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d.dachickenman said:
Thanks for the response.
.
Unfortunately while I was at school one of the other hens pushed aside the broody and layed a couple eggs, the new eggs were layed a two days after the original three. Will the broody stay on all the eggs until they hatch
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Can you tell which eggs are the new eggs? We marked our eggs since our broody was in the favorite nesting box we found new eggs every day. Maybe try candling them in a couple days and mark the 3 that are the furthest in development and remove the others.
 
PNW_Peepers said:
Oh my gosh guys! DH lifted the whole nest and box up and baby was underneath it the whole time! He managed to revive it even though it was so cold. We heated the house to 85 and I got out heated blankets. Some nutridrench to the tip of its beak. In less than three hours this chick has made a full comeback. View attachment 1533633
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:goodpost: This is great news! Thank goodness for your quick thinking and prompt action, lovely story :love
 
@ChooksNQuilts Wonder if you might help clear up a puzzle for me please - a couple of days ago I noticed Lilah wasn't staying as close to Roo as she usually would do, then later the same afternoon Jellybean lunged at Roo, taking a bite at Roo ripping out about 5/6 feathers, Lilah did nothing to protect Roo, didn't even seem to notice - I stepped in immediately using your stick method, and I am now guarding Roo the whole time the whole flock are free ranging together - yesterday while free ranging, Roo followed Lilah as usual, they got separated and although Roo was screaming her head off, Lilah took no notice and at one stage Pedro, Jellybean and two of my duck hens got Roo cornered and again Lilah did nothing, didn't even look up from her foraging even though Roo was crying out for her [They didn't get Roo because I was there to stop them) and today Lilah and Roo were near me as I was doing some digging so I gave each a worm I'd dug up, Lilah ate hers and then stole Roo's - So far Lilah is fine with Roo constantly following her and I still have Lilah and Roo caged together indoors with us b'cos I can't put Roo in the coop and b'cos Roo can't bare to be parted from Lilah and gets distressed - Lilah isn't attacking Roo, nor doing anything to Roo at all, just is shes no longer protecting Roo, nor caring for Roo at all anymore - also Lilah laid an egg today. I read mothers stop tending to their offspring around 6/8 weeks but Roo is only 4 weeks old - do you have any idea what is happening and if there is anything I can do?
 
Anna Ranieri said:
@ChooksNQuilts Wonder if you might help clear up a puzzle for me please - a couple of days ago I noticed Lilah wasn't staying as close to Roo as she usually would do, then later the same afternoon Jellybean lunged at Roo, taking a bite at Roo ripping out about 5/6 feathers, Lilah did nothing to protect Roo, didn't even seem to notice - I stepped in immediately using your stick method, and I am now guarding Roo the whole time the whole flock are free ranging together - yesterday while free ranging, Roo followed Lilah as usual, they got separated and although Roo was screaming her head off, Lilah took no notice and at one stage Pedro, Jellybean and two of my duck hens got Roo cornered and again Lilah did nothing, didn't even look up from her foraging even though Roo was crying out for her [They didn't get Roo because I was there to stop them) and today Lilah and Roo were near me as I was doing some digging so I gave each a worm I'd dug up, Lilah ate hers and then stole Roo's - So far Lilah is fine with Roo constantly following her and I still have Lilah and Roo caged together indoors with us b'cos I can't put Roo in the coop and b'cos Roo can't bare to be parted from Lilah and gets distressed - Lilah isn't attacking Roo, nor doing anything to Roo at all, just is shes no longer protecting Roo, nor caring for Roo at all anymore - also Lilah laid an egg today. I read mothers stop tending to their offspring around 6/8 weeks but Roo is only 4 weeks old - do you have any idea what is happening and if there is anything I can do?
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She’s stopped being Roo’s mom.
6-8 weeks is only a guide and it varies depending on the hen.
They really need to get integrated with the flock.
It would’ve been better to integrate them when Lilah was protective.
Roo will have to learn to cope with it.
It’s unfortunate that she doesn’t have another chick to pal around with and clearly Lilah is an independent gal.
I would start putting Lilah and Roo in the coop after dark with the others.
They’re getting too used to being with you guys.
Do you let the ones in the coop out as soon as it’s light enough in the morning?
 
Okay maybe some of you know a bit more about candling eggs. I candled the remaining two to find one unfertilized and undeveloped. It was easy to spot. The second egg was supposed to hatch today and it’s completely dark. I can’t see anything. Is it toast too?
 
