Intimidated Chicken Caretaker

[mandymack]

Thanks ChicknJ, Cloverleaf Farm & Rancher Hicks for the support. I really couldn't find info about how the "hen atop her eggs" thing really worked. And yes I am getting a little silly over this ordeal. I just don't understand it or am I very comfortable with it.

I promise I will keep y'all posted with Mackmack, that's her name because I couldn't think of one when registering her at the veterinarian.

What does it mean when she "growls" at me when I place her food in her nest. Am I really upsetting her, if so, perhaps I shouldn't bother her. Maybe it is my fault she left her nest and got lost.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
She's growling because she is protecting her nest. I have one broody that will let me do whatever I want, but all the others will bite me really hard if I try to look under them, or get my hands too close! Slip her food and water near her quickly, and get your hands out of there. You're lucky she warns you with a growl!

 

[mandymack]

One more tantalizing question please....

I thought that I shouldn't move the eggs (to candle them) or else that will rattle the little developing chicks inside. I would love to see inside one but am afraid to giggle and deform an embryo. Before I started feeding Mackmack in her nest, she did leave the nest to frantically search for food on her own.

Perhaps if I don't trap her in and let her leave, I could candle an egg. Is there a way to do this without worry?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Yep. The hens naturally jostle the eggs about a bit anyway, pick them up one at a time, shine a light into the large end of the egg (cover yourself with a dark blanket, since she won't leave the nest at night). You won't hurt the eggs unless you shake them.

Look at this website to give you an idea of what you'll see...
http://shilala.homestead.com/candling.html


Once you get a bit into your second week, you may see movement in the eggs as well!

Oh, and no you don't have to build a candler - I just use a mini mag light. The LED lights work really well too, especially for dark eggs.

 

[mandymack]

Oh that was a great website on candling. I arrive at work at 4 am so it will be dark and I can check them tomorrow. I am still a bit afraid of Mackmack's temperament though. It does seem like the best thing to do is check to see if any of the eggs are "bombs". I would die if one exploded. OOOHHH!!!

 

[mandymack]

I did candle one this a.m. and saw a spider-looking, vein-type redish line inside. I think this is a good sign according to the pictorial demo of "How to candle". I got scared to check anymore. Mackmack tried to bite me. It was, however, one of her smaller eggs so, what little I've learned here, I think that means it was one of her first and oldest eggs due to the size. Yeah! If she only has one baby, that would be enough for me.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Great! Keep us all posted!!

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Don't feel bad about the $500 for a chicken. A vet tricked me into paying $700 for some X-Rays and a bottle of Baytril for a healthy goose once. Acted like there was some serious health threat, turned out he was just padding his wallet. We call that goose "The Golden Goose" for obvious reasons. Now everyone id paraniod that the goose will die before I can sell enough baby geese to make up for the cost. lol

 

[mandymack]

I too, am trying to figure out how to compensate for the financial deprivation. It's not easy. I know Mackmack is not worth $500 but "perhaps her eggs will amount to something," I keep telling myself. "Maybe I'll eventually have 500 babies and then each chick will value it's monetary equivalent of $1.00," I repeat over and over.

But the real issue is not the cost to rehabilitate her but the daily effort to keep her alive. You see, all her family members have been captured and devoured by the racetrack workers. Until recently, she was one of the last 3 free roaming hens. (Now they are reproducing yet still disappearing, just at a slower rate.)

I would (and will) die when I cease to see her hobbling around the stable area. I know her days are numbered at this location. I tell myself, "I sure hope whoever is lucky enough to feast upon her will find her too rich to swallow."

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Can you explain to them how much you care for her, and ask them not to eat her? If there is a language barrier, maybe have someone translate your plea into a sign that you can put near her nest?? Maybe provide them with a "free" meal every once in a while in exchange??