Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[NatJ]

It's the addling rather than the infertility I seek answers for btw!

The addling (mixed yolk and white) might just be caused by the yolk breaking, which seems to happen more easily when infertile eggs have been incubated for a while.

I have cracked open infertile eggs, that spent a week or more in the incubator. The yolks broke very easily, as compared with fresh eggs. I assume the yolks would break even more easily if the eggs spent longer under a hen (21 days, rather than the 7-10 days mine did.)

 

[no fly zone]

Here he is living that infirmary life. Hopefully he'll feel well enough to fly out soon.

 

[ManueB]

She should leave the nest on her own. Most do, but not all. I would give her another couple of days at least and then have a look.

At this point I've seen three heads out of five eggs, and only two chicks take a few steps outside Chipie's body. I hope she will let them go out to eat!
I'm locking the ex-batts and myself out for the afternoon, I believe she might be scared seen how feral she is and always been a punching bag for the bigger hens.

 

[ManueB]

No, not really. Henry has his dignity to think about. He obviously doesn't want to be seen behaving like his capricious and fickle hens; except Matilda of course who is as steady as a rock.
He did have a look and then got on the the important task of furthering his genes.

If only it was just not crouching. The poor male goes off thinking he's done the job and then the hen does this...
https://www.livescience.com/15828-chickens-eject-sperm.htm

If only it was just not crouching. The poor male goes off thinking he's done the job and then the hen does this...
https://www.livescience.com/15828-chickens-eject-sperm.html

Incredible!
If it wasn't for that egg laying bit I would say hens were the future for women .

 

[Shadrach]

It's been a very disappointing hatch here; Eve is still on the nest hoping to hatch the rest, but so far only 3 of the 8 are out, and I don't think any more will appear; there's no sign of pipping there. The laggards are formally only 1 day late, but I think the first hatched Friday, so I reckon it 2. Bizarrely we seem to have 1 each of the 3 breeds she set, though there were 4 Braekel eggs and 2 each of Isabella leghorn and (homegrown) Swedish Flower. I have no idea what the problem might have been; I'll autopsy the eggs when she leads the chicks out and we'll know more then. The three out are very cute though, and being just 3 puts less pressure on accommodation space of course
View attachment 3136993

I bet she's pleased. I was always happy if a hen hatched two or three out of a clutch.

 

[no fly zone]

 

[Shadrach]

Incredible!
If it wasn't for that egg laying bit I would say hens were the future for women .

I've seen three hens to this to date. The first time I saw it (BlueSpot) I thought there was something terribly wrong with her. It looked a bit like a major prolaps.
After a while she pulled it all back in and wandered off none the worse for the experience.

 

[Perris]

I bet she's pleased. I was always happy if a hen hatched two or three out of a clutch.

oh yes, she's pleased as punch. She came out to do that triumphant leap-in-the-air-and-flap-the-wings-twice-while-flaring-the-hackles-and-screeching thing she does. (Does anyone else have a bird does that? None of my others do it.)

 

[Molpet]

oh yes, she's pleased as punch. She came out to do that triumphant leap-in-the-air-and-flap-the-wings-twice-while-flaring-the-hackles-and-screeching thing she does. (Does anyone else have a bird does that? None of my others do it.)

I have a few that do it. Impressive when the turkey hens do it lol

 

[Perris]

The addling (mixed yolk and white) might just be caused by the yolk breaking, which seems to happen more easily when infertile eggs have been incubated for a while.

I have cracked open infertile eggs, that spent a week or more in the incubator. The yolks broke very easily, as compared with fresh eggs. I assume the yolks would break even more easily if the eggs spent longer under a hen (21 days, rather than the 7-10 days mine did.)

Thank you, that makes sense and is reassuring. Given all 6 purchased eggs travelled in the car with me, and the homegrown ones didn't travel anywhere, it's hard to see travel conditions having anything to do with it (despite shaking being the obvious answer).