Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Miss Lydia]

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Hopefully it's just a vitamin deff. looking forward to seeing those chicks

 

[Fuffy]

I lost one of my precious babies this morning!!!!!

I thought she looked a little odd last night when I looked in at bedtime. Thought she was sitting a bit uncomfortably.

This morning there was much scrabbling about in the nursery house when I went past to let the big kids out.

When I let the babies and momma out, one didn't come out. She was lying almost as if she was sunbathing, almost on her side but not quite, with a leg stuck out.

So I picked her up and put her right way up outside. She got up and started eating and drinking pretty normally but seemed a bit wobbly.

When I came back about an hour later she was almost gone, and very badly pecked all over. So I had to help her over the rainbow bridge.

Am so sad!!!! I have tried soooo hard to get me some buffies!!!!

RIP BuffyWillowSage

(They are all called BuffyWillowSage, as I can't tell them apart yet

)

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Oh Fuffy I am so sorry to hear that. Do you have any idea what could have happened to her? besides the pecking? Are ya'll having the extreme heat we are having? I know some have lost birds because of it.

 

[Niss]

aw, Fluffy, so sorry

Are the others still looking good?

 

[Fuffy]

Thanks, Niss

Yes the other two seem fine! Still going through the fence

but just fine.

Could it be the dreaded Mareck's?

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Fuffy I have never delt with Mareks, but there is alot of info on BYC about it. heres one link https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=514226&p=2
maybe put some extra vitamins in your little ones drinking water for a while to help boost their immune systems. Maybe she ate something when she got out into the pasture, you may never know, but lets hope and pray it's not M.

 

[kegbergman]

Well, I finally gave up on the remaining 4 eggs that didn't hatch. I broke them open and found that they never developed. Not sure how I was able to misread the candling so badly. Sure looked like a developing chick to me. Now I don't know how I should proceed. Now both my hens are broody. I'm thinking I should just keep them off their nests and hope they break their broodiness. I don't know anybody with fertile eggs in the area and I don't want to go to the expense of getting more eggs that may not develop. Iv'e already spent almost $40.00 and have gotten nothing out of it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Thats a bummer. I have a broody right now sitting on nothing, I have tried taking her off the nest and putting her outside but nope back she goes, and because I can't close the door[the others need to go in to lay] I just finally gave up and am letting it run it's course. They do eventually get over it.

sorry it didn't work out so good. Have you looked on craigslist for eggs or young chicks?

 

[Niss]

kegbergman--I know that sucks, although I didn't dump any money in to my failed experiments. Tonight I'm getting dayolds from a BYC gal I originally found on a local online classified--that might be a good way to find cheeper, or at least freesher hatching eggs or chicks if you go that route.

I was soooo excited when Wiggens decided to go broody, but the first clutch failed to hatch and the second got eaten. This is my last effort for this year--off to get my fuzzy butts!

 

[hillbillycitygirl]

today is day 21 for 3 eggs and tomorrow is day 21 for another 3.....nothing so far, I may cry if nothing happens. she pecked my leg when I tried poking around in her nest when she got off for some dinner.

I want babies so so so badly...and so does this very very patient broody who has been sitting there for over a month (first batch didnt work) shes so determined.