could any one give me plans to build a brooder/incubator for a silkie to sit on her eggs and the chicks. thank you

-- jon bon (pinklizzy3@aol.com), March 18, 2002

Answers

I am not sure I understand your question but my silkies lay their eggs In the bottom row of my eighteen nest unit and they are at ground level. Two of them have been setting eggs for a while now. They trade nests every once in a while and now today they have hatched three chicks so far in each nest. and are still trading nests! I know this because one hen is white and the other one is black. I have read that you don't have to remove the hens that are setting as long as you only have Silkies in the pen. They say even the roosters will help raise them.

-- Corky Wolf (corkywolf@hotmail.net), March 18, 2002.

Silkies are teriffic setters and chick raisers. We also have 2 silkies nesting next to each other and they even swap eggs back & forth. We moved the two hens into an empty rabbit hutch to protect them from others. But we have also left them in the main coop and they turned out just fine. None of our silkies will roost. And they always lay their eggs on the floor in the corners.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhillfarm@yahoo.com), March 18, 2002.

Your post is confusing. If your Silkie laid the eggs and is setting, you don't need an incubator (unless you don't want the hen to hatch the eggs) nor do you need a brooder. They will be fine in a pen. May I assume you have a rooster to do the fertilizing?

It's much easier to have the hen hatch the eggs, and from what I've read from those who have incubators, your hens will hatch more of the eggs and the chicks will be healthier. (I don't even own an incubator; my hens do a great job.)

If you can explain better, perhaps we can be of more help.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), March 19, 2002.