Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Scrambles55]

Hubby found me outtodayand didn't even get mad at the two incubators!!!! Don't think he knows Squirt is sitting in some tho!! Lol! An old amazon gift cert helped soothe any ruffled feathers (pun intended).

Chicken math has totally got me. With them free ranging most of the day it's pretty easy to justify it!

Squirt is so serious about sitting I worry. She won't eat or drink from me but I have been giving her plates of food w watermelon, scrambled eggs, scratch and feed which I've noticed looks eaten. Hopefully it's enough!!

Apparently nugget was just being a pain cause she laid an egg and vacated the nest!! Phew!!!

I worried about Rumples too.... we all know what happened there, but I am sure that is was a freak thing.

 

[Scrambles55]

@okallthis4eggs ... Could you again tell me about your lame hen?? What was it? How long did it last? How did you treat it? Is she ok now? Rumples can barely move her toes and does not walk on her feet. When she does walk ( I force her) she is in pain. She pants a lot. I give her 1/2 baby aspirin a day. Thanks in advance for your sage information.

I did start a thread on the emergency forum, but people have looked with no replies or suggestions. I will try to get a video. I cant upload from my cell phone.
Time for bed................................................................ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Wishing4Wings]

you guys are lucky. I don't even have the chance to fall victim to chicken math. I'm in the middle of an urban neighborhood and I would never get away with it.

Do you have a basement? Mwuahahaha!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hubby found me outtodayand didn't even get mad at the two incubators!!!! Don't think he knows Squirt is sitting in some tho!! Lol! An old amazon gift cert helped soothe any ruffled feathers (pun intended).

Chicken math has totally got me. With them free ranging most of the day it's pretty easy to justify it!

Squirt is so serious about sitting I worry. She won't eat or drink from me but I have been giving her plates of food w watermelon, scrambled eggs, scratch and feed which I've noticed looks eaten. Hopefully it's enough!!

Apparently nugget was just being a pain cause she laid an egg and vacated the nest!! Phew!!!

When they are strongly under the influence of hormones, it's like dealing with a zombie. (Hey, maybe try feeding her some brains!) I have never worried about a broody taking care of herself, just make sure she has access to plenty of food and water, usually first thing in the morning (she's gotta go!) is when they are up and about. I had one pullet go broody 3 times last summer, and she did wind up losing quite a bit of weight. I didn't let her go for too long the last 2 times. She would still get up, run out and eat and drink, take a quick bath and hop back on her imaginary eggs. (I took her golf balls away!) There are ways to break the broody cycle, so let me know if you want some advice.

The 2 nicer Seramas are sharing a nest. I try to divvy up the eggs, but when one gets up the other grabs the unattended eggs. Happens so fast. Poof! Like magic. Now you see 'em, now you don't. I try to even things back up. but am worried that I'm handling the eggs too much. Hope some hatch!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

@okallthis4eggs ... Could you again tell me about your lame hen?? What was it? How long did it last? How did you treat it? Is she ok now? Rumples can barely move her toes and does not walk on her feet. When she does walk ( I force her) she is in pain. She pants a lot. I give her 1/2 baby aspirin a day. Thanks in advance for your sage information.

I did start a thread on the emergency forum, but people have looked with no replies or suggestions. I will try to get a video. I cant upload from my cell phone.
Time for bed................................................................ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I have been doing a bit of research but not sure of Rumples' exact symptoms. There is something called Curly Toe Paralysis (or Curled Toe Paralysis) and is the result of a vitamin deficiency (B2/riboflavin). See if it matches. If so, she needs vitamins ASAP. Water soluble is best.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pou..._poultry/vitamin_deficiencies_in_poultry.html
Scroll down to Riboflavin Deficiency. This makes it sound like it is found only in chicks. ??? Sciatic nerve is affected. No wonder she hurts!

http://poultrykeeper.com/skeletal-and-muscular-disorders/curled-toes

I didn't read this entire one, but it shows how lack of B2 affects different ages.
http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8024962

Big words, but a little more info. Go to Riboflavin.
http://www.pjbs.org/ijps/fin714.pdf


I didn't read all of them all the way through. Too tired. If this is the problem, I hope she gets better soon!