PNW_Peepers said:
Okay maybe some of you know a bit more about candling eggs. I candled the remaining two to find one unfertilized and undeveloped. It was easy to spot. The second egg was supposed to hatch today and it’s completely dark. I can’t see anything. Is it toast too?
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After googling it seems there should be some movement seen this late. Could you see any?
 
ChooksNQuilts said:
She’s stopped being Roo’s mom.
6-8 weeks is only a guide and it varies depending on the hen.
They really need to get integrated with the flock.
It would’ve been better to integrate them when Lilah was protective.
Roo will have to learn to cope with it.
It’s unfortunate that she doesn’t have another chick to pal around with and clearly Lilah is an independent gal.
I would start putting Lilah and Roo in the coop after dark with the others.
They’re getting too used to being with you guys.
Do you let the ones in the coop out as soon as it’s light enough in the morning?
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Ah I see, she has stopped being Roo's mum - makes sense now why she isn't protecting Roo anymore.
Roo has been free ranging with them all for a week now. I followed your advice as you said I should wait till Roo was 3wks which I did and with Lilah protecting her it worked well. I haven't stopped from free ranging Roo with the others it is only for sleep time I segregate them -
I let the birds out at 7:30 each morning because most people including neighbours are up by then. I have a spot in my garden where I give them their treats, the routine is that I open up Lilah/Roo's cage they follow me out and wait at the treat spot, I go let the others out and give them their morning treat together (it was at this point 2 days ago that Jellybean attacked Roo) when they are done they do their own thing.
Lilah still chases Pedro although she doesn't attack her, Pedro is scared of her as is Jellybean so Lilah is now the boss - Jellybean has always been the lowest but I guess Roo is now.
There has been a shift in the ducks pecking order too since the arrival of Lilah and Roo - Jughead has taken over from Napoleon as head of flock and he is also alpha over all the chickens too (as Napoleon was until he took over) it is confusing because the ducks still see and treat Pedro as alpha female even though Lilah is now the alpha of the chickens.
I know you are right about them being fully integrated but I just don't have the guts, I am not prepared to take the risk, I have never seen Jellybean act the way she did that day, she has always been the most softest, most placid and most picked on, she's never acted before the way she does with Roo and I do not trust that Roo wouldn't get seriously injured or killed especially if the two gang up on her. We are having to go out a lot lately as my dad is seriously ill in hospital, when I lock them in their run, I put Lilah and Roo in the hutch so they and the others can still see each other, just can't touch each other.
We are at the stage now that we will go inside for short periods whilst the birds are free ranging but since the attack if I need to be indoors for a while, I put Lilah and Roo in the run and the others out but Pedro has realised that if Roo gets close to the pheasant wire she can peck her through it.
Roo often hides behind plant pots I have in my garden, there are two in the run which are placed upturned in corners as the girls like to use them as roosts, Roo ran behind one in an attempt to hide and got stuck Pedro saw this as an opportunity to peck Roo through the wire - obviously I didn't let that happen - but it showed me they would go to great lengths to get at her, they knew the moment Lilah was no longer protecting Roo and both went straight for her but it was Jellybean who caught her and took a chunk out of her that day.
Pedro and Jellybean are beautiful, as pets they are wonderful but I don't trust they wouldn't kill Roo if they had the chance.
The ducks have a go at Roo also but the most they do is give a little nip, I don't let them but at least I know if they get Roo that's the worst they'd do, they nip at Lilah and push her around as they do Jellybean, I don't like it but I don't interfere because it is the pecking order and no one gets hurt, but I don't trust Jellybean and Pedro not to kill or maim Roo so I am not going to sleep Roo in with them until (s)he is a lot bigger than (s)he is now and because (s)he cries for Lilah I am going to keep Lilah with her as long as Lilah doesn't turn on Roo too.
I can see Lilah is ready to sleep in with the others, but Roo get too distressed without Lilah so I'm keeping them together - I get that Lilah isn't mum anymore but to Roo she still is, Roo is beautiful I am hoping with all my heart Roo is female and that I get to keep all my birds.
We do have a few ideas we want to try, one is that I shut the four chickens and myself in the run for periods of time each day, that way I am on hand for when the girls try to attack Roo, also if Lilah gets too violent with the girls as there is nowhere for them to get away from her in the run if she does, and maybe I can encourage an integration without risk or a blood bath, but I would appreciate your take on this please and any suggestions you might have to offer?
 
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