She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[RubyNala97]

I'm really feeling like the worst chicken mama in the world. My coop and run are right outside my kitchen door and every time we get a really beautiful day out, I throw some scratch right out the door and let the flock stretch out and get some free time. Whenever the sun starts going down they go back inside the run. When I lock up, I count heads. Never had a problem until last night. I counted and came up way short. I spent the next two hours with a flashlight looking all over my property. I found 1 hen under the baby's stroller right by the back door. But no one else. No feathers, no commotion. This morning my neighbor that lives about 5 houses away (which is pretty far) brought home my paint roo. 6 are still missing. 4 of which are hens. And 2 are the young D'Uccles. I'm so mad at myself. Has anyone ever had chickens disappear and then come home?? I'm putting the baby down for a nap and then I'm going to search the woods.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'm really feeling like the worst chicken mama in the world. My coop and run are right outside my kitchen door and every time we get a really beautiful day out, I throw some scratch right out the door and let the flock stretch out and get some free time. Whenever the sun starts going down they go back inside the run. When I lock up, I count heads. Never had a problem until last night. I counted and came up way short. I spent the next two hours with a flashlight looking all over my property. I found 1 hen under the baby's stroller right by the back door. But no one else. No feathers, no commotion. This morning my neighbor that lives about 5 houses away (which is pretty far) brought home my paint roo. 6 are still missing. 4 of which are hens. And 2 are the young D'Uccles. I'm so mad at myself. Has anyone ever had chickens disappear and then come home?? I'm putting the baby down for a nap and then I'm going to search the woods.

Don't be down on yourself. Not allowed.

That you'll find them.

 

[Lacrystol]

I'm really feeling like the worst chicken mama in the world. My coop and run are right outside my kitchen door and every time we get a really beautiful day out, I throw some scratch right out the door and let the flock stretch out and get some free time. Whenever the sun starts going down they go back inside the run. When I lock up, I count heads. Never had a problem until last night. I counted and came up way short. I spent the next two hours with a flashlight looking all over my property. I found 1 hen under the baby's stroller right by the back door. But no one else. No feathers, no commotion. This morning my neighbor that lives about 5 houses away (which is pretty far) brought home my paint roo. 6 are still missing. 4 of which are hens. And 2 are the young D'Uccles. I'm so mad at myself. Has anyone ever had chickens disappear and then come home?? I'm putting the baby down for a nap and then I'm going to search the woods.

Sounds like they wondered off and when it got dark they found the closes roosting place they could. or Something scared them off and they got lost. I have had that happen to me, the only problem I ran into, is they made it a habit.

Heck I had a LARGE rooster just show up at my house one day. LOL. With mine,they got trained. I would feed them treats before they got the treats, i would make a certain Calling noise. it's kind of cool because each time when I make the noise, Youll see chickens, ducks everything come RUNNING out from ALL over the place because they knew I had there treats. LOL

Don't give up yet, they will probably still come home..

 

[FridayYet]

Not necessary true, I have four hens right now sitting on eggs, TWO hens in each coop, when one gets up the other takes over, the eggs are NEVER left alone, never left for "cooling" down. I have even see them Rotate from one nesting bed to the other. Yes, One hen will keep all the eggs warm even though they are in different nesting boxes..

SILKIES are dedicated mommies and once they sit they don't get up. I have had a silkie die sitting on the nest, she refused to get off the nest. I have had a hen sit for 42 days, to hatch out a baby, she was NOT going to get off the nest until then. I finally had to hatch out a baby FOR her.
so I don't believe it's really necessary to cool them down. Don't get me wrong I have heard some people will do it and I don't Dis-them for doing it, all the more power to them. But from what I have observed and seen with my flock, I don't see the need.

I should clarify,when I say "hens", I was talking about my chickens, as far as ducks, again, i've seen them bury the eggs with ANYthing around them, leaves dirt etc.

You had said you didn't understand why people cooled their eggs and what the purpose was. I was merely letting you know why some people did it, since there were some well-published studies on it, but the increase was something like 1 more hatcedh for every 40 eggs set, not a huge increase. So yes, not "necessary"

My broody got up every day to take a dust bath, eat, drink and eliminate. No one else was broody, so the eggs just waited for her to get back. From what I've read, that's pretty normal.