 

[okallthis4eggs]

@okallthis4eggs ... Could you again tell me about your lame hen?? What was it? How long did it last? How did you treat it? Is she ok now? Rumples can barely move her toes and does not walk on her feet. When she does walk ( I force her) she is in pain. She pants a lot. I give her 1/2 baby aspirin a day. Thanks in advance for your sage information.

I did start a thread on the emergency forum, but people have looked with no replies or suggestions. I will try to get a video. I cant upload from my cell phone.
Time for bed................................................................ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The day by day comments on what happened are lost somewhere in this thread. Basically my hen lost her ability to stand or walk for a period of time. She is a BO. From my memory I found her one day in a odd position on the ground. I picked her up to investigate. I couldn't see anything with my eyes so I began to feel for broken bones and that sort of thing. I wasn't able to feel anything either. It was so bad she couldn't even sit upright in the normal condition. My thought then turned to doing the humane thing and to put her down. However from what I could tell she wasn't in pain so I delayed that thought. Next question was would she eat and drink. I picked out a nest box that was not being used by my laying hens and placed her in there. To keep her in a upright position I added straw on both sides of her to keep her from falling over. Then I went to get treats to see if she would eat and drink. She was hungry and ate and drank well. That gave me the hope that she might make it. Then it became a challenge to see if I could nurse her back to health. I knew that she might get picked on so I fashioned a piece of hardware cloth over the front of the nest box so nothing could get in. This would also keep her from walking or flying and stationary until she could recover enough to get her legs back under her. Didn't want her to hurt herself again trying to walk or fly. It seemed cruel to be confined to such a small place but that was really her only chance. Besides she couldn't even sit up so it was the only choice. For weeks I would take her out each morning and lay her on the floor while I cleaned out the box and add fresh straw. Same thing each day when I got home from work. Not sure how long that went on but I am thinking weeks. Eventually when I sat her on the floor she would try to stand. Finally one day she did stand. Then day by day it progressed to a small step then a couple steps. I kept her separated from the other hens so they wouldn't pick on her. While in the nest box I kept food and water in front of her that she could reach without moving. It was a lot of work but was rewarding to be able to save her. To this day she is not normal but lives a happy life. She cannot get up to the roost to roost with the other birds. She don't try. She has her favorite spot on the floor that is slightly elevated. She can walk fine but it is a little straddle legged walk. She does not "scratch" with her feet. Instead she has learned to stay close to the other birds when they are scratching and steal the goodies when they uncover them. It is funny to watch, She is up in the pecking order and that helps so she doesn't get picked on too bad. She does really well considering. Got to get to work. Any questions I will be glad to help you if I can.

 

[mortie]

Where is everyone?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi Mortie.

Had a bit of time to sit and catch up up on a couple of threads, but will be off again soon. I got 2 Orp chicks today, one blue & one lavender. So far the broody hen is not interested, but I will try later tonight and hope for the best. Hoping I didn't make a big mistake here.

 

[chickenlindz]

Hi Mortie!
Hi W4W!!

Spent an hour redoing Squirt's enclosure because Phyllis somehow snuck in. Squirt is a champion sitter. None of my banging around bothered her! Hope I didn't disturb the eggs too much but I had to fix it!!

I don't know how I'm gonna wait 3 weeks for these eggs to hatch...

 

[Sallysec]

I am back two weeks and yall won't be able to get rid of me. I have to go back to post 7720 and catch up on everyone's lives. Hope all is well. I just ordered some eggs this week. Still have my eight pack a six pack I documented the hatch from last year. And my four garden elderly girls.