1st Timer w/Broody Silkie, about to hatch...comments requested!

[augustmomx2]

I have a broody Silkie sitting on 10 silkie/duccle eggs. The background is I have no idea when she started sitting

I was on vacation & dh didn't realize the banties were laying...so she got to sit on a clutch. Anywho, yesterday we had one chick hatch out

But, I have a few questions:

*I have never candled the eggs and attempted to do so last night. It was a low-wattage flashlight, so in my worry to not have them off the nest too long, put them back. I saw air-sacks, and a dark shadow in all of the eggs...but nothing definitive.

*I saw mites on the eggs

I sprinkled some DE on the momma, but was afraid to sprinkle the eggs for fear that it would "dry" them out before hatching?

*My silkie is looking really weak. I put some food & water in with her in the coop and shut the door. No other chickens are allowed up in the coop.

*Based upon the timing of the chick hatching, it tells me that this was one of the first eggs to be laid. I checked them the day I left and was gone for 6 days. 21 days equaled yesterday and I'm not sure how long to allow her to sit?

Any comments, answers would be greatly appreciated. I have searched answers for the above questions, but there is soooo much info

that I'm not searching right and finding the answers I need.

Thanks!

 

[midget_farms]

Allow her to sit as long as she wants. She will eventually have enough hatch that she will change gears from sitting to Momming.

When she does decide to get up - you could put the rest in an incubator & see if you can hatch them. Sounds like they are all coming along nicely.

By the end of the 3 weeks you often can't see much more than darkness and the air cell anyway.


Oh - throw some seven dust in there with her. It will kill the mites but not bother her or the chicks in any way - its very safe.

I've used Neem oil too - its an organic insecticide - natural oil etc. That worked well for me as well.

Dont handle if you are pregnant.

 

[augustmomx2]

Quote:
Thanks for all of the info

Unfortunately, I don't have an incubator but may invest in one after this stressful hatch

I have some poultry dust I will sprinkle in there and this morning...another one had hatched