Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[C8yJayne]

I'm sure more experienced people can comment, but maybe setting up her nursery to be perfect (dark, quiet, comfortable) and using two people to move her and the eggs at the same time after dark?

Thank you. I have the nursery all perfect ready to go the issue is we can't get under the shed to get her :s

 

[birdman55]

Hi everyone I hope you are all well. I have a dilemma my broody chook has built her nest under my shearing shed I want to get her out to put her in the maternity ward with some fertile eggs. Any idea how I can get her out? With out breaking her

WELCOME TO BYC....

so you know what time it is....? HATCHING TIME

 

[Fancychooklady]

Hi everyone I hope you are all well. I have a dilemma my broody chook has built her nest under my shearing shed I want to get her out to put her in the maternity ward with some fertile eggs. Any idea how I can get her out? With out breaking her

Depends on the hen, most of mine will happily be moved so long as the eggs are in sight. However I have one hen that is sitting in a cavity under one of the coops. I can't reach her and will wait till hatch day to collect them up and put them in a safer place. Last time we had one in the hay shed hubby had to remove a plank to access the chicks once we heard them peeping.

 

[satay]

Howdy Folks 

AussieChics sounds like you have your very own wrecking crew which you should probably hire out 

Steampunked I love your new gals; I want the Lavender!!

Lolz at your Belgians on the lounge satay 

youngchooklover I am sorry to read that your troubles continue 

Sidhe13 sounds like we will be celebrating bubs around the same time but yours are due a few days before mine.

Nu2chooks15 they sure are making you wait!  What’s the saying “Lord give me patience but hurry!”

Kooka Mother Nature certainly can make life interesting!

Fancy beautiful picture!!  Your garden etc is to die for!

So, I am posting mid week for a reason … had the most awful scare with Dusty!  She is molting and Blondie is broody.  So Sunday around 8pm I went out to make sure that Blondie had stayed on the roost and not mucked around trying to find somewhere to pancake.  Anyways, Dusty had laid a soft shelled egg.  Unfortunately, a good deal of the shell was hanging out of her vent.  I removed it and cleaned her up as much as I could without causing too much angst while they roosted.

Monday morning Dusty was very unwell; moping, not moving much, very sleepy, not eating, runny poop.  As I had to work I couldn’t do much for her during the day, just keep an eye on her and ensure she did not get worse. 

Research indicated that they have trouble laying the soft shell eggs because they are hard to push out, nothing to grip and some oil may help.

Knocked off work spot on 4pm and dashed outside with a bowl of warm water and Epsom Salts and plonked her in it for 30 minutes gently massing.  I managed to get some sardines into her (thank you Fancy!!) but had to put her up on the roost at bed time because she didn’t want to jump.  She looked pretty bad and I was really concerned that I was going to loose her.

As I do, sent hubby out to check on her this morning, I was too chicken!  He came back and told me she was in the run .. phew! 

Overnight, probably due to either the bath or the oil in the sardines or a combination of both, she had deposited the rest of the shell which I found on the coop floor. 

She is still a bit sad and sorry for herself today but the majority of that would probably be that she is a bit of a sook during a molt. 

She was scratching around the garden at free range time and jumped up onto the roost by herself at bed time 

I am keeping a very close eye on her!

Glad dusty is feeling better.

 

[satay]

Hi everyone I hope you are all well. I have a dilemma my broody chook has built her nest under my shearing shed I want to get her out to put her in the maternity ward with some fertile eggs. Any idea how I can get her out? With out breaking her

If find it's as simple as try and see. Some will happily move and others will not be happy and be broken from broodiness. All you can do is try.

 

[satay]

WELCOME TO BYC.... so you know what time it is....? HATCHING TIME

Looking like your hatch is going well there birdman. What breeds are you hatching?

 

[satay]

My pekin pair were out free ranging yesterday morning when I realized I had not seen the baby. Went and looked in their tractor and it had passed away. Not sure what happened as it was fine the day before.. Bummer.

 

[Fancychooklady]

My pekin pair were out free ranging yesterday morning when I realized I had not seen the baby. Went and looked in their tractor and it had passed away. Not sure what happened as it was fine the day before.. Bummer.

 

[Steampunked]

Research indicated that they have trouble laying the soft shell eggs because they are hard to push out, nothing to grip and some oil may help.

She is still a bit sad and sorry for herself today but the majority of that would probably be that she is a bit of a sook during a molt. 

She was scratching around the garden at free range time and jumped up onto the roost by herself at bed time 

I am keeping a very close eye on her!

I'm glad she is okay and appreciate the posting, as it's invaluable for folk like me who can only learn everything online . I've learned to keep and butcher chickens, knit, repair machines and more from forums like this, found out things that meant pet rabbits survived vets trying to give penicillin and more. It's very, very useful for someone like me who is kind of on their own!

Well, my grey silkie is a confirmed rooster now. He was crowing this morning and attempting to mount Ori, my Maran. Ori was unimpressed, and faintly offended.

It's a pity I can't justify keeping him as he is ridiculously pretty, perfect cobalt blue ears, a massive plume tail, and docile and curious. I'm probably going to drop him off at Craigs farm on the weekend, and hopefully he'll be sold at auction to someone who wants a very pretty boy.

 

[birdman55]

im hatching just some mix barnyard birds.....

on another good note...remember when i told you guys about the magazine...well its out as of technically today....i met a local pysanky egg artist and i gave her close to 400 eggs....check out her artwork and the picture of us together at the link below...yea...im so happy today...
http://www.marthastewart.com/1105133/easter-eggs-choosing-perfect-shells-your-decorating-project