Hatching with 2 broodies

[tommysgirl]

Thanks, TG! It's nice to be back, at least for a bit.

And thanks, MM! Good luck with the surgery - sounds intimidating! Helping Grace recover from the dog bite was no easy task, so surgery sounds especially challenging!

So, I'm wondering if 11 eggs are really too many. They're having a little trouble with coordinating after dust-bath/treat breaks. When I went to give them their daily fermented scratch/yogurt treats, they both came out, and when Grace went back in, she didn't get all the eggs. There were some left on either side of her. Then, when Frida went back in, she got the eggs on one side, but not the other, so I had to put the other back under her. Most days, this won't be a problem, but there will be some days when I'm gone for more than a few hours. What do you think? Should I remove a couple eggs? I think Frida is really the broody expert, but she's a bit intimidated by Grace, who is top hen (though a kind and gentle leader), and so isn't being too active about grabbing all the eggs or sidling up right next to her. Grace and Frida are both very small bantams - maybe I'm overestimating them. Thoughts?

My thought is to wait until day 5 candle and discard any clears at that point. There are usually some that aren't viable and it is easy to tell on day 5. Non fertiles will have no veins fertiles will have a spidery looking embryo started inside.. my candler is a small but very bright flashlight with a piece of pip insulation on the top to focus the light. It works great even in Olive Eggs. shine the light through the big end of the egg and sort of twist the egg around in a slow circle. I do my candling in my walk in closet, Good Luck!

I've been busy! I have 4 blue d'uccle chicks! I also have 3 moms with one baby each! two moms live together. All of the babies are around two weeks old.

Question.... Could i try to put the 4 blue d'uccles with the two moms and their two babies? Would this work or be a disaster?

you could try but do it at night and confine the mamas some how so they can have a few days to body with the new ones keep a close eye on them and be prepared to swoop in if needed.

I probably wouldn't chance it with a mama who already had her own chicks and had already gotten used to a routine with them.

 

[lizgarf]

My thought is to wait until day 5 candle and discard any clears at that point. There are usually some that aren't viable and it is easy to tell on day 5. Non fertiles will have no veins fertiles will have a spidery looking embryo started inside.. my candler is a small but very bright flashlight with a piece of pip insulation on the top to focus the light. It works great even in Olive Eggs. shine the light through the big end of the egg and sort of twist the egg around in a slow circle. I do my candling in my walk in closet, Good Luck!

you could try but do it at night and confine the mamas some how so they can have a few days to body with the new ones keep a close eye on them and be prepared to swoop in if needed.

I probably wouldn't chance it with a mama who already had her own chicks and had already gotten used to a routine with them.

Thanks, TG! Yeah, I thought the same thing, after my post. I had forgotten how soon you can start seeing a difference.
For what it's worth, the broodies seem to be doing a better job after this morning's hiccup.

I'm pretty sure that all the eggs are fertile (Desi is nothing if not thorough, and the yolks have the bull's eye), but I'm less sure about how viable they are. I think I shared a few months ago that I sold some eggs to a friend's preschool to do an incubator hatch. Well, none hatched! Sounds like it could have been incubator problems, but I think my friend was still surprised by the result. So, I'm not 100% sure this will work out, even if the broodies do their job.

 

[16 paws]

Finally a few sorta kinda decent pics. First, willie and his progeny having a little talk... This one I think is a roo.


Here is the best one I could get of them all together. The smaller white one and the one laying in the background I am convinced are girls. Obviously the big white one is a boy and I believe the one to the left of him is also a boy(same one talking to Willie in the pic above). The others are a bit tricky. Combs are pinking up, but are small. Any thoughts?

Finally a few sorta kinda decent pics. First, willie and his progeny having a little talk... This one I think is a roo.


Here is the best one I could get of them all together. The smaller white one and the one laying in the background I am convinced are girls. Obviously the big white one is a boy and I believe the one to the left of him is also a boy(same one talking to Willie in the pic above). The others are a bit tricky. Combs are pinking up, but are small. Any thoughts?

I dont know if I am just being paranoid because of all the boys we just hatched but it looks like at least 4 boys to me. I could be totally off on that so please dont quote me. What kind and how old are they? My one bantam cochin cockerel started to try and crow at 2 months!!!!!!

