At $10 a chick it would be an expensive and emotionally exhausting exercise if it failed. I'll buy some chicks sometime in the future and raise them with a lamp. Thanks ihvpower for the concern. To top it off, Fraggle gave me a whopper of a peck when I turfed her off the nest. I've been well...
October Hatching...I'm out
Don't read on if you are squeamish!
After the two who didn't make it on Day 21 I gave the rest another three days, but no pips or cheeps. I dug a hole in the garden where I'd buried the other two chicks and 'investigated' the rest of the eggs with a gardening...
It's heartening to read that it's not 'over' till day 25. I had the two that didn't make it on day 21, then nothing. Surely they would all want to hatch at the same time? As I'm suspecting my Plymouth Rock trod on them. I'm also thinking if there are any more that hatch I might put them in a...
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I've been feeling so low after having to bury my first two chicks. Your thread restores my patience and hope.
Is anyone else using a broody hen or are you all using incubators?
No luck so far. One dead this morning, the second one out was cheeping away for ages, but then went quiet. I think Fraggle stood on it.
To intervene or not to intervene, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to help the hatchlings with a couple of days under a heatlamp or allow the...
Thanks, I thought it would have something to do with the breed. I'm such a "newby", and very anxious about today, the hatching day. I keep on having to dash outside to listen for the cheeping. The chick I saw was still wet and sticky. Is there anything I should do?
Right on time, the chicks are going 'cheep'. Fraggle, the surrogate mum, stood up when she saw us this morning to expose the nest and we saw one little wet mess of feathers. One had not made it, the rest were still in their eggs. There is the potential of eight chicks now. My husband lifted...
My Plymouth Rock hen 'Fraggle' is patiently sitting and waiting for 9 eggs to hatch (she ate the 10th one at the beginning of the set). It's my first time, and hers. I've not intervened by turning eggs, just letting nature take its course. She's on day 20 today!!!
The eggs are from show...
Chicks are due in a day and a half. I've left her to her own instinctive devices regarding egg turning, so here's hoping we have some little ones on Sunday.
Racoons!!!? Luckily we don't get them in Australia, so she's safe from those unless they can swim the Pacific. We do have our own pests, like snakes that can take eggs, but I've never seen a snake in my garden yet. Fraggle is quite secure, next to our glass sliding door in her cage. She...
Thanks Sandie
I've brought her in close to the house on the patio, away from my other two, and housed her in a wire hutch off the ground with a deep bed of fresh straw. We can keep a close eye on her and she is safe from our little curious dog, who is quite unaware of her presence. I...
Phew! Thanks for answering. I take it that it's usual for a broody hen to go off their food a bit and not move around much? I'm really looking forward to putting the fertilised eggs under her in two days time.
For the first time, I'm hoping to raise some chicks using my Plymouth Rock "Fraggle" as a surrogate.
Fraggle went broody last Monday (20th Sept), and has been sitting on the last (unfertilised) egg from my late hen "Pavlova", who sadly died a week ago. I have a breeder who is producing about...
Breed: Light Sussex
Entering Category: Best Hen Name
Age: 18 months
Name: Pavlova
Named PAVLOVA because she was big, white and fluffy when not taking a bath (photo taken in a 46 deg C / 114 deg F heatwave).
(Pavlova's are a traditional Australian sweet dessert made of egg whites & sugar, topped...
Hi everyone
Yep, I'm a newby to this forum. I've a couple of old Isa Brown (egg laying machines) and one Plymouth Rock called 'Fraggle'. Sadly, my lovely Sussex Light called 'Pavlova' died suddenly last Wednesday. We think she possible choked on her food - very rock 'n roll - as she was...