Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[chickenlindz]

Congratulations!  What breed?

It's a Nigerian dwarf goat! Name is trixie! Mom is a bit disinterested in her so prayers that they make it through the night just fine! I'm sure my friend whose farm it is will be checking on her frequently. I'll take cute fluffy pics tomorrow!

Scrambles that is a great picture of rumples!!!

 

[lindz8504]

I think that Eleanor was an older hen... I got her as an adult, and all she has ever laid was huge double yolked eggs 4-6 times a month. About a week or so ago she laid a very thin shelled egg out in the run walking around. I think she was just having lots of issues and may have been egg bound. She was acting funny last night and kept going in and out of the nest right before dark. This morning the nest was NASTY, and very wet.... I'm thinking maybe an egg busted inside or something.

I've heard a couple of hawks calling the past couple of days, so I'm wondering if the hawks aren't migrating back north, and they are what got the missing chick. I heard a racket yesterday, and looked out the window to see Ratchet making a wide circle around them, and "pushing" them away from the huge brush pile in the back yard next to the woods, and back toward the coop.... I did go ahead and hit the tone button on his collar and he immediately came back up to the house. This kinda makes me think that he just got the carcasses after the chickens were already dead. Honestly, I'm not sure what to think. I have the live trap set, and I've been making him wear the shock collar during the day when the chickens are out. Really getting frustrated with all the losses.

On a better note, I still have 2 broodies stuck to the nests! The one is still playing musical nests though.... I may just let her keep that Easter egg warm, and sneak chicks under her when they hatch.... The only other option is to move her to the broody coop, but I'm wanting to paint it since I've washed it out and hopefully get rid of the mites.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

The broody thing seems to be catching. In addition to the lovely broody Matilda, one of the Serama hens went seriously broody last week. We set 7 eggs with her in Monday night. 17 more days before our first hatched chicks!!!

Sister raises her tail, poofs up, and gives the broody war cry whenever the door is opened.



Keep your paws off my babies! (Ferocious looking, but doesn't bite. Good Sister.)


When I say it's catching, it's serious. The sister of the nice broody (Sister) had been toying with sitting, and she has been consistent for the last 2 days. We got all of zero Serama eggs today, and only have three from the last few days to give to the new broody. Maybe tomorrow.



Two broodies!


Fanny bites!


And today, a third girl spent the entire day sitting in the center of the coop. I use rice hulls and keep it fairly clean, but wish she'd use a nest box. I have to go and check tonight to see if she roosted or stayed sitting (she's gonna get pooped on!

) to see how serious she is.

Fudge is the 3rd potential Serama broody.

She is also a biting broody!

And we also have a 4th hen thinking about sitting!

She at least has chosen a corner.

Penelope was roosting earlier this evening, so not sure how serious she is.


Of 5 little hens, the original pullet chick is the only one not trying to sit. She is excessively grumpy and very mean to the others, however, which the others also seemed to be prior to sitting. Hard to tell with Coffee, as she has always been a bit mean to the others. (None of the Seramas are mean to people.)

Remember me? I'm Coffee, he's Donut.

My purdy pose.

I's all growed up now.



That's me way in the back because I won't get close to mom unless she has food.

Unfortunately, because 4 of 5 hens are either broody or quasi broody, we are hardly getting any eggs. Only 3 since Tuesday.
To complicate matters even more, I cooked some recent eggs that were too old for hatching and noticed that about a third of them were not fertile.

7 under Sister + 3 on the counter - a third not fertile - the inevitable ones that don't hatch = I'll be lucky to get 4 chicks, one for each broody.
So should I buy eggs?

Can't leave Donut out. That's the diminutive Penelope.

Donut checks on the broodies constantly during the day.


Joke's on me because I got the Cochins and Silkie because I didn't think the Seramas would go broody!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I just checked on the bantams. Penelope is roosting but Fudge has shoved in the nest box with sister. Maybe they can share the eggs. Ha! They will probably fight over them.

It's a dark night and coyotes are howling out there. Not nearby, but it's still eerie.

 

[Scrambles55]

I just checked on the bantams. Penelope is roosting but Fudge has shoved in the nest box with sister. Maybe they can share the eggs. Ha! They will probably fight over them.

It's a dark night and coyotes are howling out there. Not nearby, but it's still eerie.

 

[chickenlindz]

 

[chickenlindz]

So my hatch is already going awry! I ordered 12+ hatching eggs thinking maybe I'd get 13. But NOOO I get 16!!!!! I only want to give squirt 4 eggs so now I have 12 left and an incubator that holds 7. Thank goodness for amazon prime and an old gift card I found. Nothin I can do but wait til Monday to set the remaining. Which is only a day delay since they have to sit for 24 hrs anyway from shipping!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Heart meltingly cute!

So are you adding goats to your menagerie, or just living vicariously through your friend? Rawley needs something to protect!

So my hatch is already going awry! I ordered 12+ hatching eggs thinking maybe I'd get 13. But NOOO I get 16!!!!! I only want to give squirt 4 eggs so now I have 12 left and an incubator that holds 7. Thank goodness for amazon prime and an old gift card I found. Nothin I can do but wait til Monday to set the remaining. Which is only a day delay since they have to sit for 24 hrs anyway from shipping!

You know, the first step in fighting any addiction is to admit you have a problem.

I forget, what breed are the eggs?

 

[chickenlindz]

W4W- Trixie (baby goat) and her momma are going to be mine. I'm buying them from my good friend. I'm also going to borrow a couple of goats so Rawley will have a little herd of friends til the baby gets bigger.

The eggs are Frizzled Polish (or Regular Polish). I just love Phyllis and she's laying some nice size eggs so I think Polish are going to be my mainstays!!!

 

[KB3ETZ]

FINALLY !!! As the Count from Sesame Street would say....ONE...ONE...little eggy...HA HA HA!

I have no idea which one layed yet, I'll have to put a camera into the coop.
Thanks to all for the ideas. I gave them the crushed red pepper, played them recordings of egg song, and put a light in the coop on a timer.