Barry Natchitoches
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I have two ladies whose genetics is mostly Silkies.
One lady decided to go broody about two weeks ago, so when I was sure she was dedicated to fulfill the job, I gave her five eggs to sit on. Those eggs are in Day #9 of the incubation period.
She has been very diligent about sitting on her eggs.
But yesterday, I went out there and opened up the door to the egg laying area - and my second Silkie was sitting in the same nest with the first broodie, sharing responsibility for sitting on those five eggs. They are both calm and contented to share the same nest and the same eggs, or so it looks to me.
Today, the same thing - the two are both sitting in the same nest, sitting on the same clutch of five eggs.
My question: Should I separate them and give the second lady her own set of eggs to sit on, or should I let them share brooding responsibilities even until their egg hatchings about 10 days from now?
Is it likely the two would be willing to co-mother the babies when they are finally hatched, if I close off the compartment where they are brooding to the rest of the birds, and leave just the two of them with the new hatchlings?
One lady decided to go broody about two weeks ago, so when I was sure she was dedicated to fulfill the job, I gave her five eggs to sit on. Those eggs are in Day #9 of the incubation period.
She has been very diligent about sitting on her eggs.
But yesterday, I went out there and opened up the door to the egg laying area - and my second Silkie was sitting in the same nest with the first broodie, sharing responsibility for sitting on those five eggs. They are both calm and contented to share the same nest and the same eggs, or so it looks to me.
Today, the same thing - the two are both sitting in the same nest, sitting on the same clutch of five eggs.
My question: Should I separate them and give the second lady her own set of eggs to sit on, or should I let them share brooding responsibilities even until their egg hatchings about 10 days from now?
Is it likely the two would be willing to co-mother the babies when they are finally hatched, if I close off the compartment where they are brooding to the rest of the birds, and leave just the two of them with the new hatchlings?