Ok two things

[Jesusfreak101]

well we having to cull our first hen... She has a purple comb and has been gasping we have had her locked in the garden away from the others for a week one cause we havent been able to cull her and two we wanted to see if she would improve on her own and it looked like she was and now she back to where she began. But on the other hand we have our first broody we going to order some eggs and let her hatch them and see what happens. She an easter egg and even as a broody she is super sweet she hiss but doesnt bite. Any advice, oh and when i place eggs in front of her she steals them and hids them under herself.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sorry, it's never easy to cull, but it's a part of the whole chicken keeping experience, she sounds like she's suffering. New chicks are always welcome, though unfortunately hatching eggs always come with some extra roosters.

 

[Pork Pie]

Your broody is doing what a broody hen does - its normal. Once you set the eggs under her, the desire to steal eggs will go - she will be content to sit on her existing eggs (thats my experience, at least).

CT

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Sorry you are having to cull your hen....I agree with Oldhenlikesdogs....it is part of chicken keeping. Eventually, you will have to cull. I can recommend the CO2 method...5 gallon bucket, 1/2 lb dry ice. Place dry ice in bottom, pour warm water, place some sort of styrofoam platform (for kindness), place lid on, let cloud build up really big in bucket, immerse bird.

It is the same extinguish method used by fire systems in high tech buildings (workers are warned what will happen). The high CO2 level causes immediate unconsciousness, then suffocation occurs within 1 to 2 minutes....I've never had them flutter more than 30 seconds and all were completely dead by 1 minute. Bloodless and merciful way to go. (The nasty CO2 poultry industry stories are about large flocks lead into a room where CO2 is slowly pumped in until the level is high enough to suffocate...this can lead to long, protracted deaths).

As to your broody, isolate her so the others cannot get to her. (Place barriers or move her to a better location...at night.) My broody hens will continue to steal eggs throughout their brood and are in constant risk of kicking out the ones that have started to develop when they do so. You also risk mixed development and staggered hatches as well as more dominant hens pushing out the broody hen, usually breaking eggs in the process.

An isolated brooding hen is a happier hen in my experience, and you have better hatch rates with less egg mishaps.

My 2 cents.

LofMc

 

[Jesusfreak101]

The egg stealing makes me laugh considering that she normally wont go near me but is happy to take my eggs from my hand i just debating on if it should he quail eggs or chicken eggs. And yeah the culling thing sucks she one of my favorites (my garden helper) i just going to have my husband make it a quick she a sweet girl. She will come over and talk to me even now but
She looks sad so yeah (my husband was hoping we wouldnd have to because he knows how i feel about her) i prefer she didnt suffer we going to do it this morning. I have wire rabbit cage i might put her in but i need to put smething for her to nest in. I also thinking about the garden but i dont want her sick if its contagious.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

well she likes the quail eggs and was very gentle and didnt break any we see how this goes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That should be interesting.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I will be cracking up if it works lol if not its fine.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You will have to let me know how it goes.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I will!