The last of my buff orps to go broody this year is having ... complications.
First, I've had to cull most of the eggs, and two broke on their own. One of those fouled the nest, and I suspect it was this that spoiled the other eggs. She was down to five (I started her on 14) yesterday, and this morning I found that another one had broken. It appears that (a) I should have culled that one, too, as it was not developed (hatch due this Saturday); (b) she ate the contents; (c) she didn't deliberately break it -- her leg is covered in dry yolk. Fortunately the remaining four eggs are clean.
Second, she's constipated. Has been for 3-4 days. I'm managing my broodies pretty rigidly now -- keeping the nests in large dog crates, and bodily removing each broody for eating/drinking/sunning/pooping time in a fenced run each afternoon. For the past several days, she has failed to produce the usual giant smelly broody dump, even if out for a half-hour. Today I watched her the whole time, and she produced several tiny, wet excreta with much effort.
She's eating and drinking. Seems to crave greens, so I'm making sure she has them.
Suggestions?
Because of the Incredible Shrinking Clutch, I'm working on getting some day-olds to slip under her this week.
This hen has brooded at least once before. I didn't keep great records last year, just banded each broody with a blue band. She may have been the one who screwed up incubating and raised a grafted brood last year, too. This year I'm being more careful about ID'ing each individual hen and what her success is. (Sorry, all buff orps look alike.)
First, I've had to cull most of the eggs, and two broke on their own. One of those fouled the nest, and I suspect it was this that spoiled the other eggs. She was down to five (I started her on 14) yesterday, and this morning I found that another one had broken. It appears that (a) I should have culled that one, too, as it was not developed (hatch due this Saturday); (b) she ate the contents; (c) she didn't deliberately break it -- her leg is covered in dry yolk. Fortunately the remaining four eggs are clean.
Second, she's constipated. Has been for 3-4 days. I'm managing my broodies pretty rigidly now -- keeping the nests in large dog crates, and bodily removing each broody for eating/drinking/sunning/pooping time in a fenced run each afternoon. For the past several days, she has failed to produce the usual giant smelly broody dump, even if out for a half-hour. Today I watched her the whole time, and she produced several tiny, wet excreta with much effort.
She's eating and drinking. Seems to crave greens, so I'm making sure she has them.
Suggestions?
Because of the Incredible Shrinking Clutch, I'm working on getting some day-olds to slip under her this week.
This hen has brooded at least once before. I didn't keep great records last year, just banded each broody with a blue band. She may have been the one who screwed up incubating and raised a grafted brood last year, too. This year I'm being more careful about ID'ing each individual hen and what her success is. (Sorry, all buff orps look alike.)