 

[16 paws]

Thanks, TG! It's nice to be back, at least for a bit.

And thanks, MM! Good luck with the surgery - sounds intimidating! Helping Grace recover from the dog bite was no easy task, so surgery sounds especially challenging!

So, I'm wondering if 11 eggs are really too many. They're having a little trouble with coordinating after dust-bath/treat breaks. When I went to give them their daily fermented scratch/yogurt treats, they both came out, and when Grace went back in, she didn't get all the eggs. There were some left on either side of her. Then, when Frida went back in, she got the eggs on one side, but not the other, so I had to put the other back under her. Most days, this won't be a problem, but there will be some days when I'm gone for more than a few hours. What do you think? Should I remove a couple eggs? I think Frida is really the broody expert, but she's a bit intimidated by Grace, who is top hen (though a kind and gentle leader), and so isn't being too active about grabbing all the eggs or sidling up right next to her. Grace and Frida are both very small bantams - maybe I'm overestimating them. Thoughts?

Hello Liz,
Welcome back!
Great to hear from you.
So sorry about the dog thing. I know that is really hard.

On your broodys, are you thinking that one broody will sit on the eggs and the other will fill in?
In my experience, they will do some egg swapping, which is happening right now with my co-broodies. Actually my bantam buff japanese went broody and then a few days later my barred rock decided she wanted her eggs and kicked the bantie out all together and took over. I tried to move Dottie, the barred rock but she wasnt having any of that. So now they are in the same nest box and I split the eggs between them. The eggs are getting jostled around a lot so I dont know if any are going to hatch.
I think 11 is a lot for a small bantie but if they are not disturbed I think they can cover them. Especially now that it is so warm.
What if you split the eggs between them?
Marie
Never mind, I just reread that and it sounds like they each have eggs. I think they can cover them fine. I agree with waiting and candeling them.

 

[MistyMountain]

I dont know if I am just being paranoid because of all the boys we just hatched but it looks like at least 4 boys to me. I could be totally off on that so please dont quote me. What kind and how old are they? My one bantam cochin cockerel started to try and crow at 2 months!!!!!!

They are 6 weeks. The two white ones are SLW Roo and Leghorn hen. Pretty obvious that I got one of each there… which is good. I lost a leghorn hen while we were wandering around out west. I just realized tonight that I went from leghorns being my biggest layers to mostly EE with a white egg only now and then. Crazy, when did that happen? LOL. Anyhow, all of the black and white ones are SLW Roo and EE hens. Hatchery stock, all of them, so we can just call them mega mutts! I do worry about those with broken patterns on the wings especially… but they are mutts so who knows! I do know that my white EE, MJ, had a very pink comb from the start. She actually started out as Spiderman. I think the white against pink plays tricks on your eyes.

4 boys. Hmm. I guess that can't be any worse than the amount of testosterone we already have going on in the coop these days. Willie, the mature SLW Roo, Cielo, a 15 week old EE cockerel and one of the 15 week old leghorn cockerels all sleep in the coop together peacefully. The remaining 8 leghorn cockerels have taken to roosting in the pine tree at night. I suppose that is the only thing keeping the peace right now because once I let everyone out in the morning things get a bit crazy. The leghorns need a new home, any takers? They are super white and pretty!! (except the one who flogged me behind my back today. I don't know which one it was as there were 8 following me like little puppy dogs, but that one is not pretty, lol!)

 

[Teila]

OMG! How to be both excited and worried at the same time!

Just before bed time, Tina looked unwell, scrunched up, not moving around much, sleepy .. basically, constipated.

I went back at 7pm to check how she was doing and there was an egg under her!

OK, while I should be so happy and excited, I was worried because it had blood on it and who lays an egg at 7pm at night? I think this was a total surprise to both her and me. She had not been showing any signs of laying, no nesting, no squatting .. zip! Anyways, being worried about her, I checked in with the Aussie Team Room as they would have been on line and one of the very knowledgeable Silkie breeders put my mind at ease that she should be OK. I was particularly worried that she may have been 'blocked' for a while, causing damage.

She is sleeping now but she will be getting an extra big snuggle in the morning. Not sure if I will sleep much; just want to know that she is OK.

