- Jul 4, 2012
- 266
- 5
- 91
Originally Posted by qldchook 
A cute EE story: I had a cochin and an EE hen go broody at the same time. I did not want ANY more chicks but they sat on every newly laid egg & stole eggs from each other , drove me nuts. SO.. I let the cochin(Emily) have the one egg that they had fought over for 10 days & gave a newly laid egg to my EE (Alice). Emily sat on that egg & basically only got off twice in about 10 days, she was VERY skinny. Emily, my practical EE had a 5 minute feed & water each day.
Any way.. I did a bad thing... once I knew for sure Emily's egg was a dud, I stole the egg from under Alice & gave it to Emily because I did not think she could sit for much longer .I gave a new egg to Alice- another 21 days! So, Emily hatched the egg and Alice is still sitting on hers but she is also being a great Aunt to this one.She is much more protective than Emily is. I really hope her egg hatches- due on 26th. Alice will be an awesome mum.
Oh dear, an update to this story. 3 days before my EEs egg was due, I was out visiting my parents for a few hours. When I came home – Alice was on her nest but her egg had rolled out onto the ground & was badly cracked. I presume as she rushed out to protect "Bilbo", the other chick from some imaginary danger! I knew the egg had been ok as I had heard movement that morning but Alice had spent far too much time off the nest watching Bilbo. As i picked up the egg she left the nest again and ended up spending 5 hours out with Bilbo & Emily. I examined the egg, the chick was not peeping but was moving. I was worried about the crack because some blood was seeping out-not a good sign.
I keept the egg warm while I prepared the incubator & I put egg in without much hope. About 3hrs later the crack had widened but no peeping. It ended up the bottom part of the egg parted and I could see feet, very bloody but moving. I removed the top part of the egg but managed to leave it attached to the umbilical cord. Very bloody, very yukky. Chick was extremely weak, eyes closed, pretty disgusting. I covered her with paper towel & thought (hoped?) she would be dead in the morning. I went to bed at about 10.30pm, condition the same. I woke at about 3am & her feathers were dry but all stuck, not fluffy & egg was still attached.
At about 8am when I checked she opened an eye which was a relief as until then she just looked like an embryo, the eye made a difference.
3pm- i have just taken her “Precious” out & gently brushed her with a very soft toothbrush to fluff up the feathers. The egg has fallen off & both eyes have opened. She is back in the incubator wrapped in some soft flanalette. From what I can tell she is completely yellow which IF she survives means white, like Bilbo she is a cochin. I was not expecting much so I did not get my hopes up. She is very sweet & if she survives, I hope Alice will take her back but she would need to be fit enough to keep up with them & I may have missed that opportunity as Bilbo is 2 wks old. Bilbo is a VERY adored chick- I have taken the barrier down so both of them snuggle him at night & both feed him every day, very, very, spoilt!
Precious- 2 days later & I am hoping she will be ok:
A cute EE story: I had a cochin and an EE hen go broody at the same time. I did not want ANY more chicks but they sat on every newly laid egg & stole eggs from each other , drove me nuts. SO.. I let the cochin(Emily) have the one egg that they had fought over for 10 days & gave a newly laid egg to my EE (Alice). Emily sat on that egg & basically only got off twice in about 10 days, she was VERY skinny. Emily, my practical EE had a 5 minute feed & water each day.
Any way.. I did a bad thing... once I knew for sure Emily's egg was a dud, I stole the egg from under Alice & gave it to Emily because I did not think she could sit for much longer .I gave a new egg to Alice- another 21 days! So, Emily hatched the egg and Alice is still sitting on hers but she is also being a great Aunt to this one.She is much more protective than Emily is. I really hope her egg hatches- due on 26th. Alice will be an awesome mum.
Oh dear, an update to this story. 3 days before my EEs egg was due, I was out visiting my parents for a few hours. When I came home – Alice was on her nest but her egg had rolled out onto the ground & was badly cracked. I presume as she rushed out to protect "Bilbo", the other chick from some imaginary danger! I knew the egg had been ok as I had heard movement that morning but Alice had spent far too much time off the nest watching Bilbo. As i picked up the egg she left the nest again and ended up spending 5 hours out with Bilbo & Emily. I examined the egg, the chick was not peeping but was moving. I was worried about the crack because some blood was seeping out-not a good sign.
I keept the egg warm while I prepared the incubator & I put egg in without much hope. About 3hrs later the crack had widened but no peeping. It ended up the bottom part of the egg parted and I could see feet, very bloody but moving. I removed the top part of the egg but managed to leave it attached to the umbilical cord. Very bloody, very yukky. Chick was extremely weak, eyes closed, pretty disgusting. I covered her with paper towel & thought (hoped?) she would be dead in the morning. I went to bed at about 10.30pm, condition the same. I woke at about 3am & her feathers were dry but all stuck, not fluffy & egg was still attached.
At about 8am when I checked she opened an eye which was a relief as until then she just looked like an embryo, the eye made a difference.
3pm- i have just taken her “Precious” out & gently brushed her with a very soft toothbrush to fluff up the feathers. The egg has fallen off & both eyes have opened. She is back in the incubator wrapped in some soft flanalette. From what I can tell she is completely yellow which IF she survives means white, like Bilbo she is a cochin. I was not expecting much so I did not get my hopes up. She is very sweet & if she survives, I hope Alice will take her back but she would need to be fit enough to keep up with them & I may have missed that opportunity as Bilbo is 2 wks old. Bilbo is a VERY adored chick- I have taken the barrier down so both of them snuggle him at night & both feed him every day, very, very, spoilt!
Precious- 2 days later & I am hoping she will be ok:
