NY chicken lover!!!!

[rancher hicks]

How does one check for fertility? The only roo we have is Fredo. He hatched from an Ebay egg end of December. He does dance with both of his ladies. Both hens are very fluffy, one's the silkie and the other is the frizzle silkie/cochin cross. I put the eggs back under the black silkie, thought maybe if I give it another week something may happen? Just odd that at Day 10 there's nothing at all visible. I remember when we incubated we had veining visible before day 10. I gave her more wood chips for insulation. The other 2 birds leave her alone though, they don't pick on her at all.

Break open a couple of eggs and look for the "bulls eye" on the yolk. If your girls have large "skirts" you may want to trim them a bit.

This girl has a poofy "skirt" . If your girls are like this trim some of the feathers off to give clear access to her vent.

 

[Lynzi777]

How does one check for fertility? The only roo we have is Fredo. He hatched from an Ebay egg end of December. He does dance with both of his ladies. Both hens are very fluffy, one's the silkie and the other is the frizzle silkie/cochin cross. I put the eggs back under the black silkie, thought maybe if I give it another week something may happen? Just odd that at Day 10 there's nothing at all visible. I remember when we incubated we had veining visible before day 10. I gave her more wood chips for insulation. The other 2 birds leave her alone though, they don't pick on her at all.

He does the dance but have you ever actually witnessed him mating with either one? Or is that what you are referring to when you say he "does the dance"? Roosters strut/dance along side the hens they want to mate with but when it comes to actually mating with them the hen bunkers down and the rooster mounts her.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

This morning when I went out to let everyone out I got a BIG surprise!!!...I had 2 duck eggs in the duck hut!!! One of my Magpie girls laid an egg! So totally excited! That means that the other girl should start soon too!!! Now I just have to decide if I'm going to hatch some out now or wait till the next year.

Oh and my one sick girl is doing great Her belly has gone a ton. It is just a little swollen now and she has gotten back her appetite back. I let her out for a little while, but she is still too weak to go back out with the group. I figured that I would give her a few more days inside to build up some strength before she goes back out with everyone else.

 

[why do birds]

He does the dance but have you ever actually witnessed him mating with either one? Or is that what you are referring to when you say he "does the dance"? Roosters strut/dance along side the hens they want to mate with but when it comes to actually mating with them the hen bunkers down and the rooster mounts her.

Yes, he is mating with both of them, several times a day. Maybe he's just missing the target. He hasn't bothered the Silkie as far as I can see since she went broody. When he started the mating several months ago he would crow loudly until I showed up then he'd show me that he's mating. I was like, "oh, no Fredo, I don't need to see this."

 

[Lynzi777]

Yes, he is mating with both of them, several times a day.  Maybe he's just missing the target.  He hasn't bothered the Silkie as far as I can see since she went broody.  When he started the mating several months ago he would crow loudly until I showed up then he'd show me that he's mating.  I was like, "oh, no Fredo, I don't need to see this."

Maybe it's just the hen then, maybe she's not sitting on them as much as she should be. When Ella, my blue Orp went broody she was getting up for well over two hours a day. So I took her eggs away and hatched them myself. They're not always the brightest when it comes to their first time hatching.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

How do you guys keep everybody out of the nesting boxes, except for the birds that are actually laying hens? LOL! This wasn't a problem last year when I only had four hens and a rooster, but this year, I have 20 birds on that side of the coop and although only three are actually laying, the rest love to sit on the lip of the front and fill the box up with nasty poop.

It's getting pretty nasty, right after its been changed out.

I'm hoping to pare down my flock soon...probably in October. All of the roosters except for the BCM will go. Hubby really wants to keep the nicest Speckled Sussex roo and make another coop, but financially, its not happening.

Once I'm done paring down, I should only have 10-12 birds on that side. Plus the bantams on the other side. I need to pare those too...too many roosters in there. (Looks like all of the silkies are roos...:-( )

 

[rancher hicks]

He does the dance but have you ever actually witnessed him mating with either one? Or is that what you are referring to when you say he "does the dance"? Roosters strut/dance along side the hens they want to mate with but when it comes to actually mating with them the hen bunkers down and the rooster mounts her.

Thank you I should have been more clear. I meant what you said but was trying to be discreet.

If discreet is the right word.

Perhaps I should have ask are they doing the nasty?

When we had our outdoor table near the chicken area DW would joke that if you ate outdoor you got dinner and a show. Those girls had no modesty at all.

In the future you will know what I mean by "dancing".

 

[Gramma Chick]

How do you guys keep everybody out of the nesting boxes, except for the birds that are actually laying hens? LOL! This wasn't a problem last year when I only had four hens and a rooster, but this year, I have 20 birds on that side of the coop and although only three are actually laying, the rest love to sit on the lip of the front and fill the box up with nasty poop.

It's getting pretty nasty, right after its been changed out.

I'm hoping to pare down my flock soon...probably in October. All of the roosters except for the BCM will go. Hubby really wants to keep the nicest Speckled Sussex roo and make another coop, but financially, its not happening.

Once I'm done paring down, I should only have 10-12 birds on that side. Plus the bantams on the other side. I need to pare those too...too many roosters in there. (Looks like all of the silkies are roos...:-( )

Roosts should be higher than the nesting boxes to discourage them from roosting / laying in them

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Roosts should be higher than the nesting boxes to discourage them from roosting / laying in them

Yeah, ours are higher. Not by much, but still higher. I peeked in there this morning and the top two nest boxes are FULL of poop. And the nasty kind of poop, too. :-(

 

[wny egger]

This morning when I went out to let everyone out I got a BIG surprise!!!...I had 2 duck eggs in the duck hut!!! One of my Magpie girls laid an egg! So totally excited! That means that the other girl should start soon too!!! Now I just have to decide if I'm going to hatch some out now or wait till the next year.

Oh and my one sick girl is doing great Her belly has gone a ton. It is just a little swollen now and she has gotten back her appetite back. I let her out for a little while, but she is still too weak to go back out with the group. I figured that I would give her a few more days inside to build up some strength before she goes back out with everyone else.

congrats on both issues ..you must be whistling a little tone this morning ..lol..