California - Northern

[ronott1]

Thanks Happy Chooks and Ronott1. I have not retreated yet. It has only been 5 days since the first worming so I will do the 2nd treatment on Saturday. Then withhold the eggs again for another 14 days after that?

Yes, that is the with drawl period for the worm medicine.

How are they doing?

 

[ronott1]

Just an FYI for fun. This is the boy who caused oopsies. I was gathering eggs about 4 1/2 weeks ago for that hatch. He was hatched abt July 4. Dec 4 = 5 months old. I'd say 14 weeks is right on for that oops. The escapee incident was in late Sept or Early Oct. He is turning out to be worth keeping

He is very nice!

 

[Audio51]

Quote: I always leave mine until at least day 25. Some are just slow starting. Usually if they haven't hatched by then and there are no signs of life (tapping, cheeping, etc) they aren't going too. It's usually best to not open the incubator at all from about day 18 and increase the humidity some.

 

[Audio51]

Well, my Marans hatch is finally over. Day 21 through 25! 11 of the 12 made it. The last chick did not turn and was too big to zip, so it ran out of air. What an exhausting hatch marathon! Glad it is over and now I can enjoy my new chicks!

Congrats. Chickee! That's a great hatch rate. Are they from local eggs, your own hens or shipped?

 

[lualshannon]

I have a question:

One of my Orpington hens has been broody for the last 4 days, and she is acting quite determined to incubate the wooden door knobs I use as fake eggs. Also, I have eggs incubating, which are in their 10th. day, and am procrastinating about the idea of giving these eggs to my broody hen. Since she has been sitting for only 4 days, the eggs would be hatching a week earlier than than the normal incubation period, which I am wondering if it would cause any problem of her accepting, and bonding with the chicks?

Or? would it be better to give her the eggs on their 19th. day, which she would be two weeks into incubating the door knobs, and perhaps hatching process would help the integration? Or perhaps, the best scenario is to try to get her out of broodiness? I've had hens brood for a month or longer to hatch eggs; but, never faced the dilemma that I am in at the moment.

I would very much appreciate your expert opinions.

Lual

 

[Audio51]

Yes, that is the with drawl period for the worm medicine.

How are they doing?

They are doing great! I am trying to get them on Fermented Feed. They eat it, but don;t really clean it up yet. I am still trying to get my system down. I have been using a medium bucket for my feed/water mix, then putting it thru a wire strainer to drain off the excess over a smaller bucket. They get that every morning and then a few hours later I turn them out to forage in the back yard. I have only had the 2 new girls from Chickee a c week today. I leave the pen open but so far they have not ventured out yet. The first couple of nights they roosted outside the coop on the door that leads underneath it, but by the 3rd night they were smart....they settled in up on the highest roost inside the coop early so when the others came in they already had their spots staked out. They all seem to be getting along just fine now....

 

[ronott1]

I have a question:

One of my Orpington hens has been broody for the last 4 days, and she is acting quite determined to incubate the wooden door knobs I use as fake eggs. Also, I have eggs incubating, which are in their 10th. day, and am procrastinating about the idea of giving these eggs to my broody hen. Since she has been sitting for only 4 days, the eggs would be hatching a week earlier than than the normal incubation period, which I am wondering if it would cause any problem of her accepting, and bonding with the chicks?

Or? would it be better to give her the eggs on their 19th. day, which she would be two weeks into incubating the door knobs, and perhaps hatching process would help the integration? Or perhaps, the best scenario is to try to get her out of broodiness? I've had hens brood for a month or longer to hatch eggs; but, never faced the dilemma that I am in at the moment.

I would very much appreciate your expert opinions.

Lual

Hi Lual,

I would wait a bit(a couple of days) before putting the eggs under her to make sure she is a dedicated broody. You can put the eggs under her any time during the 21 days. She will stop setting and move into Mom mode a couple of days after they hatch. I have moved chicks under a broody hen after they hatched and that would work too.

Do you want her to raise them? That is really cute to see.

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
Mine are under broody mama but I'm going to leave them for a little bit longer

 

[liz9910]

Quote:
I'm pretty sure none of mine developed either I feel bad for mama chicken.

 

[chickee]

Congrats. Chickee! That's a great hatch rate. Are they from local eggs, your own hens or shipped?

Thanks

They are from my Golden Cuckoo Marans pullets I hatched this year from shipped eggs. I decided to do a test hatch to see what my GCM rooster I got from a friend x my pullets produce. They have been laying for less than 2 months so I am surprised I got such a good hatch.

New pictures I just took . . .

These are the girls~

These are the boys~ They were less cooperative