Hello everyone :)

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rachaelm

rachaelm

In the Brooder
6 Years
Jun 10, 2013
18
0
29
My family has just started raising chickens about a year ago and we are still pretty clueless. Just this week we gained 5 little chicks! Finally!
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Ive noticed that after one failed attempt at hatching eggs, its best to leave momma alone! She pecked her first clutch of eggs and quit sitting on them because my kids and I couldnt stop checking the eggs. We were trying to get the fresh egg out everyday that Rosie (our big hen) would lay in the box with our little hen Ruby, who wants to sit on every egg she sees! Finally we gave up and she ended up with about 17 eggs under her, in the end only 4 of Rubys hatched and 1 of Rosies. (Rubys eggs are white and Rosies are brown) We think Ruby is a Brown Leghorn and Rosie is a Rhode Island Red but they were given to us and we just go by pictures that match closely to them. Ill be on here a lot trying to figure out how to do this in a way that we actually gain from it rather than lose money! Its fun raising chickens and im not too worried that we only get 1 egg every few days now, I know they will get back to work when those chicks get bigger. Im hoping also that in a few months we can have a few more hatch so we can get enough eggs for family too. I think my rooster Oscar has no problem with fertilizing those hens.
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I look forward to hearing your stories and helpful advice!
 
Wow, you have your hands full! It must be a lot of fun with all those animals Kathryn P.
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And thanks redsox for the kind welcome!
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Maybe your rooster isn't doing his job or did you buy eggs to hatch? I think your broody should be separated from the others next time, so they aren't dropping off deposit eggs in her nest. Maybe it's too many eggs for her to cover and all the intrusions break her focus.
 
Good point, they should be separated. I candled the brown the leftover eggs and most of them were fertilized and at different stages of development, im pretty sure they were dead too. I couldnt bear to look when I had my son get rid of them. I felt bad but I guess they dont all make it. The day after the 5 chicks hatched Ruby wouldnt sit on the dozen brown ones. The next day she still wasnt on them and I checked several times and there wasnt the slightest movement in them. :( Ive got a lot to learn about chickens! So many wasted eggs!
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