Laura53
In the Brooder
- Feb 28, 2016
- 23
- 0
- 24
Hi everyone! Just looking for some advice if anyone has any!
We have a broody salmon faverolle sat on 11 silver laced Wyandotte bantam eggs. I rehomed her from a friend who said every summer for the past three years she's gone broody and had clay eggs to sit on, so this is the first time she's had some fertilised eggs to sit on. I haven't hatched eggs before but as far as I can see she's been amazing! Made all the right noises and puffed up her feathers like others say they should do, and other than me taking her off the nest once a day she has religiously sat on those eggs.
I candled at day 10 and 10/12 had veins. At day 14 one had a blood ring so I removed that, could see 5 with definite veins but unsure on the rest - it wasn't pitch black outside though so it was hard to see. I've just left them alone since then. From day 18 I stopped taking her off the nest as I've read, she did toilet in her nest on day 20 which I quickly picked out as it was in reach, then yesterday day 21 she stood up for a drink and I managed to get a quick look at the eggs but there's no sign of any pipping. I've read from day 18 though as soon as the mum feels movement in the eggs she goes into protection mode and won't move off that nest for anything? So it baffled me a bit that she just stood up for a drink on day 21. She has also been moving position over the past few days as well which I thought she wouldn't do if she knew they were hatching (position of the eggs for pipping etc etc). This morning I went to check on her and there was again no sign, magpies made a racket overhead and she half kind of stood up so I got a little look. It's not looking good though is it? I've read bantams tend to hatch early as well
I'm going to leave it till Friday which will be day 25 but my gut feeling is nothing is going to happen. Anyone experienced this and has some advice?
If nothing happens would anyone suggest buying some day old chicks and seeing if she accepts them? Obviously I would have a brooder on stand by if she didn't, but I'm 80% sure she would as she's such a lovely, laid back hen and all she's wanted for the past four years is to be a mummy! Any advice would be really appreciated, thanks in advance
We have a broody salmon faverolle sat on 11 silver laced Wyandotte bantam eggs. I rehomed her from a friend who said every summer for the past three years she's gone broody and had clay eggs to sit on, so this is the first time she's had some fertilised eggs to sit on. I haven't hatched eggs before but as far as I can see she's been amazing! Made all the right noises and puffed up her feathers like others say they should do, and other than me taking her off the nest once a day she has religiously sat on those eggs.
I candled at day 10 and 10/12 had veins. At day 14 one had a blood ring so I removed that, could see 5 with definite veins but unsure on the rest - it wasn't pitch black outside though so it was hard to see. I've just left them alone since then. From day 18 I stopped taking her off the nest as I've read, she did toilet in her nest on day 20 which I quickly picked out as it was in reach, then yesterday day 21 she stood up for a drink and I managed to get a quick look at the eggs but there's no sign of any pipping. I've read from day 18 though as soon as the mum feels movement in the eggs she goes into protection mode and won't move off that nest for anything? So it baffled me a bit that she just stood up for a drink on day 21. She has also been moving position over the past few days as well which I thought she wouldn't do if she knew they were hatching (position of the eggs for pipping etc etc). This morning I went to check on her and there was again no sign, magpies made a racket overhead and she half kind of stood up so I got a little look. It's not looking good though is it? I've read bantams tend to hatch early as well
I'm going to leave it till Friday which will be day 25 but my gut feeling is nothing is going to happen. Anyone experienced this and has some advice?
If nothing happens would anyone suggest buying some day old chicks and seeing if she accepts them? Obviously I would have a brooder on stand by if she didn't, but I'm 80% sure she would as she's such a lovely, laid back hen and all she's wanted for the past four years is to be a mummy! Any advice would be really appreciated, thanks in advance