Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[stone_family3]

I am a bit torn and need some advice. My hen is hatching chicks any day now, and the rooster she's living with is showing possible signs of Marek's disease (he's one year old and hasn't been able to stand for a couple of days). I'm worried the chicks will get it, either from the coop, or from mom since they've lived together for a year now. It's just the two of them, and I REALLY don't want to take Violet's babies from her

What should I do? If I separate the rooster is there still going to be live virus in the coop or does it not live that long outside of the host? If mom's a carrier won't the babies get it from her?

What do I do?

 

[hokankai]

I can try, but a chick is literally hatching right now, pipped this morning at least. Is it safe to move mama and the nest and do a nest change at this point?

 

[stone_family3]

I wouldn't, I would just work and clean around the nest.

I can try, but a chick is literally hatching right now, pipped this morning at least. Is it safe to move mama and the nest and do a nest change at this point?

 

[hokankai]

Alright, I'll do that now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can try, but a chick is literally hatching right now, pipped this morning at least. Is it safe to move mama and the nest and do a nest change at this point?

here is some i nfo you might want to read. I would remove roo and put mama and eggs in new bedding out of where she is now. Do you have Oxine AH? if you do you need to spray everything your roo has come in contact with even your broody because it says Mareks is passed through their dander also. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/293513/mareks

 

[Tripp16]

Ok I have a similar problem with my broody.

I now have 2 really sick silkies locked up in a big dog crate just outside the coop, I have two silkies that were showing signs in the broody hutch (I had no where else to put them) and my BO was weezing and coughing/sneezing terribly this morning so I put her in a small dog crate she isnt weezing as bad so hopefully the antibiotics is working with her.

Anyways! Henrietta has yet to catch it (THANK goodness!) but should I move mom and chicks outside of the coop? That means I need to find another hutch.

Any help on what I should do with this sickness?! It seems to be spreading like plague! Even though everyone is on Duramycin. At the way its spreading I may not have any chickens after long.

 

[hokankai]

I just removed the roo, emptied the bedding, vacuumed it out, and put the shavings back in. I did not change out the nest shavings but I'll do that in a bit. The feeder and waterer are with the roo and the only other things I could clean would be the walls, ceiling, and roost which isn't being used. I do have Oxine, but I don't have a mister for it right now since mine broke. What preparation do I make? What I'd like to do is replace the nest material, lift the nest box out and mist the walls with Oxine.

 

[stonykill]

for 2 days now a RIR has been sitting on fake eggs in the favorite nest . I've never had a RIR go broody and I've had reds for 7 years. I wonder.......

 

[aaggjg]

Ok I did it I gave Popcorn 2 pipped eggs.... I gave her one and then came up to find another pipped so I ran that down to her.... I went back to check on her an hour later and I could hear cheeping and she was kinda lifting herself up and fluffing!! I am assuming that is a good sign??? Hopefully by morning Popcorn will have 2 chicks!! Can I give her more pipped eggs or should I slip a few more chicks under her???

Thanks for the advice its been very helpful!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just removed the roo, emptied the bedding, vacuumed it out, and put the shavings back in. I did not change out the nest shavings but I'll do that in a bit. The feeder and waterer are with the roo and the only other things I could clean would be the walls, ceiling, and roost which isn't being used. I do have Oxine, but I don't have a mister for it right now since mine broke. What preparation do I make? What I'd like to do is replace the nest material, lift the nest box out and mist the walls with Oxine.

I don't have a mister either i use a hand held cheap 1.00 at dollar store sprayer to mist my birds and I use a pump sprayer i got a Lowes to spray down everything else. I'd go ahead and get mama and chicks/eggs out of that bedding and spray everything with the Oxine including mama. It still maybe too late but at least you will have done all you can. And don't use anything but Oxine not the activator. well except the water you mix with the oxine that is. if you spray mama the chicks will be protected since they will be under her. I'd go ahead and spray your roo and start putting the oxine in his water 1/8 tea. to 1 gallon of water but spray over top of his head with warm oxine spray just letting it gently fall down over him.