Fuzzy's Farm

[teeville5]

Question for anyone that has had a broody. How do you get them off the nest? I want to put some clean bedding in there and more importantly candle the eggs she's sitting on, but everytime I go near her she's sitting on them and hissing at me like an alien. Do I just toss her off or is there a way to coax her that won't require me to lose a hand?

 

[NovaAman]

Tee... pull up your big girl panties, and if you are not wanting pecking wear gloves... BUT better if you don't you need to FEEL. Get your hands under here, make sure no eggs are tucked in her feathers. It's sad when they are and you drop an egg... ANYWAY, get your hands around her, and under her feet, take her out, set her on the ground by the food and water, and get to work quick. She's going to make everyone who comes near her miserable. AND she's also going to be so puffed up and demonic for a second or two. SHE may even take off like a bat out of hell. BUT that's just for cleaning her nest are. You want to go back and night and slip your hand under for one egg at a time for candling. That's a lot easier to do than trying to candle and clean. If you can throw some of her feathers from the nest back in the clean nest, that will be good too. Don't worry about the hissing... it's just noise. The more protective she is now, the better. She'll be real protective when the chicks come.

All my girls who have brooded, got used to me putting my hands under then all through the brooding process. I know there are some who say, leave em be, you're going to make them quit. I have not found that to be a problem. I have gone so far as to even bring treats to the broody moms. They tear at them with gusto, growling the whole time. They get used to it. It also makes it a bit easier to check the chicks, though they become VERY AGRESSIVE right about hatch time. I still have to check though. The only one who actively tried to attack me was Sheh-Sheh.I would have to put my hand in her face, to keep her back when I would examine her chicks for deformaties.

ANYWAY! happy mama's day ya'll

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

I have pulled my broodies off their nests to do some cleaning. They just hop right back on as soon as I am done.
I found that candling at night was not only best for seeing the babies but easier on the hands and arms too.
Shawarma was and still is a "kissing" demon when it came to me touching her eggs.
Pattie gives a little fuss but she lets me dig right underneath her.
They both would steal Noodles egg for the day and so I would have to dig her egg out... OUCH!

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

 

[teeville5]

Nova,

, but thanks for the advice. See, I would've attempted both at the same time. When Baby Girl was nesting last year, she wasn't anything like the bsl so I wasn't sure. Byfm, thanks for your info, too. So, I guess I'll make a cleaning attempt and then either tonight or within the next few, try to candle. I'll get out my headlamp which has a red light on it so maybe she won't be quite as upset when I give it a go.

 

[NovaAman]

lol. I am such a pain in the butt. I know.

Check this out...

 

[NovaAman]

Both my EE's from townline died. I do not know what was wrong with them, but i think it was genetic. The other chick from that group, the ASL, she's going strong. All the other chicks in the garage are too, it was just the two EEs... ANYWAY... I want to have these in my nest boxes...

 

[teeville5]

Ok. So how will you get those? Do you want to try to hatch some to get some because I have blue egg layers. They might turn out to be mutts, though, because with 5 roos 'who's the daddy' would be the question. Although, Newton is an ee, so you'd have a 1 in 5 chance.

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Ugh! Sick with the flu... but at least I get to lay around. LOL! But, seriously, I had a fever and have been very weak for three days. I'm just now getting better on my third day... can't wait to be well...

 

[NovaAman]

Well, hope you feel better kiddo. Having the flu sucks.

Today I made homemade beef stew. WITH THE THINK BROTH! I have never managed the thick broth. The plan was to have a roast, but the cost of the roast was like... $13! FOR2 POUNDS OF BEEF! YOU HAVE TO BE EPHEN KIDDING ME! I wish I could raise my own feeder cow. ANYWAY! Man, it turned out really good after simmering in the pan for 2.5 hours. WOW. I AM GOOD!

I guess I will have to wait till I start having hens not lay... Maybe in a few years. I want to get the yokos and the phoenix established first.