Rant! Feeling like a chicken failure!

[melloladies]

Okay- so I've got 5 birds. One is 8 months- no eggs. One is on an egg laying hiatus for no apparent reason. One lays the tiniest little egg ever and makes the BIGGEST stink about it. One lays an nice sized egg that has a blood spot every. single. time. And she's developed a wheeze...i think something is stuck in her throat...
AND NOW MY BEST LAYER IS BROODY!!!!!!!

I sure do love them, but today is not one of my better chicken keeping days. Makes me want to start over.

 

[Stacykins]

Unless you have any particular attachment to them, you could start over and make them all stew.

 

[annie3001]

omg, sorry your going thru this. but just dont give up on your current girls. get yourself together and relax, and get more chicks, thats what owning these feathered beauties are all about.... more more more more more.. till you just run out of space.

 

[melloladies]

HaHa- Annie, I like your way of thinking. I am attatched to them. I would love to just shove some eggs under Gesine and watch her be a momma...but I'm illegal as it is!

Also...no eggs that are fertile, just decoys

I am attatched to them though- stew is not really an option.

 

[Pinky]

Quote:
Having one that doesn't lay, one that stopped laying, one laying a tiny egg, one with blood spots in laid eggs, and one layer gone broody does not make you a failure. The one that has not laid is probably a late layer. Having a broody hen, although scary

, isn't really a bad thing. Having her go broody means you have provided her with all the things she feels she needs to raise a family. It should all work out. Good luck

 

[melloladies]

Awe- thanks Pinky- you actually made me feel better about the broody girl. We'll see what the world is like in the morning.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Don't feel bad. The days are getting longer and production will pick up.

I just ranted this morning about my cochins not laying and lo and behold, when I came home I found a cochin egg.

 

[Mrs. K]

Ask around for fertilized eggs. I got three dozen last year. Stick them under the broody, and you are back in business.

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Yep, the days are getting longer...then you'll really be run over with eggs.