Hatching with 2 broodies

[Teila]

Update:
Still on track .. all looking good .. 5ish days to go!

 

[lizgarf]

Haha! I'm lucky I get to work from home - of course, the one day I was gone for a conference, disaster struck.
When my hen, Stella, was killed by a dog shortly before a work deadline, I considered asking for an extension, due to death in the family, but managed to pull it together.
Sounds like the eggs could hatch early or late or not at all. The ladies should take care of things for you if you're gone, but maybe rustle up a dog crate somewhere if needed.
Where are you in Queensland? I used to have a very long-distance boyfriend in Brisbane . . .

 

[coops gone crazy]

Very nice Teila! Looks like you have a good shot at babies. This is going to be a long 3 weeks. LOL. I can only hope we make it the whole way. Yzma, my silkie, is back on the nest finally. The 2 hens always lay right together. I think they may teamwork this thing. Wish I had decided to do this a couple weeks ago though. They have been broody a while now and I have no idea if they will keep going long enough now. Fun stuff. Come on baby chickies!

 

[lizgarf]

I was worried about the timing too, but I was told they'll stay broody for a long time - 40 days or so. A lot of people wait a week to give their broodies eggs, to make sure they're really on it. But, keep an eye on their health and make sure they're eating and drinking at least a little bit, because it can take a toll on them. You can give them some scratch in or near the nest, which is apparently more in line with what they need while broody than their regular layer feed.
Good luck with the wait! 3 weeks seems impossibly long, doesn't it? I can't believe I still have 9 days more to go. Nothing like human babies, of course, but I've managed to avoid that altogether.

 

[Teila]

Haha! I'm lucky I get to work from home - of course, the one day I was gone for a conference, disaster struck.
When my hen, Stella, was killed by a dog shortly before a work deadline, I considered asking for an extension, due to death in the family, but managed to pull it together.
Sounds like the eggs could hatch early or late or not at all. The ladies should take care of things for you if you're gone, but maybe rustle up a dog crate somewhere if needed.
Where are you in Queensland? I used to have a very long-distance boyfriend in Brisbane . . .

Tee hee .. if I worked from home I wouldn't get any work done ... with my garden, fish ponds, cats & chickens; way too many distractions!
Aaaw sorry to hear about Stella .. it is very sad when we lose one of our girls; I lost two within a couple of months due to infection .. turns out I had their chateau in the wrong spot and because the ground was not drying out quick enough, staph set in :-(
I moved them to higher ground with more sunshine and since then, touch wood, no dramas. While very sad, another lesson learnt!
I'm in Taigum which is a residential area approximately 15-16kms north of Brisbane; moved down from Bundaberg about 3 years ago.
If I may ask, you are where?
I was thinking earlier how amazing it is that we are able to so easily find people going through the same things we are so many many miles away .. it's kind of nice to have people cheering for us across the world

 

[Teila]

Very nice Teila! Looks like you have a good shot at babies. This is going to be a long 3 weeks. LOL. I can only hope we make it the whole way. Yzma, my silkie, is back on the nest finally. The 2 hens always lay right together. I think they may teamwork this thing. Wish I had decided to do this a couple weeks ago though. They have been broody a while now and I have no idea if they will keep going long enough now. Fun stuff. Come on baby chickies!

Cheering for you Coops! Got everything crossed! Yeah, I have wondered how much longer Cilla can stick it out .. I popped the eggs under her on day 3 of her broodiness, so caught it nice and early but I haven't neglected to notice just how tough it must be for her, I bet she will be happy when the time is up and she maybe has some babies to show for all her effort.
I decided not to put food and water within reach of the nest box for her because I thought it best that she get up and exercise a little but I confess to sneaking her a drink on the nest on hotter days. The first time I held the tiny bowl of water in front of her she was a little reluctant to try it but now I think she kind of looks forward to her 'treat' and as soon as I offer it to her she has a drink

 

[lizgarf]

Tee hee .. if I worked from home I wouldn't get any work done ... with my garden, fish ponds, cats & chickens; way too many distractions!
Aaaw sorry to hear about Stella .. it is very sad when we lose one of our girls; I lost two within a couple of months due to infection .. turns out I had their chateau in the wrong spot and because the ground was not drying out quick enough, staph set in :-(
I moved them to higher ground with more sunshine and since then, touch wood, no dramas. While very sad, another lesson learnt!
I'm in Taigum which is a residential area approximately 15-16kms north of Brisbane; moved down from Bundaberg about 3 years ago.
If I may ask, you are where?
I was thinking earlier how amazing it is that we are able to so easily find people going through the same things we are so many many miles away .. it's kind of nice to have people cheering for us across the world

I live in Oakland, California! I have a nice spot up in the hills, where my chickens get to wander, though I have to keep an eye on Grace around any young plants, and now apparently have to keep an eye out for neighborhood dogs.
Working from home is challenging! Between my dog, cats, and chickens, and garden, kitchen, etc., my productivity isn't the highest, but my quality of life is much better than it was while working in an office!
Yes, losing Stella was tough - I'm a lot more careful now with the girls out and about, and mostly just let them in the back where it's fenced. Frida went broody a couple days later, and it seemed like good timing to help get over Stella, but, of course, it's a whole 'nother emotional roller coaster! I hope some of them make it and parting with the roosters won't be too tough!

 

[tommysgirl]

So my USPS tracking says my eggs are 'out for delivery'. Cleaned the coop but decided to move the 2 broody hens to a private coop. When I cleaned they had 2 of the 4 eggs I gave them yesterday and a couple golf balls. Also a new small white egg- one of my Polish must be a hen and started laying today. But- that means two of the eggs I gave them yesterday are GONE. My egg production has been pretty low despite adding a light and I am pretty sure I have some serious egg eating going on in the hen house! So I'd rather keep them separate. Now to also figure out who is eating eggs and I guess cull. I watched one of my EEs pace back and forth looking in each nest box for a while just now. Maybe it is her. I hope it isn't all of them! The good news is that Helen (the sight impaired orpington) is already sitting in the new nest box on the eggs/golf balls I gave her.

I am sorry to go a bit off topic here but this^^^^^ made me want to share this vvvvvvv

In spite of what you may have herd egg eating is relatively rare. By that I mean that it is rare for a hen to go out of her way to break open and eat an egg. On the other hand it is quite normal for hens to seize the opportunity to go after a broken egg and gobble it up.

I learned this when I thought I had to cull two of my girls I caught with egg on their beaks. I came here for advice and was able to solve the problem by:

upping their calcium...they were already getting a layer feed but I added free choice oyster shell mixed with their own shells, worming them: because apparently worms do a number on their reproductive systems gathering eggs as often as possible so that if there was a broken/weak shelled one I could get it before the girls did. I also figured out that it was one girl who consistently layed weak shelled eggs so I sort of am able to keep an eye on her schedule.

I don't have an egg eating problem any more. I isolated the two suspects and they both ignored one another's eggs during the two weeks they were separated so it was a situational, not a habitual thing for them.

 

[tommysgirl]

I live in Oakland, California! I have a nice spot up in the hills, where my chickens get to wander,

Hi liz I am North West of you in Lake County.. Come join us on the Northern California thread. Super friendly Super knowledgeable people who are always willing to help and answer questions. Also lots of breeders hang out there and they are more than willing to help enable any chick addiction you may have

 

[tommysgirl]

Update:
Still on track .. all looking good .. 5ish days to go!

Is she an Australorp? That's what my broody is and she is a perfect setter and brooder. Exciting that you are so close.