# broody silky



## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I got this little white fluff ball silky, the previous owner named it cassie and claimed it would come when callled... I have yet to see that happen, I have seen her dissappear from the main coop a few days ago. I searched high and low, then as a last thought checked out the pullet coop, sure enough she was up in their nest box, sitting on an egg. I have about 4 more eggs which she laid, and several fresh eggs from the other full size hens, can I place some of the larger eggs under her? how many will be too many? I have not had a broody, which is the purpose I got the cochins... this silky seems like a fine fit to me..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Three or four. It depends on the size of the eggs and what she can cover efficiently. Watch though, she might not be happy with the eggs because they're cold. Some of these girls can be quite picky about the eggs they're sitting on.

When she learns your voice, she will. Mine only respond to my voice when I call their names. Hubs can call all day long and they'll ignore him.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

my plan was to slip a few freshly laid eggs in today. when I hear an egg call I will go out and find the fresh one and slip it under the sily while its still warm


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I've had some that would steal anything, whether it was cold or sitting under another hen. And a few that the moment I put a cold egg under her have her roll it right back out again. No way to know how your girl will react until you try.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

she is a hoarder... I honestly thought that the other ladies would leave her alone as she is in the smaller coop, seems they continue to lay in that nest box rather then the new one I built... a result of this is she just hoards the newer eggs and pushes the ones that have been started out of the nest.. I just found 12 eggs under this little girl.. jeepers... I candled them and found 4 of the 12 to be showing real nice veining... those were returned to her, the others I will fry up... 
I guess I may need to block access to that coops nest box so the others cant use it.. I think I will block off most of it, and leave where she is alone.. hopefully that, plus leaving the ladies locked in the coop tomorrow with a few eggs in the new nest will be enough to get them laying in the big coop. I may also add a partition to kind of enclose the silky so she feels even more comfortable..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Really thought you'd get off that easy after seeing all the stories of others laying in an occupied nest? Really? 

Just make sure she has enough room to move about and not soil the nest.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

mid day she has the whole 6x6 coop to her self, the birds that live in there are out the door as soon as it opens. there is no easy or good way to limit access... I could try to move her to my unoccupied outdoor brooder, she would not have any issues with others laying then... she would also not be near the grass, as she does venture out of the coop from time to time to dust bath and scratch the yard.
the first step will be keeping the other ladies in their coop tomorrow, at least until after a hear a few egg songs


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I had multiple pens so I forget what a challenge it can be for those that don't. If I had girls that were laying while another was sitting, I marked the sitting girl's eggs and checked each day to pull out the "new" eggs. I usually kept them because chances were the girls adding to the nest were going to go broody and would need those eggs to sit on.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I do have the plan of eventually having multiple pens for breeding and chick rearing... just not able to do it right now on the property I live on. Being in my late 20's and knowing what I want out of life is a big step compared to a lot of my peers, simply not sure how to get there the fastest way possible... as I am a ski bum and do not pull in large amounts of dough. 
it really looks like I may end up buying a house on property because the banks will give me a morgage on a house but not bare land... 
I decided the best thing to do would be to just give her the big coop, at least during the day, I made sure the youger pullets were out of there and stuck a log in the pop door.
I gave her her own feed, spread some scratch and grit and oystershell around, she also has a standard waterer and a hanging nipple watterer for her use. she may not be able to leave the coop, but at least she wont be bothered and perhaps she canfinish this set in peace. 
I am placing some golf balls in the new nest boxes I want the girls to lay in, though they did not like the idea of being locked up on such a beautiful morning, they assaulted me and got through the doorway... now if only I can find out where they end up laying in the yard if they do not try the new nest boxes.
My phone is charging up, once charged I will try and get a few pictures of the happenings around here..


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The banks have gotten very picky when it comes to mortgaging much of anything. If you really want blank land the small banks are the ones to approach, they will most times give a 15 year loan on bare land. The negative side is that the rate is fixed for five years and variable plus one percent after that. They will also be more willing to do construction loans. 

The hardest is that you're going to all that work on a place that is not your own. I hated having to do that.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

well it seems so far, at least in the few places I have looked, I simply do not have the credit a smaller bank is looking for.. so I just keep chuggin along... building my credit.. watching for great deals... and hoping for a lottery win. oh it would be nice to buy a turn key place and have all the funds needed to build it into my own place... 
So heres what I decided to do, I just placed a log in the pop hole door so no one can go back in once they have come out for the day... this gives the broody the coop to herself durnig the day, she shares it with the youngsters at night. 







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and the new nest boxes in the hen house







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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Your age is against you on financing. I was surprised to find out that the older you are the higher your credit score can be. I guess it doesn't matter if your 30, pay your bills on time, have the same job for ten years, its rare to hit the upper 700's in credit rating.

Do you have any other girls that are liable to go broody? If your Silkie is young she could easily do this broody thing three more times this year. You might have to be planning now for that happening.

BTW, from what she came from she looks really good.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

its the FF, its really an awesome arrow in my quiver of tricks.. all the girls are looking better, a few yucky butts here and there.. still working on the one with a possible vent gleat issue.. 
I do not expect the others to go broody... although i never rule it out. I did however get cochins for their broodiness before I got this flock.. so eventulay I will have them and the silkie. At that point I will likely build them a maternity coop, with larger nest boxes and all the goodies they need to thrive.
As far as the credit stuff goes.... ahh fooey to all that nonsense... IMO its all just a scam... I Have very little debt, If I really crack down, work 2 or 3 jobs I could get there in the next few years... thats my plan... I also make a bit of side money with logging and occasionally I guide archery mule deer hunts. All a matter of keeping the boiler hot and the water tank full... I will get there.. even if I have to sand the rails and push myself to the limits...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I forgot to mention that tree growing up against that rock face. What a neat pic.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

that is a crab apple tree, its roughly 50 years old... it blooms real nice in spring.. never produces fruits... sure does provide a bit of shade though


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It always amazes me how trees can start growing in rocky ground and never give up. How they can get roots down deep enough to anchor them solidly is amazing.


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