***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Kassaundra]

What to do with a bad broody? That is my question for today.
I'm thinking I might try to build her, her own little brooder. The other hens keep "gifting" her eggs. Soon she's up to between 20-30 eggs, and abandons them for the next closest nest, with a couple of eggs in it. Then, they'll gift her more. She's been doing this for 2-3 weeks, and I've tossed out so many eggs, that I'd hoped she would hatch. She seems determined, but just seems that she gets tired of all of the "gifts" she is being given. Yesterday, when collecting eggs, I knew she'd had only two, in the morning, and yet she had eight, in the evening. So, I grabbed six of them, and left her two. She promptly used her beak, and rolled them both back under her, and nestled back down in.
Now, today, I'm thinking I might want to mark whatever is under her, with a date, and start pulling anything not dated, every night. Should this work? Or, should I just build her a brooder, and let her have several eggs to hatch out?
She's a young, Black Jersey Giant. But, she seems quite determined to hatch something.
Ideas welcomed.....

We always mark the setting eggs w/ a sharpie a line around the middle in both directions so it can easily be seen no matter how the egg is positioned and take the unmarked eggs out each day. But be advised the chances of broken eggs are greater this way, and when the eggs are real close to hatching you will need to fence them out for that day or two.

 

[Kassaundra]

Well my two broodies aren't playing well together, Qtip tried to kill the other broody's chick. So we will have to do a make shift separation in the pen. The hen is great w/ the naked chick however it doesn't seem to be able to stay warm enough. I had Gary pick up an infant's sock on his way home, going to try making a sock outfit for her and see if she can stay warm enough that way, if not I'll have to brood her in the house by herself

 

[SharkmanDan]

We always mark the setting eggs w/ a sharpie a line around the middle in both directions so it can easily be seen no matter how the egg is positioned and take the unmarked eggs out each day.  But be advised the chances of broken eggs are greater this way, and when the eggs are real close to hatching you will need to fence them out for that day or two.

This is good to know. I've been very afraid of using ink on the eggshells, for fear that the chemicals in the ink, might contaminate the egg. I've been using pencil, whenever I mark my eggs. Now, I'm thinking that the bright blue sharpie I just used, for marking the tin, that I used to build the most recent brooder I built for a local woman, will be good, for this purpose.
Funny thing, though, when I checked, a few minutes ago. The two eggs from yesterday were still there, and the only addition, was a tiny little, dark-ish brown, "Wind Egg".
Last night when I grabbed the six from her nest box, she was happy that I left her two. She didn't peck me at all. today, was a different story. She pecked the heck out of my hand. I did slip her 3 more eggs, though. Just to see how it goes. 2 Cuckoo Marans and a RIR.
Do chickens KNOW which egg is their own egg, that they laid? She seemed a bit more defensive of one, than the other.

 

[TipihlowLadies]

I've got a chick sprawl legged so I put bandaid on how long will it be before the chick can get around on it's own

 

[Kyzmette]

Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad.

I let the flock out to freerange at 7:30 this morning. I went in, did some dishes, and took some fruit rinds out for them around 8:30. First thing I noticed was Phtheven sitting on my porch rail next to the door, and he wasn't budging. When I got down off the porch I spotted the pile of white that was Turkey Lurkey. I found Raven a little farther out. Then my partridge English Orp. Blossom is wounded and missing feathers. There are piles of multi-colored feathers everywhere. And my cuddly black English Orp Sunshine is missing. I'm hoping he's in hiding, but it's possible he was chased into the creek.

Let's see, around 8:00, piles everywhere like it was a huge, crazy chase for fun, and whatever it was ran in, went crazy, then disappeared like it was called home... I asked my neighbor about that little demon dachsund and she denied it and IMMEDIATELY told me about these strange dogs she saw last night. Which is exactly what she did last time.

I'm not stupid; this is the exact same pattern as last time. The game cam is now trained on the corner of my yard closest to their house. They better pray I never catch that dog over here because it will never make it back home.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad. Mad.

I let the flock out to freerange at 7:30 this morning. I went in, did some dishes, and took some fruit rinds out for them around 8:30. First thing I noticed was Phtheven sitting on my porch rail next to the door, and he wasn't budging. When I got down off the porch I spotted the pile of white that was Turkey Lurkey. I found Raven a little farther out. Then my partridge English Orp. Blossom is wounded and missing feathers. There are piles of multi-colored feathers everywhere. And my cuddly black English Orp Sunshine is missing. I'm hoping he's in hiding, but it's possible he was chased into the creek.

Let's see, around 8:00, piles everywhere like it was a huge, crazy chase for fun, and whatever it was ran in, went crazy, then disappeared like it was called home... I asked my neighbor about that little demon dachsund and she denied it and IMMEDIATELY told me about these strange dogs she saw last night. Which is exactly what she did last time.

I'm not stupid; this is the exact same pattern as last time. The game cam is now trained on the corner of my yard closest to their house. They better pray I never catch that dog over here because it will never make it back home.

I am so sorry! We lost our rooster to some dogs recently. I think their owner may have moved away without them. My husband got all 3 with the BB gun the last time he saw them, and will be ready with something better next time. Probably something lethal unless...... anyone ever tried using rock salt in shotgun shells?

 

[Kyzmette]

I am so sorry!  We lost our rooster to some dogs recently.  I think their owner may have moved away without them.  My husband got all 3 with the BB gun the last time he saw them, and will be ready with something better next time. Probably something lethal unless...... anyone ever tried using rock salt in shotgun shells?  

Dusti is going to loan me something until I pick one up. I'll have to teach the grandbabies how to use it if I'm going to have it in the house, and get a lock for the ammo.

I'd like to pick up some raccoon traps, which would be a perfect size for a small dog.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

Dusti is going to loan me something until I pick one up. I'll have to teach the grandbabies how to use it if I'm going to have it in the house, and get a lock for the ammo.

I'd like to pick up some raccoon traps, which would be a perfect size for a small dog.

Your local animal control might lend you a raccoon trap or two.

 

[mjgigax]

This is good to know. I've been very afraid of using ink on the eggshells, for fear that the chemicals in the ink, might contaminate the egg. I've been using pencil, whenever I mark my eggs. Now, I'm thinking that the bright blue sharpie I just used, for marking the tin, that I used to build the most recent brooder I built for a local woman, will be good, for this purpose.
Funny thing, though, when I checked, a few minutes ago. The two eggs from yesterday were still there, and the only addition, was a tiny little, dark-ish brown, "Wind Egg".
Last night when I grabbed the six from her nest box, she was happy that I left her two. She didn't peck me at all. today, was a different story. She pecked the heck out of my hand. I did slip her 3 more eggs, though. Just to see how it goes. 2 Cuckoo Marans and a RIR.
Do chickens KNOW which egg is their own egg, that they laid? She seemed a bit more defensive of one, than the other.

I use China markers to mark eggs. They show up better than pencil and don't soak into the shells like markers might. They also come in several colors.

 

[ashtree]

I have to downsize by a lot…….

So here goes: Anyone interested in 3 female geese? They are all bonded to each other so I really want them to stay together. I also a few silkie hens left, 6 ducks (1 drake 5 girls-rehoming these guys is heart breaking), Swedish Flower Hens (1 boy, 5 girls), and my big mama goose who will come with her ducklings which should hatch tomorrow-only 2 eggs made it to lockdown. She is free to a GOOD home. She's the best ever and she has worked so hard to hatch these ducks, I want them to be with her forever. I also have some Olive eggers and barnyard mixes. And a Brinsea Eco 20 Incubator and both a large and small Brinsea Brooder heater, 1 for 50 chicks, 1 for 20. In a few weeks Ill have a styrofoam incubator but I have eggs in it still.

Im East of Noble but in Norman a lot. Please PM me if you're interested.