I've Killed The Babies! *update*

[X2Farm]

I just got some day olds today.. theres 7 packing peanuts, if you'd like a few? Right from Ideal, hatched yesterday. Healthy, bright eyed and vibrant. I wish there was a way to meet up somewhere!!! Just aint got the fuel to get up there and back... anyone around Greenville SC wanna meet up n trolly em a bit closer to Catstar?

 

[Catstar68]

You are all so sweet!
I think I'll contact Sumner-Byrd Farms in Holly Springs to see if they have some chicks. CL shows that they have several hatchings this week.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

IDEAS FOR BRAINSTORMING... hope they might start a spark for the solution...



*IF you can't find ANY babies and she continues to sit on fertile eggs, I would making sure at least once a day she has food and water right where she is on her nest... maybe this will help keep her in this ONE spot also. Some may object to this as a bad habit to get started, but if the choice is between a bad habit and a bird so weakened that she doesn't make it, then I'd chose the bad habit.

*Another suggestion would to confine her in a smaller crate (I use a large dog crate) with her eggs and food and water... she will have only HER eggs to sit on. Also, when doing this I have had hens decide that they didn't like the change of location and stopped being broody after a couple of days... either way you have a solution... maybe wasted a few eggs, but they weren't very far along.

*Another idea... anyone else of your girls sitting and have 2 eggs that she could have so she has a shorter time to sit before results?

Just thoughts to get other thoughts started for a solution for your silly girl.

 

[Muggsmagee]

IDEAS FOR BRAINSTORMING... hope they might start a spark for the solution...



*IF you can't find ANY babies and she continues to sit on fertile eggs, I would making sure at least once a day she has food and water right where she is on her nest... maybe this will help keep her in this ONE spot also. Some may object to this as a bad habit to get started, but if the choice is between a bad habit and a bird so weakened that she doesn't make it, then I'd chose the bad habit.

*Another suggestion would to confine her in a smaller crate (I use a large dog crate) with her eggs and food and water... she will have only HER eggs to sit on. Also, when doing this I have had hens decide that they didn't like the change of location and stopped being broody after a couple of days... either way you have a solution... maybe wasted a few eggs, but they weren't very far along.

*Another idea... anyone else of your girls sitting and have 2 eggs that she could have so she has a shorter time to sit before results?

All great suggestions! My friend's broody birds wouldn't eat a thing when their food and water was under their noses! I'm curious to know how this turns out.

 

[iluvsedward]

I almost cried

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm so sorry.

I really hope you can find some babies for her.

 

[bigspringshatchery]

I done something like this when I first started hatching. I was out of town and had a egg on the bator. So I asked someone to turn the egg for me and they forgot and the egg wasn't turned for acouple of day. And I tossed it out and it had a chick inside of it. It made me sick. From that point I bought a candler so I can candle my eggs and see if they are good or not.

 

[Catstar68]

I came home this afternoon and there she was, 2 nest boxes over from where she was this morning - sitting on a stolen EE egg.
I took her out and put her in the newly vacated chicken tractor (the chicks have since outgrown it and moved into the newly built second 'big girl' coop.) She is having a bit of a tantrum right now.
I called Sumner-Byrd Farms and they have australorps tomorrow but I can't get there until Sunday and by then they will be 4 days old. She might not take them and there is no way I'm setting up the brooder again - I'm done for the season. SOOOOOO, one last chance to break her. If she stays broody and nests in the tractor I guess I'll give her some more eggs and keep her isolated in the tractor until she hatches them or gives up or dies of broodyness.

She has a week to decide what she is going to do. She's been at it since the first week of June. I have no idea how she made it through those 100 degree days sitting in the coop when the rest of the flock were in the woods, cooling off in the shady dirt holes.

Say a prayer for her that she will come to her little chicken senses.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Australorps being born tomorrow? Tomorrow is Friday... by Sunday I figure they will only be 2 days old... I have had 2 day olds work out in similar conditions... I'd do the 2 day olds! Wait until dark... babies will be tired and mom will be settled. Keep together in the small enclosure until bonded... usually takes only a couple of days, but I usually wait at least a week before releasing them together.

 

[Catstar68]

mmaddie's mom :

Quote:
Australorps being born tomorrow? Tomorrow is Friday... by Sunday I figure they will only be 2 days old... I have had 2 day olds work out in similar conditions... I'd do the 2 day olds! Wait until dark... babies will be tired and mom will be settled.

They only sell 2 day olds so they were hatched today - Thursday. I'm just not sure about 4 days olds.

seems like the older they are the more at risk I am at having her reject them.​