- Feb 22, 2007
- 44
- 0
- 32
I think our broodies have water on the brains!
Since I couldn't keep my incubator well regulated thanks to huge weather swings in our area, I decided to put our shipped hatching eggs under broodies instead. But this hasn't gone so well either.
First casualty I found two days before hatch. Later caught momma picking all the shell off the eggs (leaving the unborn chick inside its membrane to die) ...so inside came her 2 remaining eggs to hatch under the incubator. They're doing fine.
Two more eggs from another broody were a day late and a dollar short (Heck, I may just name them that!). These two were very late - pipping while momma was off teaching her other hatchlings how to scratch. After it was apparent she wasn't going to return to her nest anytime soon, I brought these inside also to ensure they would have a better chance - and yes, they're surviving fine. (Maybe she had too many?)
From another broody, one chick was completely tossed out of the nest after hatch. (This might have actually been warranted). I tried to replace him under momma twice, but she kept giving him the boot - so inside he came. Unfortunately, his chances are poor. He will barely eat. He never fluffed out like the rest and he smelled just awful, so at day 2, I bathed it. At day 4, he's still struggling. Once I was able to get it to eat a big meal of raw liver and scrambled eggs, but since then, its only nutrition seems to be protein powder mixed with honey which I dip on its beak. I don't hold much hope. Too bad. It has become our favorite!
This morning, went to feed and check on everyone to find one hen with a chick stuck to the underside of her wing. Don't know what glued it on so tight, but it was really stuck! THe hen had proceeded to pick and scratch and fuss so violently that the poor chick was being flung around like a kite caught in a tree on a windy day. In came this chick too. After inspection, it's clear her little wing is badly damaged. Broken? Dislocated? There are two very large pockets of intense swelling. She won't hold it right, it hangs limp, and the skin on the rest of the wing looks like raw read meat. When I cleaned it under cool running water, the chick just wanted to drink and drink. I massaged the wing very very gently in hopes of resetting a dislocation or break. I smeared the skin with Neosporine & fashioned a sling out of a strand of wool to keep her from dragging it on the ground, and since she was all about rehydrating, I crushed 1/8 of a doggy aspirin we'd got from our vet a few days back & mixed it in the water. (I will only do this once since I don't want to risk poisoning her). Hopefully what little she got into her will relieve swelling or just make her feel a little better. She's actually doing pretty well considering. Good appetite, and drinking lots.
SO that's 6 of the 12 hatchlings that have now made it into the house and are living in our makeshift infirmary (though only the latter 2 chicks are in ICU). I feel like a real nut job over this whole saga, but what do you do? (I really am a responsible, sane chicken owner).
Funny thing - a week or so ago i was saying to my partner, "gee hon, I really wish I could go down to the Gulf and volunteer to help with all the birds that are now wounded or in peril." (sigh) As the old addage goes, be careful what you wish for.
If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please offer them up. I'm totally open.
tx
Since I couldn't keep my incubator well regulated thanks to huge weather swings in our area, I decided to put our shipped hatching eggs under broodies instead. But this hasn't gone so well either.
Two more eggs from another broody were a day late and a dollar short (Heck, I may just name them that!). These two were very late - pipping while momma was off teaching her other hatchlings how to scratch. After it was apparent she wasn't going to return to her nest anytime soon, I brought these inside also to ensure they would have a better chance - and yes, they're surviving fine. (Maybe she had too many?)
From another broody, one chick was completely tossed out of the nest after hatch. (This might have actually been warranted). I tried to replace him under momma twice, but she kept giving him the boot - so inside he came. Unfortunately, his chances are poor. He will barely eat. He never fluffed out like the rest and he smelled just awful, so at day 2, I bathed it. At day 4, he's still struggling. Once I was able to get it to eat a big meal of raw liver and scrambled eggs, but since then, its only nutrition seems to be protein powder mixed with honey which I dip on its beak. I don't hold much hope. Too bad. It has become our favorite!
This morning, went to feed and check on everyone to find one hen with a chick stuck to the underside of her wing. Don't know what glued it on so tight, but it was really stuck! THe hen had proceeded to pick and scratch and fuss so violently that the poor chick was being flung around like a kite caught in a tree on a windy day. In came this chick too. After inspection, it's clear her little wing is badly damaged. Broken? Dislocated? There are two very large pockets of intense swelling. She won't hold it right, it hangs limp, and the skin on the rest of the wing looks like raw read meat. When I cleaned it under cool running water, the chick just wanted to drink and drink. I massaged the wing very very gently in hopes of resetting a dislocation or break. I smeared the skin with Neosporine & fashioned a sling out of a strand of wool to keep her from dragging it on the ground, and since she was all about rehydrating, I crushed 1/8 of a doggy aspirin we'd got from our vet a few days back & mixed it in the water. (I will only do this once since I don't want to risk poisoning her). Hopefully what little she got into her will relieve swelling or just make her feel a little better. She's actually doing pretty well considering. Good appetite, and drinking lots.
SO that's 6 of the 12 hatchlings that have now made it into the house and are living in our makeshift infirmary (though only the latter 2 chicks are in ICU). I feel like a real nut job over this whole saga, but what do you do? (I really am a responsible, sane chicken owner).
Funny thing - a week or so ago i was saying to my partner, "gee hon, I really wish I could go down to the Gulf and volunteer to help with all the birds that are now wounded or in peril." (sigh) As the old addage goes, be careful what you wish for.
If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please offer them up. I'm totally open.
tx