Has anyone ever had a hen lay just like that? No warning; total surprise to me and apparently her?

Sadly, no pictures of Tina's first egg, it cracked when it hit the coop floor

So, Blondie beat her big 'sister' Tina by 2 days!

 

[tommysgirl]

OMG! How to be both excited and worried at the same time!

Just before bed time, Tina looked unwell, scrunched up, not moving around much, sleepy .. basically, constipated.

I went back at 7pm to check how she was doing and there was an egg under her!

OK, while I should be so happy and excited, I was worried because it had blood on it and who lays an egg at 7pm at night? I think this was a total surprise to both her and me. She had not been showing any signs of laying, no nesting, no squatting .. zip! Anyways, being worried about her, I checked in with the Aussie Team Room as they would have been on line and one of the very knowledgeable Silkie breeders put my mind at ease that she should be OK. I was particularly worried that she may have been 'blocked' for a while, causing damage.

She is sleeping now but she will be getting an extra big snuggle in the morning. Not sure if I will sleep much; just want to know that she is OK.

Has anyone ever had a hen lay just like that? No warning; total surprise to me and apparently her?

Sadly, no pictures of Tina's first egg, it cracked when it hit the coop floor

So, Blondie beat her big 'sister' Tina by 2 days!

How exciting!!! Yes I have had girls lay w/o me ever seeing them do any of the..."I am getting ready to lay an egg" follderol. Then there are those like my Petunia who is like Goldilocks looking for the spot that is "just right" all the while telling us all that she is planning very soon (within 4 hours or so of when she begins nest shopping) to grace us with an egg. Some girls are quite about it. My sizzle, Julie Taylor, is stealthy and she has never squatted for me...actually most of my girls haven't squatted.

Congrats on the new egg! so sorry it was broken but hope your heart is resting easier. 3 egg layers...time to whip up a souffle!

Here is Ike...I have him semi penned up today but he can get out where the girls can see him and he can see them. He already did his courting dance for the group...they were overall unimpressed but wanted to know if he had any treats to share
.

In broody news Godiva is in the weaning process and so is Gracie Belle. this leaves only Norma with her 6. 3 of them have noticeably darker wings...I think those are my little girls. I will try to get a pic for you today. They are 2 weeks old.

I have all of my June chicks who have been weaned together in one pen. They kind of have a blast together and it is fun to watch them. Predator proofing a coop so that I can move my cockerel conglomerate into their own digs. My big Del boys are getting too big for their britches and chasing the littles and starting to be kind of obnoxious.

That's all I have to say about that! Enjoy your days peeps!

 

[lizgarf]

OK, while I should be so happy and excited, I was worried because it had blood on it and who lays an egg at 7pm at night? I think this was a total surprise to both her and me. She had not been showing any signs of laying, no nesting, no squatting .. zip! Anyways, being worried about her, I checked in with the Aussie Team Room as they would have been on line and one of the very knowledgeable Silkie breeders put my mind at ease that she should be OK. I was particularly worried that she may have been 'blocked' for a while, causing damage.

She is sleeping now but she will be getting an extra big snuggle in the morning. Not sure if I will sleep much; just want to know that she is OK.

Has anyone ever had a hen lay just like that? No warning; total surprise to me and apparently her?

Sadly, no pictures of Tina's first egg, it cracked when it hit the coop floor

So, Blondie beat her big 'sister' Tina by 2 days!

Yay, Tina!!!
I don't think you should be worried at all. Sounds like she had a rough first egg, but will be fine. Rousseau's first egg was bloody, and she's a good little layer now, if on the loud side. It might be harder for some birds than others. Amazing how different chickens are. Lucy and Tina are the same age, but Lucy started laying in March! Between Silkies being late bloomers, and our being in different hemispheres, it definitely makes a difference! It'll be interesting to see if Lucy lays through the winter.

Ike is very handsome, TG!

I think Grace and Frida have it down, now. They made it back onto all the eggs after their breaks this morning. Marsha is a little bit of a pain, as she seems interested in laying in the new nest and kicking Frida out. So, it's a good thing Grace is one of the broodies this time, since she's the only one who can really stand up to Marsha.

Oh, and Jan was chatting with me and sort of checking out the (main) nest today. I'm not giving up hope on that one!

