Hatching with 2 broodies

[Teila]

Liz, I stared at a blank reply box for a very long time, trying so hard to put into words how much I wish you were not having to go through this heartache.

While I have no doubt it is going to be a very tough day with more to come, I hope the heartache dims more each day as the fond memories take over.

Quote: "Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened"

 

[texgardengal]

On his 18th birthday:

So very sorry Liz. What a very lucky boy he was, with a beautiful long life with lots of chickie friends (and Reggie)Our little critters are such a blessing to us as long as we have them. Wish there was more we could do.

Welcome Italychickie. You have some very pretty birds! The twin broodys are adorable. I laughed as I read your posts. I did the same thing. I read the whole thread and was hooked too! However, there was certainly not so much to read at that time...And like Teila, I start at this thread and often, it's the only one I read..lol ...such a wonderful group .... (and their chickies) I dont know what I would have done without my sweet friends though my first year of chicken keeping.

This is tooo funny!!!! Crazy chickens.
TG, way to go! Love your determination in finding that broody mama!!! Cant wait til you get her home!!!

 

[lizgarf]

Thanks again, everyone, for all the kind words of support. You all know how much I love all my animals, and Zorro and I definitely had a special bond after 19 years together. Now that he has been laid to rest, I'm also feeling a surprising sense of relief that his passing was so quick, and seemingly, bearable for him. His brother's passing was a longer, more complicated process, and seemed much more painful. I had been dreading this for a long time, and now that he is in his new place, I feel like I can breathe a bit.

I'm even going to finally sneak off to the mountains tomorrow with Reggie. I might come back home Thursday night, or might find some place to stay en route. I'm not going to snow board - just going to take Reggie to the Pinecrest lake area, which is where I've camped for the summers of the first half of my life, but I've never been to with snow (apparently there is some snow not too far away from there). It's under 3 hours away, on a good day, and I'm planning on a good day. Sled and snow shoes are all ready in the car.

Grace is still mostly broody, though close to broken, and Frida is almost broody, so I'll probably come home to a broody mess in the nest, but I'll put up with that when I have to.

I'm sure there's more I'm supposed to respond to, but I'm taking a pass this time. Enjoy spring (or fall, Teila)!
--Liz

 

[texgardengal]

Caught a pic tonight of the girls settling in. Bart with each of his girls at his side. I saw him going after cookie today!! I just don't like it at all. She is just a baby (to me anyway) Guess she will be one of his girls soon enough but it just seems weird

And new pic of Cookie

 

[Teila]

Liz, enjoy your break/time away .. it sounds lovely; if you get a chance, I would love to see some pictures when you get back

TGG .. pffft! You tell Bart he can't have Cookie! lol
The picture of Bart & Gals is a nice one. I like how he is all comfy and the gals are still standing.

Oh wow, just look at that sweet expression Cookie has .. what a little cutie she is!

I have a confession to make .. no laughing allowed!

As you know, Dusty has not been laying much lately and more recently (2 weeks) not at all. She has been dropping a few feathers here and there but nothing too serious, just a mini-molt. I have never actually experience a hard molt.

Anyways, I get home yesterday and there are black feathers absolutely everywhere and Dusty looks like she has been through a couple of rounds with a chicken plucker, losing rounds that is. Of course, I hit the panic button and pick her up which she normally tolerates but she was absolutely not impressed this time, making "Help, this woman is trying to kill me noises". She has lots of little bare patches but no injuries or nasties (mites/lice etc; I am pretty vigilant with their treatments). I wondered if she was molting but didn't imagine she would look like that in a matter of 8 hours .. so, still panicking, I post a thread (not here because you gals would all have been sleeping) and yep, she is molting.

Lots more research and web site trawling and I am feeling like a mean mum because I didn't know it can be painful for them and my picking her up might have been hurting her!

So, lots of love and protein in Dusty's future!
I have just got back from buying her some high protein snacks and believe it or not, I have 5 chickens and I had to buy eggs to feed back to the chickens! lol

My baby that only a mother can love! lol ..................

