Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Rachel'sFlock]

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So sorry for your loss, heatherhk. But delighted to hear of some little peeping success stories!

 

[heatherkh]

I was very sad, considering it was a tiny thing that didn't live more than a few hours and that I personally never "bonded" with. Just the idea of making it all the way to hatch and then *poof* gone. Poor fluffy butt. I buried it out underneath the hawthorn tree with a small blooming dandelion flower.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

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That is beautiful.

 

[heatherkh]

I'm a softie. Between the chick death and finding earwigs while shucking the corn from my garden, I was a little flustered last night. Clearly not cut out to be a farmer's wife.*






*Which is a good thing because my bf and I are not married and he is not a farmer.

 

[artsyrobin]

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sounds like someone knew you needed help and answered.. My candleing leaves alot to be desired so I can not say one way or the other. how long does it take for guinea eggs to hatch..

she's still on them- takes 28-30 days, so i am trying to be patient!

 

[babigyrl22]

Question: How often do you let broody off nest to relieve herself? My broody has a hutch all to herself and when i let her off the nest I swear she poo's as big as my dogs! (like I pick up her poo with the dog poo!) She has not poo'd in the hutch ....even though there is totally enough space for her to do so and not soil her eggs.

Just curious.

 

[stonykill]

Rachel'sFlock :

Day 8:

2 more eggs have been removed from the nest, and eaten. I am now sure she selected, and moved them, personally, during the night (or early morning) because they were far from the nest, and placed on top of the feeder base (I use a chick feeder base for a mason jar, but with no jar, because she eats so little). The broken shells were spread in and around the feeder.

Could she really know they are not viable at this point, and be removing them to avoid exploders, later?
Or is she systematically eating her all her eggs?

11 remain in the nest, and she is sitting tight on them, as fiercely protective as ever.
At least I know she is eating and drinking and pooing (finally!)

Thanks, again, as always.

are you sure it is her eating the eggs and not a rat?​

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

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are you sure it is her eating the eggs and not a rat?

Yeah, no rats, here. We had one, once, over a year ago, but it has been dispatched. No friends have returned to take his place.

 

[stonykill]

Rachel'sFlock :

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are you sure it is her eating the eggs and not a rat?

Yeah, no rats, here. We had one, once, over a year ago, but it has been dispatched. No friends have returned to take his place.​

there is NEVER only 1 rat.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

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Yeah, no rats, here. We had one, once, over a year ago, but it has been dispatched. No friends have returned to take his place.

there is NEVER only 1 rat.

LOL, of course, Stony. But there have been no more in the coop, is what I meant.