 

[tommysgirl]

Yay, Tina!!!
I don't think you should be worried at all. Sounds like she had a rough first egg, but will be fine. Rousseau's first egg was bloody, and she's a good little layer now, if on the loud side. It might be harder for some birds than others. Amazing how different chickens are. Lucy and Tina are the same age, but Lucy started laying in March! Between Silkies being late bloomers, and our being in different hemispheres, it definitely makes a difference! It'll be interesting to see if Lucy lays through the winter.

Ike is very handsome, TG!

I think Grace and Frida have it down, now. They made it back onto all the eggs after their breaks this morning. Marsha is a little bit of a pain, as she seems interested in laying in the new nest and kicking Frida out. So, it's a good thing Grace is one of the broodies this time, since she's the only one who can really stand up to Marsha.

Oh, and Jan was chatting with me and sort of checking out the (main) nest today. I'm not giving up hope on that one!

Thanks liz! It is good that you aren't giving up on Jan. My colored egg layers are the most fickle egg layers...they take days off for heat and for cold and for moulting and in protest of whatever. Glad your girls are figuring out the co brooding. It will make both of their lives easier!

Here is Norma with her second clutch. These babies are so well camouflaged it is hard to pick them out and of course there are blurs from the ones that wont stand still.


It is hard to tell but the one at 12:00 with its back to the camera and the one at 6:00 are two of the three with darker wings...it could mean nothing but it could mean I have at least 3 girls this time.

 

[Teila]

How exciting!!! Yes I have had girls lay w/o me ever seeing them do any of the..."I am getting ready to lay an egg" follderol. Then there are those like my Petunia who is like Goldilocks looking for the spot that is "just right" all the while telling us all that she is planning very soon (within 4 hours or so of when she begins nest shopping) to grace us with an egg. Some girls are quite about it. My sizzle, Julie Taylor, is stealthy and she has never squatted for me...actually most of my girls haven't squatted.

Congrats on the new egg! so sorry it was broken but hope your heart is resting easier. 3 egg layers...time to whip up a souffle!

Here is Ike...I have him semi penned up today but he can get out where the girls can see him and he can see them. He already did his courting dance for the group...they were overall unimpressed but wanted to know if he had any treats to share.

In broody news Godiva is in the weaning process and so is Gracie Belle. this leaves only Norma with her 6. 3 of them have noticeably darker wings...I think those are my little girls. I will try to get a pic for you today. They are 2 weeks old.

I have all of my June chicks who have been weaned together in one pen. They kind of have a blast together and it is fun to watch them. Predator proofing a coop so that I can move my cockerel conglomerate into their own digs. My big Del boys are getting too big for their britches and chasing the littles and starting to be kind of obnoxious.

That's all I have to say about that! Enjoy your days peeps!

Wow, he is beautiful!

Yay, Tina!!!
I don't think you should be worried at all. Sounds like she had a rough first egg, but will be fine. Rousseau's first egg was bloody, and she's a good little layer now, if on the loud side. It might be harder for some birds than others. Amazing how different chickens are. Lucy and Tina are the same age, but Lucy started laying in March! Between Silkies being late bloomers, and our being in different hemispheres, it definitely makes a difference! It'll be interesting to see if Lucy lays through the winter.

Ike is very handsome, TG!

I think Grace and Frida have it down, now. They made it back onto all the eggs after their breaks this morning. Marsha is a little bit of a pain, as she seems interested in laying in the new nest and kicking Frida out. So, it's a good thing Grace is one of the broodies this time, since she's the only one who can really stand up to Marsha.

Oh, and Jan was chatting with me and sort of checking out the (main) nest today. I'm not giving up hope on that one!

Thank you both for your kind words and support ... just a quick update as, as per usual, I should be working

Tina seems to be OK this morning, unfortunately with work, I do not get to spend too much time with them in the morning. Her bottom is a little poopy and I wonder if there could have been a back-up but also, being a Silkie, pretty much anything seems to stick to their feathers and form a clump. I will keep an eye on her and if need be, bath time on the weekend!

Have a great day Team!

Oh yeah, TG, 3 x egg layers, if this keeps up the neighbours will be happy ... free eggs! lol