M

 

[texgardengal]

Quote: I know! I was not happy!

A molt...I cant laugh! I would have had no idea...We have had no molts and I would have done the same thing. I didnt know they could lose so many feathers so fast. I thought it would be a gradual thing. Good information though. I will know now to avoid picking them up when this is going on....Sorry you had to learn the hard way. Poor Dusty. I doubt there is any permanent damage though

. We mums always hit the panic button and think the worst. Glad it's nothing serious!

Theae are my lttle roosters. the first is Rider Roo and the second picture is Goose. This was right after they had their little fight and you can see some of the battle scars. They've had no problems since, thank goodness.
Abigail
Sophie, Bella and Millie

 

[lizgarf]

Aw, I know I was signing off and all, but now I have to reply! Love the new photos, TGG! Abigail is beyond precious, and so well-named!

Teila, have you forgotten my photos of Bettina's crazy molt?




Sadly, if Tina and Cilla don't start up soon, you may be waiting a long time for eggs! Bettina and Grace took two months off, due to their molts, and that was on the relatively short side. You can also feed Dusty chick starter for the extra protein, but you may know that already. Hang in there, Dusty!!

 

[tommysgirl]

Alright my friends here is the tale start to current finish:


I first agreed to rescue this girl 3 weeks and 2 days ago. I live 2+ hours from where she was housed. My contact person told me at the time that she thought that the eggs were on day 11. Figuring it would be best if I waited to pick her up until they hatched I committed to picking her up this week.

My contact has been less than communicative throughout this whole process failing to respond to repeated messages and has said many things which have lead me to believe she really doesn't know what she is talking about like this:

In the original ad "Whoever takes her will get all of her kids too or eggs if they haven't hatched"
She said she didn't know when the hen started setting because "she hadn't candled recently"

She told me "I don't know what happened to all her eggs she is down to four." This was a week ago
Yesterday it was "No chicks but a ton of eggs"

All of this makes me wonder if the hen truly is broody as well as what in the world is going on in my contact's mind

Like I told you all I did some sleuthing with the information I had and found out that my contact was a former employee at the site where the hen is currently living. I did an end run around the contact and as a result I picked my girl up last night. I met the contact. She is older than I thought she would be

There Gracie Belle was sitting surrounded by more eggs than she could possibly cover...about 2 dozen at least. She stayed on some of them for the duration of the trip home odds are they are not the same ones she was able to get under her earlier. On the advice of people on the Nor Cal thread I wont mess with her for a few days other than let her out of the dog crate to poo. I plan to pull a few eggs at a time to candle them but I seriously doubt that any are viable. She, a couple of other silkie gals and a cochin hen were all with a bunch of frizzled roosters. Apparently the other ladies have been laying in the same nest for a couple of weeks or more and no one has been managing any aspect of it meanwhile my poor girl has been broody for Lord knows how long but hasn't been given a situation that would result in her actually successfully hatching. She felt soooo light when I picked her up. she has to be stressed out about her inability to cover them all right?

The gal who was my contact didn't think there was anything odd about the situation and took for granted that it was normal for a broody to have

a) more eggs then she could cover
b) eggs that were all different ages/stages of development. I asked if she had EVER hatched a clutch and my contact said that she had...proof of God right there

anyway I am worried that if I give her fertiles from my girls it will be unhealthy for her to go a full 21 days but I will wait and see. Going to give her fermented 22% and sprout some BOSS so that when she eats she will be getting good stuff. Also will pick up some calf manna and have been told to give her molasses and nutridrench, both of which I have on hand.

Another option is to giver give her a couple of eggs from Petunia they are on Day 12 right now.

Am pretty sure that I am going to give her a few chicks I would love to get frizzle chicks from papabrooder but not sure when I could get there and don't want to have em shipped.

