My chickens SUCK. UPDATE: not all of them do :)

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I guess I just need to vent. This summer has been hard. 2 months ago, my first broody out of 10 hens hatched ONE chick. One week later, the cat killed it.
Since then, 5 more hens went broody, but then one of them and one of our 2 roos (my favorite) dropped dead. 3 of our non-broodies were wounded in a dog attack and one died. If there is not a miracle chick (which would be 2 days late) when I get home today, I will have to break my 2nd failed broody before she keels over. Only one of her eggs survived intact this far and it hasn't hatched as far as I know. The other 3 broodies are dumb and keep nest swapping, but the last time I moved one out of the coop to prevent this, she gave up.
I only have 3 chickens ranging in my yard, and I had 12 before.
I wish I had ordered more chicks. All 12 of them are fine, and it seems I will need them!
Why, why, why are my numbers dwindling? I was so hopeful when the first broody started... but it has been nothing but tragedy since then. To make matters worse, I have people wanting to buy eggs, and I have only 2 hens who aren't hurt, broody, or dead.
I want peeps!!!
Especially since one of the broodies is the twin of our deceased, and the two have always been inseperable... they went broody together even. If Char fails and I have to break her, she will be so lost without Ebony.
I was also really hoping for offspring from my dear rooster, but the chances of that are not looking good.

 

[texasgal]

Seems there is a saying ...

"Don't count your chickens ..... "

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I am sorry you are having a rough time. I hope your eggs do hatch!!

 

[lisa lisk]

Oohh you have had a bad summer. You might want to think about an incabator. I got one on ebay for 40 bucks It is just a cheap one with a wafer, not a thermestat. I turn the eggs myself. But I love it I keep it going most of the time.

I lost 15 chicks to a big black dog this past spring.

Dont give up, get you a bator. You will love it...Lisa

 

[Mrs. K]

There is a woman here, that buys chicks in the spring to sell in the fall. She is my back up plan. If my two broodies don't get live chicks, then I am going to see her, so that I start fall and winter with a full hen house.

Raising chickens is a little more tricky than it first appears, and it seems like, things will go very well for a long time, and then just keep falling apart. I think that you are do for some good luck soon. If this is the first time for your broody hens, next summer, just might go much better.

My two BO's were raised with a mother, and would not go broody all spring, so I gave in and bought chicks. Got them to week three, and a skunk had a wonderful time with them. Lost ALL of the chicks.

Got that weakness in the pen fixed. Then in two days, my BO's went broody!

So I have 6 days to go, and we will see! I like raising chicks best with a mother hen. It is a lot like being a grandmother, you get all of the joy, and none or little of the work.

Good luck, coming your way, I think you must of used the bad luck up!

Mrs.K

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Sorry about your bad chickenings.( Noun: To deal with chickens)

Maybe raise them indoors.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Anytime you work with animals, there will be cycles of good times and bad times. The key is surviving the bad times. Take care and hang in there!!!

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Tex I hate that saying Dh rubs things in all the time when it comes to my chickens and such-not turning out they way I hope like egg orders. I get upset when I dont have alot of extras to send..Then I mention it and he says "weeelllll...You shouldn't count your fri#$ing chicknes before they hatch!

hey and by the way when did you become a GFM?

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

You know, I USED to have an incubator...Got one chick out of 32 eggs and not only was he the wrong color, but he was a he. The POS was totally unreliable and I returned it. I don't really need enough chicks to justify an incubator... I am only legally allowed 24 chickens total of any age.
So two more of my broodies failed. The only one still going well is my black giant. She has 7 eggs that look to be coming along (I removed 5 yesterday that were not developing) and I think I only have a few more days to wait... I hope.
And then to compound worries, my dog showed up all skunky on friday. I don't think it was too close as the dog isn't terribly ododrous (can only smell it from 3 feet... doesn't fill the house!) but it came too close for comfort. I lock everyone into coops at night, but I fear a clever and detrmined thing could get in anyway.

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I GOT A CHICK TODAY!
Char, my dear black jersey giant hatched the most adorable little thing this morning. Though it was still a little damp and sticky looking, it was wandering around the nest box pecking at stuff when I got up this morning (late). She isn't budging even though its up and about, so I am hoping this means more on the way. I am on the compy here to resist checking on her every 10 minutes to see if the other 6 might hatch.
The peep is light black with a grey frost and grey chipmunk stripes. Its wingtips are white and its legs are slate. I have never seen a chick with the frosting or those stripes... might it be blue? Both the potential roos have blue genes (one my deceased BLRW who was splash, the other a black colored blue andalusian) and I have never had a blue chicken before.
I'm gonna go check on them as soon as I finish this post.