hens for weeks. Also takes a lot of energy out of them. And quite pointless for them, as they aren’t hatching any actual eggs. You can try a broody cage: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted October 25, 2021 Share Posted October 25, 2021 Sadly, putting them in the broody cage is the only option. I really don't like doing it as sometimes it is stressful for them and myself, but it has to be done. Sometimes they take slightly longer than the 3 days and nights - the most mine needed was 7. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...