First broody!

[MJWarner]

Good luck, I hope the tape holds on! When are they due to hatch?

August 5th. -ish. (I know it's a tad variable, in most cases)

 

[MJWarner]

August 5th. -ish. (I know it's a tad variable, in most cases)

I'm actually concerned that Mary's weight may cause the egg to crack and break, but I think I've done what I can to give him/her a chance.

 

[MJWarner]

This morning, Mary was as ever predictable with her daily routine. But at 12:45, she threw me a curve ball when I discovered her off her nest for a second time, and scratching around the yard, frolicking with the other hens, and just enjoying life. "Wait Lady, you got work to do!"
As I have a habit of doing, I spent time envisioning the worst.. "she broke her brood! What can I do???" ... and trying to think of what I could do to "fix" nature, before my rational mind saw the opportunity slapping me in the face.
So I went to remove and candle her eggs in the windowless powder room.
Rosemund was back on Mary's nest, looking suspiciously comfortable, so I moved her next door, where 3 eggs had been laid. She carefully tucked them under her and settled in. Hmm.
Took Mary's eggs, and candling in the dark was so revealing, that was the best tip ever. All the eggs are viable, even little Scotch Tape, the hole actually makes his/her veining and movement more visible.
My husband came in to report that Mary was back on her nest (I had placed 2 new eggs in her box just in case), so I went out and removed those 2, and tucked all of her little chicken nuggets back under mama.
I then tucked those 2 eggs under Rosemund, (new opportunity?) who worked them under her chest and settled back on top.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Congratulations and good luck!!!!

 

[MJWarner]

RIP little Scotch Tape. Mary must have shifted late afternoon yesterday, and the weight was too much. His shell cracked longways, and he bled out. I cleaned up Mary's nest, and placed her back. She hadn't gone willingly on her own, and I was thinking that the messy egg may have broke her brood. No chance, she is still sitting this morning.

 

[MJWarner]

Well, placed Mary, eggs/nest, food and water into dog cage for lockdown. Mostly so that chicks don't get crushed by our other hens entering her box to lay their eggs. They have been doing this every day since Mary got her original clutch.
Initially Mary was left/right pacing against the bars... "cage-cage-cage!" But I left her alone to sort things out, and 45minutes later, she was back on her eggs.
She dumped her chick waterer this afternoon, not sure how that affects the eggs, more humidity? I know the heat... 97° for a high today... will help dry things out, and at this stage, I'm tending toward letting nature take it's course. I placed the waterer in a shallow pan to fix any future spill issues.
Chicks are due on Friday, but I planned for early hatch, one never knows for certain, right(?), and settled Mary in last evening.
Rosemund, our barred rock, has her eight, which I just finished candling. Everyone has air sack, veining, and a dark blob, some of which can be observed moving. This is day 5 for her.

 

[MJWarner]

So Mary's eggs failed to pip, and I removed all but three, because there was just no getting her to quit. And I really didn't want her first attempt to end in failure. That's when we hatched our own plan. Friday is when our local Rural King receives new chicks, we went late Friday, around 7 pm, and made our choices. 2 nekked necks, because we like weird, 2 americanas, colorful eggs, 2 polish, which was due to a full color chicken breed poster that was hung in the chick pen area, and my husband said get some of those!!!!, lol, and one buff orpington. (Hey, they go broody!)
I kept them in the box until 9 pm, snuck out in the darkness, opened the cage and removed the last eggs...carefully.
Then reached in the box and grabbed a handful of fluff, some under her right wing, some under the left wing, the last under her butt fluff. Then I said a little prayer and retreated.
This morning, there was a new glow in Mary's eyes, and she was surrounded by Littles, running back under her wings for safety and warmth, she was showing them how to peck at the crumble, joy radiated from her.
Operation chick insertion was a great success.
I did peel the shells off the failed (not all of them) eggs, and they were fairly close to term when they died. Not sure what happened, sure I made many mistakes, it's a learning process that I hope, going forward, I don't make the same mistakes, just new ones.
Just glad to see my happy momma hen, in her mothering element.

 

[SmiYa0126]

 

[Radrussie]

Keep an eye on broody, mine didn't get up at all. I had to physically remove her from the nest and feed her and then show her the water so she could drink. I started doing that after the first three days of broodiness.

I put a small bowl of chicken crumble in the coop and some water which I take out afterward so there is no mess

 

[Radrussie]

So Mary's eggs failed to pip, and I removed all but three, because there was just no getting her to quit. And I really didn't want her first attempt to end in failure. That's when we hatched our own plan. Friday is when our local Rural King receives new chicks, we went late Friday, around 7 pm, and made our choices. 2 nekked necks, because we like weird, 2 americanas, colorful eggs, 2 polish, which was due to a full color chicken breed poster that was hung in the chick pen area, and my husband said get some of those!!!!, lol, and one buff orpington. (Hey, they go broody!)
I kept them in the box until 9 pm, snuck out in the darkness, opened the cage and removed the last eggs...carefully.
Then reached in the box and grabbed a handful of fluff, some under her right wing, some under the left wing, the last under her butt fluff. Then I said a little prayer and retreated.
This morning, there was a new glow in Mary's eyes, and she was surrounded by Littles, running back under her wings for safety and warmth, she was showing them how to peck at the crumble, joy radiated from her.
Operation chick insertion was a great success.
I did peel the shells off the failed (not all of them) eggs, and they were fairly close to term when they died. Not sure what happened, sure I made many mistakes, it's a learning process that I hope, going forward, I don't make the same mistakes, just new ones.
Just glad to see my happy momma hen, in her mothering element.

Got luck with the chick raising. Let us know how the adoption worked out.