why not put some chicken wire around her.every one has old chicken wire around don't they?or am i just a hoarder?
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Well, we're down to 10 eggs. I went to give her more water and found a broken, stinky egg, which I threw away, and then realized there was a dead chick at the edge of the nest, and an empty egg. Then another egg on the edge of the nest, which was cold and when I broke it open, the chick was dead and there was a lot of blood. I'm really hoping that the remaining ten eggs may net us a chick or two. It will be awfully disappointing if nothing comes of the whole affair, even though it was accidental to begin with. I think I may have to get an incubator, and hatch a few on my own, to add to our flock, rather than waiting on a hen, who, I suspect, may have either stepped on the chick, or pecked it after it got out? Or stepped on the egg, breaking it, and then the chick was just dead? Not ready? I'm very confused but I'm just going to wait and see if anything happens. No point in disturbing her further, I suppose they'll either hatch or not. Or is there something I could do at this point? Could I babysit them with warm rice socks and damp towels to see if they'll hatch on their own, then slip them back under mom? Or is that a bad idea...? Advice sought
Help! I've messed up. My lovely babies free range and thus pick their broody place. Usually it's a safe place. Big red is under my steps and her first baby hatched today. I'm so worried something is going to get the babies at night. If I move her to porch in a crate do you think she will turn on them!!!! There is more to be hatched
I would try to put some sort of fence around them to protect them at night. She must feel safe there, or she wouldn't have nested there. I read an article the other day that talked about the vitality of chickens and how the best ones are the survivors. If you aren't able to fence her in with a temporary fence, she might be just fine. After all, she's managed to sit on those eggs for 21 days without anything getting to them. Believe me, there are a lot more predators for eggs than there are for chicks. Skunks, raccoon, weasels, snakes, rats, other birds....you name it and they love to eat eggs. Since she is under the steps, they are safe from predators in the sky (owls, hawks). So, I'd fence and wait until everyone is hatched (she probably won't be moving a muscle for a few days) and then when she is ready to leave the nest make sure she has somewhere safer to sleep with the babies. Just my thoughts.
Glad she got 2 for her efforts!! Pics?????? LOLI havent posted in here in a while!
I just wanted to stop by and say thanks to those who helped me with my hen while she was sitting on her two eggs! She only had 2 and both hatched on the 25th day.
I do believe they are over a week old, healthy and i cant wait to see what sex they are. Crossing my fingers 2 hens
hmmm.... I have chicken wire (in 3 different heights), hardware cloth (2 different dimensions) and assorted grates and bins from old fridges and grills to use as temporary barricades and nest boxes, assorted rabbit cages and dog and cat carriers for isolation and nest boxes..... uh, oh... I think I hit hoarder status a few items back!why not put some chicken wire around her.every one has old chicken wire around don't they?or am i just a hoarder?
thank you so so much for confessing. i feel much better.maybe were just thrifty.
can someone tell me how to upload a pic of my new babies to this pagethank you so so much for confessing. i feel much better.maybe were just thrifty.