I need to get this out— not looking for sympathy or anything, just to express my feelings today.
Well, some of you are familiar with my hen, Sweets, who has been on and off broody since April. She was not a good mother the first time around at all so she was given a second chance when she went broody in May. She was given 7 eggs: 4 were nonfertile, 3 viable. I was hopeful about her motherly instincts because she very diligently sat on the nest until hatch day and warded off would-be intruders wanting to sit with her.
I was dead wrong. She tried to kill a chick as it pipped, but this time I was home and intervened in time- Sweets did break the egg to get several pecks at the head, back and she tried to eat toes—this is exactly what she did to the 4 babies in April which she ultimately killed while I was at work.
This baby was bloodied and bruised but by this morning looked like he would survive. Praise be to God. He’s in a brooder now- alone with a mirror, learning to walk and drink. I named the chick Chance, and he/she is very sweet. The other 2 eggs are in the incubator on lockdown.
This morning I had the very hard task of removing Sweets from the flock. She had a quick and painless end (broomstick method) and I cried the
whole time! Sweet, just not motherly to say the least. she was the flock bully- the others in the flock deserved peace. Sweets is gone, and I am sad but grateful for having been given the strength to do what needed to be done.
Well, some of you are familiar with my hen, Sweets, who has been on and off broody since April. She was not a good mother the first time around at all so she was given a second chance when she went broody in May. She was given 7 eggs: 4 were nonfertile, 3 viable. I was hopeful about her motherly instincts because she very diligently sat on the nest until hatch day and warded off would-be intruders wanting to sit with her.
I was dead wrong. She tried to kill a chick as it pipped, but this time I was home and intervened in time- Sweets did break the egg to get several pecks at the head, back and she tried to eat toes—this is exactly what she did to the 4 babies in April which she ultimately killed while I was at work.
This baby was bloodied and bruised but by this morning looked like he would survive. Praise be to God. He’s in a brooder now- alone with a mirror, learning to walk and drink. I named the chick Chance, and he/she is very sweet. The other 2 eggs are in the incubator on lockdown.
This morning I had the very hard task of removing Sweets from the flock. She had a quick and painless end (broomstick method) and I cried the
whole time! Sweet, just not motherly to say the least. she was the flock bully- the others in the flock deserved peace. Sweets is gone, and I am sad but grateful for having been given the strength to do what needed to be done.
so sorry that had to be done. Best wishes to the babies, hopefully they'll bring joy to your heart.
