New chicken farmer - broody hen hatching eggs.

[NorthernChick1]

My silkie is a little over a year old. This summer she went half broody, she would sit on her eggs at night then abandon them the next day.

Now shes truely broody. Shes on day 3 sitting on eggs. I will check how manny shes at tonight. I am new to this and id like to let her do her thing and hatch chicks.

Now shes in a coop with 9 others. Shes layed in the nesting box thats on the ground.

I have a few questions. If someone has info for me, or can tag me in helpfull threads please do id be very thankfull

Here are afew questions:
How many can she lay on/hatch?
Should i remove some if theres to many or should i let her do all the work?
Should i number the eggs with a marker?
Do i isolate her from the others?
Is it best i keep her in the coop with the others but box her in a corner of the coop?
The outside temp is around 0celcius at night and low 10's during the day. Should i bring her inside and let her hatch in the house?
Should i put a lamp near her?
Do i feed her something special?
How can i make sure she is esting and drinking?

Thank you all in advance

 

[azygous]

How many eggs she can hatch depends on her "footprint" - how many eggs she can completely cover with her body.

Make a small mark on her eggs in case other hens lay their eggs so you can remove the intruders. You do not want a staggered hatch for a number of reasons.

Some of us do segregate our broodies to be sure the eggs remain safe from breakage as other hens make incursions into the broody nest, and to protect the babies when they hatch. But it's up to you.

You can feed her an all flock feed or chick feed. Not layer, though. Most of us feed a broody the same thing the chicks will eat. She won't eat much during incubation, but make food and water available. She will likely only be off the nest for a few minutes a day to poop and dirt bathe, the latter being very important to prevent parasites during her being nest bound.

 

[NorthernChick1]

 

[NorthernChick1]

How many eggs she can hatch depends on her "footprint" - how many eggs she can completely cover with her body.

Make a small mark on her eggs in case other hens lay their eggs so you can remove the intruders. You do not want a staggered hatch for a number of reasons.

Some of us do segregate our broodies to be sure the eggs remain safe from breakage as other hens make incursions into the broody nest, and to protect the babies when they hatch. But it's up to you.

You can feed her an all flock feed or chick feed. Not layer, though. Most of us feed a broody the same thing the chicks will eat. She won't eat much during incubation, but make food and water available. She will likely only be off the nest for a few minutes a day to poop and dirt bathe, the latter being very important to prevent parasites during her being nest bound.

Thanks! I will find a way to secure her in the coop so the others cant get at her nest. I'll give her her own water and food. And i can feed her chick starter? And is a sharpie dangereous or do i use something different?
Do i candle them? I read that they will kick out eggs that arent viable as the time progresses

 

[azygous]

I'd use a pencil to mark the eggs. Yes, chick starter can be consumed by any of your chickens at any time and won't hurt anything. It's practically identical to all flock feed. You may candle the eggs to monitor development, but it's not absolutely necessary. Don't count on her selecting bad eggs and kicking them out, though. If you see no development when you candle, you could remove those.

 

[NorthernChick1]

I'd use a pencil to mark the eggs. Yes, chick starter can be consumed by any of your chickens at any time and won't hurt anything. It's practically identical to all flock feed. You may candle the eggs to monitor development, but it's not absolutely necessary. Don't count on her selecting bad eggs and kicking them out, though. If you see no development when you candle, you could remove those.

Thanks for the advice.... i just went and checked her eggs and none of them were hers... only her eggs and my easter eggers eggs ever get fertilized so i just pulled all eggs out besides one.. i left her the only fertilized egg out of all the ones she was laying on. Hopefully she lays her own and adds them to the batch.

 

[azygous]

Well, she may not be laying any additional eggs if she's crossed into full broodiness. Unless you are set on Silkies from this particular hen, she can incubate and hatch any fertile eggs from any source.

 

[NorthernChick1]

Well, she may not be laying any additional eggs if she's crossed into full broodiness. Unless you are set on Silkies from this particular hen, she can incubate and hatch any fertile eggs from any source.

She has three easter egger eggs under her. She isint laying on one of her own nor has she laid her own egg since. Looks like i will be getting silkie x ee chicks...

One other question.
She has 3 ee eggs that all come from the same hen. So technically the eggs are three days appart.. does that mean they would all hatch one day appart?

 

[NorthernChick1]

Also,can i candle the eggs with a normal flashlight? i looked into buying an actually candler but it would come in around the same time as the eggs would be due to hatch.