Michigan

[chickflick]

Too bad you are on the other side of the state. Always wanted finches. Oh well, not meant to be, I guess. I have a parkeet that I'm waiting to see what she does. Her mate died a few months ago. This one isn't doing so well, either. It holds it wings away from her body and looks like she's having difficulty breathing. She falls down alot. All of sudden you hear this loud bang. Thought she was egg bound, but it's been way too long for that to be the problem. Have given her vitamins but still the same. It's been months with no improvement or getting worse.
It's a beautiful day out. Bettter get back out there so I can do some yard work. Enjoy all.

 

[Olive Hill]

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We had parakeets when I was a kid. I left the window open in my bedroom one night in the early fall and it got cold. The male died. I assume he got too cold. Within a few months the female had died "of a broken heart". I hope yours fares better than ours did.

 

[M.sue]

Yup, my little Bantam is broody. Took her out of the box, placed in run with some treats, lasted only a few minutes and right back in the box. Couple hours later, take her out into the sunny yard, offer a little feed & water, eat, drinks and be-lines clear across the whole back yard back to the coop. Put her into the run with the others, mingles a few minutes and right back into the nesting box. I was gonna try to break her of this, but really is it necessary for me to? No. Her eggs are so petite I need 2 or 3 maybe 4 to equal one normal sized egg if I want to use them for baking or to cook them. Soooo I was thinking of just letting her sit and be broody and try to hatch those golf balls....lol. I don't want to hatch any fertilized eggs right now, I'm just not ready.....but definitely in the future!!! So what do you guys think....is it ok to just let her brood it out?

 

[chicken grandma]

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Any age they want. Every chicken is different. I've got a light brahma who has been broody since the day she hatched. Okay, slight exaggeration there, but you get the picture. Some just really, really want to be moms. And they usually make the best ones.

So if you have a hen who goes broody is it best for her "emotional and psychological health" to let her hatch some eggs? I would love to hatch some chicks the natural way if the opportunity arises. Is it damaging to her psyche to deny her that, or am I putting human emotions on a bird?

Welcome eggluvr! You'll love it here! Glad to have you.

When my hens have gone broody, I have taken up the eggs and made sure they ate and drank enough and even tried to distract them with treats, free ranging, dustbathing. I don't like my hens to sit on the nest because I am not going to put chicks or eggs under them and so they just get thinner, which is not what I want to happen. They also stop laying when broody, so I discourage it. I think they are happy too.

 

[Olive Hill]

The problem with that is that some chickens will sit themselves to death. They don't get out and move around, they don't eat and drink as much as normal, it can take a toll on them after a while. If you don't want her sitting or rearing chicks it's best to try to break her.

 

[chicken grandma]

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You could try putting a drop of Baytril on her tongue twice a day. If she has a respiratory infection, that might cure it. I have heard of mites in the air sac and perhaps that is the problem. That is treated with a drop of Ivermectin. Wouldn't hurt to try one of those things if you have the medicine.

 

[babigyrl22]

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Blanche our broody white maran has been sitting for 3 days now but I've seen her get up to eat. She is annoying the other girls because she has chosen the fav nest box. We've been collecting all the eggs (she's been kicked out by the other laying girls). LOL she waits patiently on the roost and then sits on the eggs once they leave the nest. We will keep bothering her for a week before we move to more drastic measures.

Hopefully she won't be like you described.

 

[ChicwannaB]

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good idea, I'll hafta show my hubby one of those.

 

[ChicwannaB]

Is it a good idea to order hatching eggs NOW, do I have time to raise them up big enough to survive inside a coop all winter???? Should I wait for Spring??
WYNETTE, I am going to want Jersey Giant eggs? Can you put my name down now so I don't forget???
I don't need anything for SHOW quality, just pet and eggs.

 

[NovaAman]

Today is a sad sad day. What do you do when the predator is your own dog and mom? I am blaming both for havnig to put my poor Rosey (Buffy's sister) down...

I went to work today, and while at work my mom let the dogs out to the back yard... Well, my puggle, Rotten Ruby found a weak spot, got out... My mom caught her, but didn't think she'd get out again.. HELLO! Anyway, Ruby and Argus got out again, and then AGAIN! They went after my Fav Hen Rosey, and tore her up... She was hiding in my garage when I got home, and in such bad shape to me that we had to put her down she was iin such pain. I was so ANGRY. Angry that my mom kept letting the dogs out even tho they kept getting loose. Angry cuz I have a dang dog that likes to kill my chickens. Angry cuz my poor Rosey didn't get die peacefully, but had to suffer so horribly. I was surprised that she was still alive when I found her... I can't wrap my head around my mom not thinking that the dogs would go after the chickens when Rotten Ruby had already killed one of my leghorns previously! But when they got loose the first time, she shouldn't have let them back out in the yard till I found where they were getting out from... She said she didn't hear a thing, only the dogs barkiing in the garage where they had cornered and attacked my Rosey! Its an attached garage! How come she didn't think they'd go after the chickens? SHE'S HALF BEAGLE! I am soooo angry. I mean I wanna put a bullet in Ruby and tell my mom to take a hike! But she really is that dense, its just so frustrating.

Don't get me wrong. I love my mom, but a life time of medications and 2 strokes has really damaged her thinking... The dog... she's a dog...

Rest in peace Beautiful Rosey.