California - Northern

[Happy Chooks]

need help, my friend just called me and she has a friend that is moving into a rental and the previos rentors left a hen and 12 eggs and no food and water for her. the new rentors don't know what to do with her. she wants me to come over and take a look and see what I think to do. not sure about moving her would be good. what do you think? any other suggestions?

Ron gave great advise. I'd at least go by and see the condition of the hen - if she's not doing well, I probably wouldn't move her, but would certainly bring food/water. Once she's stronger, if your friend wants to keep chickens (and you have a spare girl), you could give her another one to keep the lonely girl company.

Hello there... (Taken 2 weeks ago and I forgot to post this!)

He flew on top of the fence and away a couple seconds later.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk.

Wow - that's too close for comfort.

Day 3. 1 egg a day from my 11 layer ducks. It's something I guess lol! 19 and 22 week olds.

Our 4 big BO pullets are 23 weeks tomorrow. Still no sign of eggs.

Boxes in place and everything. Come on chickies!

Patience - soon you will be loaded with eggs.

Ok...so how many eggs do YOU collect a week?

Not many right now - between broodies and those molting, I'm a bit short on eggs.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I thought all that was going to hatch did. The last chick hatched 4 days ago, 3 days after the first 3 hatched. Mom has been on and off the eggs all day, kicking them around while she's scratching for food so decide they're all done right? One had a hole pecked in it so I decide I'm going to be brave and see what stage the chick was and how developed.....the darn thing was alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I cracked it open and when I say I cracked it open, I mean cracked it and tore the membrane. There was a little gush of blood and I move stuff to get a good look and the beak starts opening and closing!

I have it (and the other two eggs) on a heating pad, the cracked one is in a wet papertowel but geez.....I'm not sure it even alive. What are it's chances if any!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm so sorry!

 

[mendocinosunris]

Ok...so how many eggs do YOU collect a week?

umm... I get about 5 doz. a week. Enough for us & the close-by family.

 

[mendocinosunris]

Hello there... (Taken 2 weeks ago and I forgot to post this!)

He flew on top of the fence and away a couple seconds later.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk.

Eeep! You need try & attract some ravens. I have a murder of them that hangs around the house & keeps the hawks away. I was told on the "Chickens tor 10-20 years..." thread that ravens do tend to chase off hawks.
Of course, they also might make off with chicklets, so you still have to be careful. Everybody likes mcnuggets...

 

[ronott1]

Ok...so how many eggs do YOU collect a week?

Right now, I am getting between 4 and 5 dozen a week. I still have 4 pullets that will start laying in a couple of weeks. Later I have 3 Heritage RIRs that will start.

I expect molting to start with my 1.5 year hens LOL. Feathers for jewelry?

Ron

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Ok...so how many eggs do YOU collect a week?

I get about 7-8 a day right now because of all the broodies, molt and I lost 3 hens over the last year, but I was getting almost 2 dozen a day. Hatched tons of chicks so hopefully I have some pullets. The egg business is good!

 

[debs_flock]

Ok...so how many eggs do YOU collect a week?

I get around 14 dozen per week, but about 3 dozen of those are quail

Still, enough for us, my customers, family, neighbors, friends and hatching!

I thought all that was going to hatch did. The last chick hatched 4 days ago, 3 days after the first 3 hatched. Mom has been on and off the eggs all day, kicking them around while she's scratching for food so decide they're all done right? One had a hole pecked in it so I decide I'm going to be brave and see what stage the chick was and how developed.....the darn thing was alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I cracked it open and when I say I cracked it open, I mean cracked it and tore the membrane. There was a little gush of blood and I move stuff to get a good look and the beak starts opening and closing!

I have it (and the other two eggs) on a heating pad, the cracked one is in a wet papertowel but geez.....I'm not sure it even alive. What are it's chances if any!

It generally doesn't go well if you help a chick (I know that isn't what you were trying to do) and you get more than a drop or two of blood. It means they weren't ready yet. This was probably an egg added to the nest after she had gone broody (other girls in there?). Just do what you are doing and let it rest. You'll know within a day or two if it will make it, you'll usually know within hours or minutes.

Good luck

Deb

 

[ronott1]

Quote: With helping, I have had about a 50/50 success rate with that. If you peal them out, you need to wait until there is no progress for a day after they start zipping. You have to peal slowly and carefully. If you see blood, stop,make sure the beak is out and try to put a moist paper towel over the membrane to help soften up where it is stuck. Put them back into the incubator. The membrane could suffocate the chick so be careful. A problem with helping is hurting the others in the bator that have pipped.

The chick is usually stuck because the chick did not absorb enough of the yolk. That amber sticky stuff is the remains of the yolk, so even if you get the chick out, you do not have the normal three days to get them eating and such. They need food and electrolytes quickly.

The troubleshooter says this is caused by temps being too high or too low, improper turning of eggs or general un health of the parents. With broodies, we can only control the health of the parent and even then only if they are our own eggs. I also think this sometimes happens with inbred breeds.

I know yours was a broodie so not the easiest to work with.

I still help them, but only if they match the above criteria. Also, I am much more inclined if I spent a lot of money on the eggs. The TJ eggs I could care less about and I should have two perfect chicks when I get home. If I get two, they will be the lowest chicks yet for me. The Dozen was less than three dollars....

Ron

Edited to add: When you get them out and are pealing them from the shell, there really is no hurry. They can be out of the heat for quite some time. It is more important to not hurt them from the shell sticking. I even left big pieces of shell on once and waited for a couple of days to get the shell pieces off. Cream Legbars and Marans have been the worst for me.

 

[zooweemama]

I thought all that was going to hatch did. The last chick hatched 4 days ago, 3 days after the first 3 hatched. Mom has been on and off the eggs all day, kicking them around while she's scratching for food so decide they're all done right? One had a hole pecked in it so I decide I'm going to be brave and see what stage the chick was and how developed.....the darn thing was alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I cracked it open and when I say I cracked it open, I mean cracked it and tore the membrane. There was a little gush of blood and I move stuff to get a good look and the beak starts opening and closing!

I have it (and the other two eggs) on a heating pad, the cracked one is in a wet papertowel but geez.....I'm not sure it even alive. What are it's chances if any!

Any updates?