 

[tommysgirl]

@lizgarf have THE best time relaxing with your pup. Your molt pic is hysterical

@Teila They are like cartoon images when the shake aren't they...you half expect to see a naked bird when the feathers settle. Yeah up her protein and she will recover more quickly

@texgardengal Thanks for sharing I totally adore splash!!!

 

[ItalyChickie]

Liz... so so sorry to hear that Zorro has passed, but glad he didn't suffer much and that you were with him. This is so hard, and there really isn't much I can add that would make this any better (besides, I'm terrible at this... I'd just cry with you if I was there in person instead of trying to cheer you up)... sending virtual hugs! A nice break in the mountains sounds wonderful, hope you and Reggie both enjoy it!

Teila, Cenere says thank you for the compliments! (At least that's how I translate the noise she made when I told her you said she was gorgeous.)
How old are Blondie and Tammy now? Shouldn't be too long before you can tell gender for sure, I think? Though there really isn't any doubt that Blondie is a girl!
And oh yes mine loooove spaghetti worms too! It's too much fun watching them all run after the one with a long piece in her beak!
Oh, just read further about Dusty - that is a really hard molt! I have never witnessed one either, but at least it shouldn't last as long as a regular molt... I think? Well hope so anyway, and sure that protein will help.
Marie, thanks for the welcome! Yes, your customer is right - there are no coyotes over here. The worst we have are foxes, but they stay away from the residential areas, there are plenty of agricultural areas over here, and I think that foxes/potential other predators (can't think of any) simply find enough food without going after chickens. I actually "meet" a couple of hens taking walks alongside a fairly busy road almost every time I go grocery shopping - at least mine are fenced in on my property, those ones go wherever they please!
And yes, it is gorgeous over here, but I think every place has its charm. Although I do remember the coyotes screaming in Cali, not very pleasant. (That's where I went to college and stayed for a few years after, Los Angeles area, I'm not sure if Vista is South or North Cali though?)
Ella, thanks, it's such a joy to be part of this team! I would love to see some pictures of your (okay, Milly's) peeps while waiting for mine!
Texgardengirl, thanks! It's good to know I wasn't the only one who read the thread and was hooked! (number of pages aside...)
Cookie is absolutely adorable!!!! I hope Bart didn't really mean it going after her... my roos will sometime do a sort of move with the younger ones, but never go further... maybe mentally preparing them?
You have adorable mini roosters and hens!!! Abigail is totally posing for the camera, love the expression! And the trio below acting all nonchalant...
Tommysgirl, that is seriously frustrating!!! And poor Gracie Belle, all that effort for nothing! How can people keep chickens without learning anything at all about them?
I wonder if candling would tell if some are viable/close to hatching? Or if not, the eggs from Petunia... another 21 days would probably not be healthy, if she has already been sitting for at least that long... Poor girl...

Not much news to tell over here, trying to remain patient the last few days before the hatch. Yesterday my internet connection wasn't working, so I took a few hundred chicken pictures (I'm a graphic designer, working mostly with international clients... no internet=no feedback=no work). Luckily, it was fixed in about an hour and a half, or it would have been a thousand pictures.
Here are some:


Cenere: "Look, I can stand on the log and growl at you all at the same time!" - then she promptly fell over... wish I had been filming instead.


Two new girls we got at the market thingie Sunday, attempting to dust bathe in the most undustbathey spot because they're still a bit skittish of the rest of the flock... couldn't resist mini Brahmas, for once not as a couple. The smaller one is Pallina, still thinking of a name for the other. (suggestions welcome!)



I was right, Bonnie is also in the early stages of broodiness... not on the nest full time yet, but does her scary broody ball impersonation quite well:



Ombretta, the first one to go broody this time around, taking a quickie dust bath.



Cenere again "Look Ma, no head!"



The broodie twins, on a first ever simultaneous break (it rained earlier, so one had to postpone her usual outing):



And the boys, Clyde:



and Gandalf (with Bonnie):