Couple questions from MB Canada

[Sweetie2012]

Hey everyone....
I’m “new” to this forum but have been reading lots on it for a while already. And I have a question for all the Canadian (and anyone else who might know) chicken, waterfowl and other poultry raisers and breeders.... I live in Manitoba... north-west interlake area.
Are there any other Canadian hatcheries or people who sell hatching eggs and/or heritage/exotic poultry and waterfowl other than Rochester’s and Bergs? I’m looking for Buff Orpingtons, Cuckoo (Maran’s and other Cuckoo varieties) and Americana’s (any standard colors).
Waterfowl.... Rouen and Welsh Harlequin Ducks. I am also looking for Pilgrim and Buff geese. I know I can order the Rouen and Welsh Harlequin ducks from Bergs but I can’t seem to find anyone who sells Pilgrim and/or Buff geese.
I am looking for calmer chickens and waterfowl as I have small children who enjoy helping with chores...
We have 50+ chickens of various ages that were given to us this spring (I’ve raised chickens before but these were a first for my husband) however they were all straight run and an assortment of breeds consisting of Americanas, Cuckoo Marans, Bergs Grazers, Basques, White Leghorns, Danish Leghorns, Black Australorps, White Cochins and some Dark Brahma crosses. Anyways a lot of them will be hitting the freezer this fall some going to the peoples who gave them to us as part payment and the rest for us. My husband and I would like to cut it down to around 20-22 hens and keep two roosters. I can’t decide which all hens I want to keep so that’s why the numbers aren’t completely settled. LOL! J
So.... those are my questions and my biddies.... ordering from the States isn’t easy for us never mind expensive... we aren’t overflowing with monies or I would order from Murray McMurray’s. So maybe someone who has other chickens in the area might like to “swap” a breed or two, or have eggs I could hatch ducks and geese from.
And one more question though.... one of my White Cochins began setting on August 31st (she’d been trying to set for a week or so before that but I always took the eggs away, then my husband helped me set up a little corner in the coop/chicken house for her and she’s as happy as can be now... :-D) She’s on 12 eggs and I was wondering if she needs anything special other than feed and water? I gave her greens for a couple days but she never touched them so I stopped. She has a mix of Co-op brand Hen scratch and cage layer.... and fresh water.
We don’t have the internet ourselves so I won’t get back here very often but if anyone has information please post it. Thank you in advance.

 

[Mrs. K]

Don't lock the broody hen up. Do check her for external parasites, they can get a hold on a broody hen. Do mark the eggs under her, cause sometimes other hens will add. She should get up off the nest once a day, to terrorize the layers, to dust bath, to eat, drink and poop. This will keep her much healthier and socially involved with the flock. By the time the chicks hatch, her hormones will have her very close to the top of the flock, and that respect will help protect the chicks.

Mrs K

 

[Sweetie2012]

Thanks for the advise Mrs. K. The hen was let out to do as needed for her health... and the news is that she has hatched out 9 eggs thus far. however only 6 chicks have survived. being as this is her first time brooding I'm not surprised. the first she smothered.... second it looked as though she stepped on it, and the third dead one was stuck under the other eggs and didn't quite make it out of the membrane the whole way. She has two black with yellow bibs, two browns with black stripes down their backs, one yellow and one gray. they've hatched out yesterday and today. the ones that hatched yesterday have already begun to eat and drink and I hope they will all make it. there's been no activity from the other eggs so I may candle them tomorrow and see if there's any life... but for a first time hatch and in the late summer I think she's done quite well. Of course I wish the other 3 chicks had survived... there would have been two more blacks and one more yellow, but life keep rolling on. sorry no pictures right now... maybe if I get net time again soon.

 

[Mrs. K]

Once I read an ongoing post, where people kept track of numbers of eggs set, and number of chicks hatched, at first, as the data came in it fluctuated wildly, but as people kept recording, the hatch of live chicks averaged at very darn close to 50%.

If you get more than 50%, figure you and your broody did fine. Sometimes something is not quite right inside, sometimes they just don't make the hatch.....spring is always coming.

Personally, I would be very careful handling any egg that did not hatch, but listen to it. If you can hear something, it may still do, but if you can't, it is a dud. If is sloshes it is a dud that will stink, toss it far away!

Mrs K

 

[Sweetie2012]

Well I checked the last three eggs and they weren’t good. Two were infertile and one was “rotten”. It looked as though it had begun to grow as there was a small embryo in it but something happened to it and it had turned very dark gray and watery... so I disposed of them all and she has 6 healthy live chicks to enjoy. She doesn’t really seem to want to leave the nest, but perhaps that will come in time. I do wist that the other three chicks had survived.... but I am happy that half are healthy and well, they are all eating and drinking from what I can see, so hopefully they will continue to thrive.