Just thought I would share a story of Helga our meat hen...... Well I rescued her from becoming snake food, She grew and grew and GREW haha, she was always a really sweet natured bird, at feeding time late afternoon, Helga was always still eating out in the dark, I would carry her into the coop. As she grew her weight was really starting to put pressure on those legs, and I feared her legs would give way, and I would have to put her down.
About a week after that, I noticed her comb was much bigger and really deep red...... She had started to lay!! She would walk up the stairs and jump up onto the dogs couch on the verandah, and lay one every day without fail.... and also she would lay a double yolker at least 3 times per week. This was a god send for Helga, as she lost enough weight from laying all those eggs to take the pressure off her joints.
One day she came to lay her egg as usual, and she just didn't move all day, I was quite concerned..... but figured out she had actually gone broody!!! I was stunned. I gave her some duck eggs, but she crushed them all in the first 2 days
So I got thinking, It would be nice for her to be a mother..... So I decided to put a goose egg under her!! Only a week and a bit to go till it hatches.
About a week after that, I noticed her comb was much bigger and really deep red...... She had started to lay!! She would walk up the stairs and jump up onto the dogs couch on the verandah, and lay one every day without fail.... and also she would lay a double yolker at least 3 times per week. This was a god send for Helga, as she lost enough weight from laying all those eggs to take the pressure off her joints.
One day she came to lay her egg as usual, and she just didn't move all day, I was quite concerned..... but figured out she had actually gone broody!!! I was stunned. I gave her some duck eggs, but she crushed them all in the first 2 days
