Broody Hen Thread!

[olliegrow]

Quick question on my broody hen that had CRD / MG in the past but hasn't had any issues lately, has hatched some chicks !
I know the disease will be in the chicks already so is there anything I can do to improve life? Or will they all die right away? Don't know what to
expect, never planned on her having chicks. We always pull her eggs away but she hid some under a wagon ! Now some chicks are hatching...!

 

[olliegrow]

Need some advice, our hen who had signs of MG or CRD in the past, hid some eggs from us and now a few chicks are hatching.
I know the disease is already present in the chicks so will they die or suffer an survive? What should I do Cull or let momma hen raise them?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Quick question on my broody hen that had CRD / MG in the past but hasn't had any issues lately, has hatched some chicks !
I know the disease will be in the chicks already so is there anything I can do to improve life? Or will they all die right away? Don't know what to
expect, never planned on her having chicks. We always pull her eggs away but she hid some under a wagon ! Now some chicks are hatching...!

The following is from my understanding with the caveat that I am not an expert on CRD/MG...just an interested flock owner.

Most in the industry are working to eliminate the scourge of CRD/MG in flocks typically by culling those birds involved as the disease takes its toll in productivity and losses.

The old style response was continuous feed antibiotics, which the food industry now frowns upon.

Many chickens have CRD/MG for life and never exhibit any signs. Some only exhibit when an external stress arises such as another illness, worm overgrowth, heat or cold stress, or even starting to lay.

The industry keeps it in check with antibiotics. Tetracyline is listed, and that can be found as Duramycin 10 or 7 in the feedstores for application in water. It could be used for chicks now or during acute outbreaks or you could decide for bacitracin in continuous feed.

Rooster Booster Triple Action Multi Wormer is easily available in feed stores now, and has bacitracin and hygromycin (which is a wormer) that the industry uses in continuous feed to alleviate CRD and worms.

These are larger pellets that may be hard for a chick to eat...although the last canister I bought from "A Better Chicken" had the pellets pulverized smaller...and the company says it is okay for smaller chicks. You can also feed it more seasonally. Many feed 1 week a month. Others feed 2 weeks quarterly. I use it as hygromycin is the only current FDA approved wormer for laying hens (eggs for human consumption).

You may just watch and wait. You could put some antibiotic in the water for these chicks now, but typically MG rears its head during stress periods. But the bad news is that these chicks would be potential sources of infection to the rest of your flock too...further multiplying the issue.

Lady of McCamley

EDITED TO ADD: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...ction-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens

 

[calichicken]

First rule out any feather parasites...look for mites or lice in the far chance that she could be having problems with that.

How long did she stay broody in October? If she stayed in a perpetual brood until December, then went into a molt, which usually happens at the end of a brood, that could explain lack of regrowth....but I would think she should have regrown by now...do you see signs of feather shafts?

She may be plucking yet, hoping for a brood. Did you use her? Or has she been hopeful all these months for chicks? That will keep them plucking.

Final thought, I have had good results using Nutrena's Feather Fixer to help birds recover from molt and feather loss. I generally see results of active regrowth within a couple of weeks, most regrowth back by end of month with very glossy thick feathers....much faster than my normal food.

Make sure she is getting plenty of protein whatever you are using...and watch for signs of a perpetual brood. You may have to let her be a momma before she'll stop.

My thoughts
Lady of McCamley

Thanks! makes sense! I am going to see about picking up some feed for feather regrowth you recommended. I do use her as a broody and yes...she goes broody a lot. In California there is not much seasonal weather change so brooding chicks is appealing to her all year long...LOL! She hasn't gone "full broody" since her last hatch in November, but she has gotten "clucky" and will sit in her nest every so often, so she probably is plucking still

There are some random feathers and feather shafts, which is why I was wondering how long it takes to grow them in. She is a good little broody/momma so if she has a permanent naked belly..thats ok

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Went out to check on chicks and feed some treats to the hens, who of course came to greet me in the yard.

Guess WHO else came to greet me...yup...the little foster California Grey.

This little guy had to first get out of the left broody hutch (figured out the hole it used and plugged it), then drop 3 1/2 feet into the broody run, then squeeze through some hole in the chicken wire, then waddle around into the main side yard, then come and greet me with the rest of the chickens.

Good news, the chick apparently knows to go to the person. Bad news...good GRIEF stick with the hen!!!

Of course the hatchling is a good little chick snug up with momma...this foster...why not see the world...I've been across country already.

Thankfully today is a spring like day around 60 to 65 degrees, so while chilled, and a little wobbly from its journey, and thirsty (did a face plant), even a little hungry, but no apparent permanent harm.

Stuffed him back under Momma and waited. Seemed to stick, but is chirping madly. Momma is clucking comfort to it. Hopefully it will figure out to obey her and stick close.

I have had serious issues with fosters figuring out to bond with the hen. I NEVER have these issues with new broody hatchlings...they don't tend to wander until about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks when they get wing feathers.

I will stay on careful watch throughout today. If need be, I will put another board up to keep hen/chicks confined in just the nest box for 24 hours in hopes foster loses the wanderlust.

LofMc

 

[holm25]

That chick is a little stinker just like our hen that is broody right now I am going to try and get her some foster babies tomorrow. Hopefully get some butcher birds and layers or ducks or geese cannot decide.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Drat...went out this morning and found the foster chick dead, still warm, in the middle of the nest.

