I got some great shots. She let me touch her and her babies as much as I wanted. Just a fabulous mama. Sadly, this was her first and only hatch, as she was taken by a predator a few months later. 😢
One has a pinpoint pupil that doesn't change in response to light (on one eye only). The other has an eye that went fully black & cloudy over the course of a week or so. A third hen had a blind eye that she would keep closed (she has since been taken by a predator 😔). My hens that came from a...
I've read the big thread on Marek's. I'm nearly 100% sure I have ocular Marek's in my flock. Two out of 13 birds are blind in one eye but otherwise doing fine. I know if I ever get more hatchery peeps they have to be vaccinated & separated while the immunity develops.
What I haven't been able...
I have five peeps that are a week old. They're in the brooder in the garage with mama hen. It's gorgeous weather out and I can't wait to see the little ones out in the grass. Pretty sure mama is dying to get out too. How long until they're less susceptible to coccidia? They're not vaccinated...
Hi all, I just found one of my six 5-day-old peeps dead in the brooder. She was perfectly fine last night.
I know all six were eating, drinking and pooping. Mama hen is in with them and doing a fantastic job so I'm sure she wasn't chilled. She was hatched here so none of the mail order chick...
I've read on here somewhere that it's ok for them to be on the nest longer than 21 days so you could probably use fake eggs until you get the real ones. My broody hen lets me hand feed her in the nest but many probably wouldn't, and I doubt it's necessary anyway. She'll get up when she needs to...
I was in exactly your position yesterday! My eggs were late and I was freaking out. I say just wait. Mama hens know what to do. (although I failed to follow this advice myself! I should have!)
Believe me when I tell you that I have been OB. SESS. ING. over these eggs for the last 48+ hours. Panicking. Imagining them suffocating inside their shells. No pips, no movement. I was convinced they were all dead & I had somehow caused it. Last night I couldn't take it anymore and poked a hole...
this is my broody girl, she's so good. I really hope her babies are okay! I'm really nervous that I killed them by checking on them at the wrong time!!!
I candled them on day 19 or so, they all looked good. Was it bad to move them at that time? Do you think the chicks are shrink wrapped? Can that happen before pipping?
That's what I call them :) Here's my questionnaire:
(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?
Started off with six chicks from Rural King, three RIRs and 3 Barred Rocks. That was about 2 years ago.
(2) How many chickens do you have right now? Thirteen hens. Two RIRs of...
Hi all, I have a broody (my first) sitting on six eggs (her first). She's been doing fantastic the whole time. So much so that I've had to pull her off the nest to eat/drink/poop. I'm afraid that by doing that 1x/day the last few days, I let the humidity get too low for the eggs at a critical...