 

[FridayYet]

I'm really feeling like the worst chicken mama in the world. My coop and run are right outside my kitchen door and every time we get a really beautiful day out, I throw some scratch right out the door and let the flock stretch out and get some free time. Whenever the sun starts going down they go back inside the run. When I lock up, I count heads. Never had a problem until last night. I counted and came up way short. I spent the next two hours with a flashlight looking all over my property. I found 1 hen under the baby's stroller right by the back door. But no one else. No feathers, no commotion. This morning my neighbor that lives about 5 houses away (which is pretty far) brought home my paint roo. 6 are still missing. 4 of which are hens. And 2 are the young D'Uccles. I'm so mad at myself. Has anyone ever had chickens disappear and then come home?? I'm putting the baby down for a nap and then I'm going to search the woods.

Hope you find them or they find their way home soon.

 

[mixedUPturk]

Not necessary true, I have four hens right now sitting on eggs, TWO hens in each coop, when one gets up the other takes over, the eggs are NEVER left alone, never left for "cooling" down.  I have even see them Rotate from one nesting bed to the other.  Yes, One hen will keep all the eggs warm even though they are in different nesting boxes..

SILKIES are dedicated mommies and once they sit they don't get up.  I have had a silkie die sitting on the nest, she refused to get off the nest.  I have had a hen sit for 42 days, to hatch out a baby, she was NOT going to get off the nest until then.  I finally had to hatch out a baby FOR her.  
so I don't believe it's really necessary to cool them down.  Don't get me wrong I have heard some people will do it and I don't Dis-them for doing it, all the more power to them.  But from what I have observed and seen with my flock, I don't see the need.

I should clarify,when I say "hens", I was talking about my chickens, as far as ducks, again, i've seen them bury the eggs with ANYthing around them, leaves dirt etc.  

My cochin hen is broody and gets up everyday. Ive heard some people give them food and water bowls for while theyre seting and i was prepared to fo so, but ive seen both her and my turkey get up to go eat, drink and strech, then go back. Ill be tryn to candle them soon!

My incubator has an optional cool down feature to mimic that natural phenomenon, based on studies, and ive read that spritzing the eggs helps with water loss as well, so that would be another reason to use it.

I'm really feeling like the worst chicken mama in the world. My coop and run are right outside my kitchen door and every time we get a really beautiful day out, I throw some scratch right out the door and let the flock stretch out and get some free time. Whenever the sun starts going down they go back inside the run. When I lock up, I count heads. Never had a problem until last night. I counted and came up way short. I spent the next two hours with a flashlight looking all over my property. I found 1 hen under the baby's stroller right by the back door. But no one else. No feathers, no commotion. This morning my neighbor that lives about 5 houses away (which is pretty far) brought home my paint roo. 6 are still missing. 4 of which are hens. And 2 are the young D'Uccles. I'm so mad at myself. Has anyone ever had chickens disappear and then come home?? I'm putting the baby down for a nap and then I'm going to search the woods.

I had this scare Last night Myself! Three chicks whove just been intergrated didnt come back to the coop. For him to get five houses down though, do u think he may have been chased? Mine wont usually even cross the busy street!

 

[Ruthannnall]

Nice, keep going little guy.  Do you have an pics??

he is following the chick around . The little chick hatched last night while I was sleeping.

 

[Ruthannnall]

Nice, keep going little guy.  Do you have an pics??

I made a safe hole on the 3rd. The second egg that already had the safe hole I decided to try to help but when I started peeling back the first membrane I seen blood vessels so I stopped put back in the incubator wrapped in warm wet paper towel. I guess I will check it again later.

 

[Ravynscroft]

he is following the chick around . The little chick hatched last night while I was sleeping.

Adorable!!!

I made a safe hole on the 3rd. The second egg that already had the safe hole I decided to try to help but when I started peeling back the first membrane I seen blood vessels so I stopped put back in the incubator wrapped in warm wet paper towel. I guess I will check it again later.

Do you have any vaseline or antibiotic ointment w/pain reliever? Put some on the exposed membrane to keep it moist... it helps a lot... take it slow and easy, ducks love to take their time, lol...

 

[Lacrystol]

You had said you didn't understand why people cooled their eggs and what the purpose was. I was merely letting you know why some people did it, since there were some well-published studies on it, but the increase was something like 1 more hatcedh for every 40 eggs set, not a huge increase. So yes, not "necessary"

My broody got up every day to take a dust bath, eat, drink and eliminate. No one else was broody, so the eggs just waited for her to get back. From what I've read, that's pretty normal.

I got ya. LOL, and no that's not a very large increase. LOL,

My girls right now are litterally FIGHTING over eggs. I'm like GIRLS, you have four, you have six, you have 10 and you have 8, THERE's enough eggs for all of you to hatch out babies, STOP PECKING at each other and stop taken each others eggs. GRRR..

They are NOT LISTENING AT ALL TO ME...