I want to hear your experiences of having broodies late in the year. Please give the circumstances, and if there was a good or bad outcome. Thanks!!
I'll start...
My dad has a cochin mix hen that is around 8 months old. She had never laid a single egg, or so we thought. One day she dissappeared. She is free range, so we thought something had gotten her. A few days later, we saw her running by the barn, so we decided to investigate. We found her nest, with a clutch of 15 eggs in it, some hers, and some of my OEG's. I candled the eggs, and only 3 were developing. The rest of the eggs were cold. She had just gotten off the nest.
Those 3 eggs were brought inside, and put in the incubator. They had unusually large air cells.
Two of these eggs have now hatched. Both of them have curled toes. One is more of a curled foot.
--Colder weather=lower humidity=large air cell=curled toes. That is my experience so far.
Anyone else?
I will not let anymore hens go broody this late in the year. Unfortunately, My OEG is brooding right now. I hope her chicks don't have this problem as well.
I'll start...
My dad has a cochin mix hen that is around 8 months old. She had never laid a single egg, or so we thought. One day she dissappeared. She is free range, so we thought something had gotten her. A few days later, we saw her running by the barn, so we decided to investigate. We found her nest, with a clutch of 15 eggs in it, some hers, and some of my OEG's. I candled the eggs, and only 3 were developing. The rest of the eggs were cold. She had just gotten off the nest.
Those 3 eggs were brought inside, and put in the incubator. They had unusually large air cells.
Two of these eggs have now hatched. Both of them have curled toes. One is more of a curled foot.
--Colder weather=lower humidity=large air cell=curled toes. That is my experience so far.
Anyone else?
I will not let anymore hens go broody this late in the year. Unfortunately, My OEG is brooding right now. I hope her chicks don't have this problem as well.