Momma had apparently just left the nest and taken her one OE hatchling to a new corner. She abandoned the 2 unhatched eggs I left her and the dead foster in the middle of those eggs....still limp and very warm. None of the other eggs are hatching...they are starting to semll. I cracked them open and found no formed chicks only yellow slush so it doesn't look like they had formed much at all...apparently my candling on darker eggs needs some improvement (and maybe a new flashlight). I'm pretty sure a couple had started, but apparently quit.

The little California Grey had stayed under her after being replaced back into the nest yesterday after its long escapade...I kept checking throughout the afternoon and evening.
I can only assume it overstressed its system too much, or possibly the fall caused some internal damage, or it succumbed to transition stress. (It was pretty wobbly when replaced).

I had supplemented it with Chick Saver, but had not done any antibiotics. Another poster had discovered through necrospsy that chick death after shipping was almost always caused by bacterial overgrowth in the chick.
Arggggg.

Now what...I have the hardest luck with fosters in cool weather (while my hatchlings always thrive with just momma...and adding a heat lamp is not an option for me...too risky).

So the decision today...do I attempt to place one more? Mom will be transitioning soon to teach the hatchling OE the ways of being a chicken so I have a very narrow window. Weather will be milder in the day (high 50's) but cool at night (mid 30's).

Otherwise the little OE will grow up a one and only...not the best for transitioning into the flock....but my flock may be more laid back since I got rid of some more aggressive hens.

@fisherlady any ideas?

Thanks
LofMc

 

[n3kms]

Drat...went out this morning and found the foster chick dead, still warm, in the middle of the nest.

Momma had apparently just left the nest and taken her one OE hatchling to a new corner. She abandoned the 2 unhatched eggs I left her and the dead foster in the middle of those eggs....still limp and very warm. None of the other eggs are hatching...they are starting to semll. I cracked them open and found no formed chicks only yellow slush so it doesn't look like they had formed much at all...apparently my candling on darker eggs needs some improvement (and maybe a new flashlight). I'm pretty sure a couple had started, but apparently quit.

The little California Grey had stayed under her after being replaced back into the nest yesterday after its long escapade...I kept checking throughout the afternoon and evening.
I can only assume it overstressed its system too much, or possibly the fall caused some internal damage, or it succumbed to transition stress. (It was pretty wobbly when replaced).

I had supplemented it with Chick Saver, but had not done any antibiotics. Another poster had discovered through necrospsy that chick death after shipping was almost always caused by bacterial overgrowth in the chick.
Arggggg.   

Now what...I have the hardest luck with fosters in cool weather (while my hatchlings always thrive with just momma...and adding a heat lamp is not an option for me...too risky).

So the decision today...do I attempt to place one more? Mom will be transitioning soon to teach the hatchling OE the ways of being a chicken so I have a very narrow window. Weather will be milder in the day (high 50's) but cool at night (mid 30's).

Otherwise the little OE will grow up a one and only...not the best for transitioning into the flock....but my flock may be more laid back since I got rid of some more aggressive hens.

@fisherlady
  any ideas?

Thanks
LofMc

Sorry for your loss

 

[chicknnugget]

I hope there is someone out there that can give me a bit of advise. I have a broody hen that has been that way for about 3 or 4 days. she has hatched a clutch once before. I slid a few fertile eggs under her where she sat on them for about 24 to 36 hours. Unfortunately when I got home from work today she was on a different nest of unfertile eggs. Her eggs were now ice cold. The temps here in NC were holding today at 42 degrees. I am sure the interior temp was only a couple of degrees warmer.
My question is. If she only sat on these eggs for such a short time, would the eggs even have started developing at this point? if so would they survive the cold spell they have experienced already? Also, do you think I should separate her so she can't get tempted away from her nest for other eggs. Lastly does anyone think I should scrap these eggs ASAP and just start over or, let her sit for this week, and candle at day seven. This worries me because she will be sitting for an extra total week. What do you guys think I should do?
Thanks for any advice you may be able to give me.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I hope there is someone out there that can give me a bit of advise. I have a broody hen that has been that way for about 3 or 4 days. she has hatched a clutch once before. I slid a few fertile eggs under her where she sat on them for about 24 to 36 hours. Unfortunately when I got home from work today she was on a different nest of unfertile eggs. Her eggs were now ice cold. The temps here in NC were holding today at 42 degrees. I am sure the interior temp was only a couple of degrees warmer.
My question is. If she only sat on these eggs for such a short time, would the eggs even have started developing at this point? if so would they survive the cold spell they have experienced already? Also, do you think I should separate her so she can't get tempted away from her nest for other eggs. Lastly does anyone think I should scrap these eggs ASAP and just start over or, let her sit for this week, and candle at day seven. This worries me because she will be sitting for an extra total week. What do you guys think I should do?
Thanks for any advice you may be able to give me.

The eggs should be fine, but you are going to have to do something so this does not keep happening.. She "probably" got off the nest to eat etc and when she came back another hen was on her nest so she took the other. "I" would remove her eggs and put fake eggs under her----then move her in a couple days--at night, then if she accepts the move---set her with a nice nest of fresh layed fertile eggs. Good Luck!!