INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[julie0477]

Lol deb I did the same thing when I let my silkie hatch this year. Didn't mark the eggs and then left her tractor door open so she could get out and dust bathe while I was at work. Genius. I ended up with two hatches a week a part. The second hatch didn't go so well! One out of two eggs made it but only because it was so hot out. She hardly ever sat on the poor egg!

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: My oldest rooster wasn't keeping up on his job until he was almost 9 months. Finally started seeing proof, and got incubators shortly after.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: I am so sorry, it never gets easier.

 

[racinchickins]

I figure I will definitely be tossing some. So I'm sure it will be easier for her. I'm still torn about moving her to the barn into her own area, or leave her into the coop to hatch and brood the chicks.

Definitely mover her into her own area. My hen hatched one egg in with the other chickens and one after I moved her. She was much better with the second. All the other chickens around really freaked her out. Don't worry about her feeling cut off from the flock. In the wild, they go find a place off on their own to do this. She will mostly sit glassy eyed on the eggs and only get up for a quick drink, eat, and poop. You will also be protecting any hatchlings from the other flock members, who can injure or even kill them.

Also, as you saw from some of the follow up posts, it will allow you to prevent the other girls from sneaking in more eggs that will cause problems because they aren't in sync with the first group. I had some that would sit on top of the broody to lay their eggs, just because she was in their favorite nest box. I marked the eggs I was letting her hatch, or I'd of had all kinds of different eggs in with her.

 

[julie0477]

I am gonna vote broody....

This bird is ADORABLE!!!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

A word of warning--it shouldn't be bad on her health unless she is brooding for months, but I have heard that pullets and younger hens tend not to go through with hatching and raising the chicks. Yes, some youngsters will hatch and raise chicks, but others abandon them, so be prepared with a backup plan for those eggs or the chicks they produce.

My first broody was a hatchery red that went broody at 7.5 months.  I thought she was young, but I thoroughly tested her to see if she meant business.

-At night, I'd take her out of the nest and put her on the roost.  Did that for 3 nights. 
-During the day, I'd take her off the nest, walk out to the farthest area away from the hen house and deposit her on the ground. Several times a day.  For 3 days.  She kept coming back.
-Then I made her a nest in a brooding area where the others couldn't get in to lay eggs.  Moved her into it in the dark at night.  Watched her there a couple days to see if she stayed.  She did.

This was last December.  She raised 4 chicks for me in the freezing cold winter with no heat.  Took care of them when they were "huge"...to keep them warm.  It was comical to see those big kids still going under mom.

Same girl went broody in August.  She now has 3 kiddos that she hatched and is caring for...2 weeks old.

Like I said, some do, some don't. I thought it would be better for kabhyper to have warning if the eggs need to be moved to an incubator or chicks to a brooder.





Just wondering, folks. My beloved Frou-Frou has been filling her crop with water every night to the point that she regurgitates some of it if she bends over. Should I be worried or just let her be? Her crop is emptying like normal and there's nothing else to go off of as far as symptoms.

I suspect also that my girls have a mild lice infestation--perhaps that is part of Frou'f's problem. I am going to treat them this weekend with Ivermectin, which I've read will take care of lice as well as worms if they have any. Anyone have any experience with this, or perhaps something they've used that was more effective in getting rid of lice? Keep in mind I have about 40 birds I'll have to treat, so something that can be put in their water is preferred to something I have to apply individually. :/

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I am gonna vote broody....

Haha, I would say so!

 

[kabhyper1]

Definitely mover her into her own area. My hen hatched one egg in with the other chickens and one after I moved her. She was much better with the second. All the other chickens around really freaked her out. Don't worry about her feeling cut off from the flock. In the wild, they go find a place off on their own to do this. She will mostly sit glassy eyed on the eggs and only get up for a quick drink, eat, and poop. You will also be protecting any hatchlings from the other flock members, who can injure or even kill them.

Also, as you saw from some of the follow up posts, it will allow you to prevent the other girls from sneaking in more eggs that will cause problems because they aren't in sync with the first group. I had some that would sit on top of the broody to lay their eggs, just because she was in their favorite nest box. I marked the eggs I was letting her hatch, or I'd of had all kinds of different eggs in with her.

So after the babies are hatched, how do you integrate them into the flock? Isn't it easier to do that if she introduces them by staying in the coop? Won't her pecking order status be affected by moving her out of the coop?

This bird is ADORABLE!!!

Thanks Julie! And everyone else who commented on it. She is one of my favorites.

 

[bradselig]

Like I said, some do, some don't. I thought it would be better for kabhyper to have warning if the eggs need to be moved to an incubator or chicks to a brooder.





Just wondering, folks. My beloved Frou-Frou has been filling her crop with water every night to the point that she regurgitates some of it if she bends over. Should I be worried or just let her be? Her crop is emptying like normal and there's nothing else to go off of as far as symptoms.

I suspect also that my girls have a mild lice infestation--perhaps that is part of Frou'f's problem. I am going to treat them this weekend with Ivermectin, which I've read will take care of lice as well as worms if they have any. Anyone have any experience with this, or perhaps something they've used that was more effective in getting rid of lice? Keep in mind I have about 40 birds I'll have to treat, so something that can be put in their water is preferred to something I have to apply individually. :/

Could it be sour crop?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I don't think so. I had a hen with sour crop--that's something you just never forget.