Keeping Chickens Newsletter

Subscriber Letters

Sue Kocher : I absolutely love your newsletter. We have three adorable Silkies. We have all hens and started getting an egg about every 1 or 2 days. It has been a cold snowy winter and the first egg appeared on our coldest day so far this winter. Will a chicken get broody with no rooster around? I'd like to purchase a few fertile eggs in the spring and have a hen sit on them. I've enclosed a picture for you. The white Silkie is "Maggie", the other two are "Jemima" and "Saphire". Thanks Sue Kocher from Orangeville, Pennsylvania

My Reply : A chicken can get broody with or without a rooster around (Silkies are probably one of the most naturally broody breeds so you have a good chance). Fertile hatching eggs can be kept for around 6 weeks in the right conditions, but are best used within 2 weeks so it may be better to wait until you have a broody before ordering any eggs.

Sarah Bloom : I have a suggestion for Judy Stearns in Michigan regarding her extra roosters. I had the same problem and couldn't bring myself to butcher my gorgeous boys after raising them from day old chicks either. I put a free ad on CraigsList.com in the farm and garden category and was able to rehome them no problem. Thought I'd pass it on.