Mabel's Broody Adventure ENDS

[cherylcohen]

Thanks all Im so lucky to have your help. I read I should candle at 8 days. Is that true and wise??

 

[boxermom]

I didn't mess with it because,
1. It was cold
2. I didn't know what I was doing, so why risk the eggs.

 

[blueseal]

Quote:
same here i just let mother hen do it. if they hatch they hatch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The original poster was looking for some guideliines to help decide which shipped eggs to put under the hen. The suggestion to candle was because she will have more eggs than she can put under the hen. Candling is a way to see eggs that have a weak shell or that may have been slightly cracked during shipping. These would have a bit less chance of hatching due to excess evaporation or of getting bacteria inside and exploding under the hen.

If anyone has other guidelines, please post them. I'm sure I did not come up with everything you should look for when deciding which eggs to put under the hen.

 

[cherylcohen]

Thanks so much

I've got MANY more eggs than she can handle for sure. At first glance they all look in tact, only one has a wrinkly end. From two sources however the eggs are dirty...is that ok?

If no one minds I'm going to post pictures later for some of your expert advice.

 

[cherylcohen]

So the latest...I let the other girls out for a run in the yard just before sundown and our BW came over to her screened-in area and my mabel let out a blood curdling scream at the BW, ha ha she is so protective, However....My mabel is so sweet, she didn't complain a bit when I took out the ceramics and put 12 under her
3 speckled sussex
3 white orps
3 sicilian buttercups
3 barnevelders

She jostled around a bit and looks likes she's going back to sleep.

I have 3 silver laced wyandotte eggs coming tomorrow (somehow they didn't make the shipment on the right day..argh) so I'll put those under her tomorrow. She's a nice big girl and I didin't see any sticking out after tonight but I'm worried these might be too much

Is there anyway to tell????

Is tomorrow day 1??

Signed...Nervous over-protected mom

 

[cherylcohen]

Mabel hasn't moved from her box in 3 days now, nothing has been touched, food or water. No poo either. We just put the real eggs under her last night.

My concern is that maybe she think she can't get out of the dog kennel. Should I either move her nest box closer to the door of the kennel(there isn't a door on it) , take the lid off the kennel or take the whole nest box out of the kennel.

Here's a picture to remind all what her "Hatching Salon" looks like

 

[boxermom]

I know it's hard but...leave her alone.

She's is fine. You've got a good set-up. She only wants to set. Let her. There is nothing for you to do now. 3 weeks will go by pretty fast.

 

[cherylcohen]

thanks boxermom, I just can't understand how she can go without food/water for so long

 

[boxermom]

That's the way God made her.