First time hatching chicks

[Ilovechickens2525]

That doesn't mean you couldn't slip some fertile shipped eggs under a broody if one should present itself

Ohh hmm that is something to think about! Maybe I should try it lol!

 

[Debbie292d]

Absolutely nothing beats a good broody, the issue comes in when I didn't have enough eggs to shove under all the broodys I had last year...
I'm hoping for a rinse and repeat again this year.

I have had issues with broodies, so now, never again. I said that before, then gave in last fall and had horrible issues. I will never ever again. Yes, silkies are good broodies, but so are my Brinsea incubators.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I have had issues with broodies, so now, never again. I said that before, then gave in last fall and had horrible issues. I will never ever again. Yes, silkies are good broodies, but so are my Brinsea incubators.

I find it intriguing how some folks have zero luck with broodies and others have the best of it. Maybe it's a learned behavior, like if you have a bad broody or two the rest learn that that's the way its "supposed" to be. (This is all just hypothetical of course) For me it started with 1 of my OG's over 3 yrs ago, she was a fierce momma, since then I have at least 1 serial broody a year and they have all been great! Last year was my OE Onyx, she hatched and raised 3 broods, and raise 1 chick order, then my English Orp, Dahlia took then over at 9 weeks and is still clucking to them (they are almost 16 weeks old)

 

[wrathsfarm]

I have had issues with broodies, so now, never again. I said that before, then gave in last fall and had horrible issues. I will never ever again. Yes, silkies are good broodies, but so are my Brinsea incubators.

Sorry to hear that. I had 10 total last year, 8 were first timers.
I had 2 that killed their first born so I had to pull their remaining eggs and break them. Luckily I had plenty of others to put them under.
I'm not sure if it was a first time thing or not yet, I'll try again if they go broody this year.

I like the advantage of complete hands off with broodys other than feeding, no heat required, instant integration, etc.

 

[Slothinc]

I have had good broody silkie moms and bad. One hen that was good at sitting on her eggs but then abandoned her chicks a couple of days after they hatched and the chicks died. Now I have a hard time trusting broodies. I did have a pair that tag teamed last summer and they did great, but at least for my set up, it is hard to have them brood. One of the main problems is that they will be established sitting on eggs, and then if someone lays in the other next box they switch over and leave their developing eggs. Happens all the time!! I think a lot of these things may just be silkie issues though, as they are one of the more absentminded chickens imo.