The Old Folks Home

[scottcaddy]

I have two hens in the nest boxes. One is a Production Red with her two three-week-old chicks. They free range all day and go back into the nest they hatched in to sleep at night. The other is a BCM hen that has been sitting on nine eggs on and off for a month. She started strong, but a couple of times I would find her on another nest and her eggs would be cold. She was also on the roost for two days and nights after being spooked by the dog that got into the coop and killed a few birds. I thought she had quit, but she came back to sit in another nest and I moved her eggs over to that one, just in case. That was a week ago. Tonight, I went out to check for eggs (got two from 20+ girls) and as usual, I slid her box out of it's cubby and put my hands around her wings and lifted her to see if anyone had laid an egg in with hers. There were two chicks under her and several pieces of shell, but only three whole eggs. I thought, "Wow! Two hatched! But where are all the other eggs?" I tried to adjust my grip and a chick fell out! I was only holding her a foot above the nest so it didn't hurt it. A second later, a second chick fell out and then a third! I laughed and so did DS#1 who had exclaimed that she was "having them right now!" then immediately realized his mistake. The last egg was found under the bedding in the nest and mom was gently lowered onto her eggs and chicks for the night. It was a good end to the day.

That would be a GOOD end to a day!!

Scott

 

[ozexpat]

nothing like a broody raining chicks

 

[Bunnylady]

nothing like a broody raining chicks

That's where I went, too - the rat from Chicken Run, "It's raining hens!"

Congrats on your miracle chickies, Wisher

 

[Arielle]

I have two hens in the nest boxes. One is a Production Red with her two three-week-old chicks. They free range all day and go back into the nest they hatched in to sleep at night. The other is a BCM hen that has been sitting on nine eggs on and off for a month. She started strong, but a couple of times I would find her on another nest and her eggs would be cold. She was also on the roost for two days and nights after being spooked by the dog that got into the coop and killed a few birds. I thought she had quit, but she came back to sit in another nest and I moved her eggs over to that one, just in case. That was a week ago. Tonight, I went out to check for eggs (got two from 20+ girls) and as usual, I slid her box out of it's cubby and put my hands around her wings and lifted her to see if anyone had laid an egg in with hers. There were two chicks under her and several pieces of shell, but only three whole eggs. I thought, "Wow! Two hatched! But where are all the other eggs?" I tried to adjust my grip and a chick fell out! I was only holding her a foot above the nest so it didn't hurt it. A second later, a second chick fell out and then a third! I laughed and so did DS#1 who had exclaimed that she was "having them right now!" then immediately realized his mistake. The last egg was found under the bedding in the nest and mom was gently lowered onto her eggs and chicks for the night. It was a good end to the day.

Sweet!!

Remarkable how enduring those eggs are, too!!

 

[Wisher1000]

I am always amazed at how a broody can hatch chicks, no matter the circumstances.

I didn't really expect these to hatch at all. She would sit for two days in one nest, with her eggs then move to another. I would move her back and she would sit a few days and move again. If there were eggs in another nest, she'd sit there. Finally, I put an open box with hay in it on the floor for the layers and blocked off the other nests (besides the one she was setting in.)

Then, the dog attack came. He actually stuck his head in her nest and grabbed her but got only a mouth full of feathers as there were lots of her feathers in the nest and around the outside but she was up in the rafters, missing patches of feathers, but unharmed. I didn't think she would go back, so while cleaning up in the coop, I opened the nests back up and after two days, she was back in one of the other nests. I moved her eggs once again, and bless pat if she didn't move, a few days later, back to the original nest where she had had her close call! I moved the eggs, AGAIN, and they started hatching a couple of days later!

We work and work at getting temp and RH just right in our bators. We are careful to wash our hands and turn the eggs religiously, but not jostle them. We monitor for air cell size and movement and development. We count days, candle at just the right times (well, except SCG) and make special adjustments at lock-down. You would think we could have better hatches than some pea brained hen, but NO! She makes it look like there's nothing to it! She makes us look like idiots!

 

[scottcaddy]

I am always amazed at how a broody can hatch chicks, no matter the circumstances.

I didn't really expect these to hatch at all. She would sit for two days in one nest, with her eggs then move to another. I would move her back and she would sit a few days and move again. If there were eggs in another nest, she'd sit there. Finally, I put an open box with hay in it on the floor for the layers and blocked off the other nests (besides the one she was setting in.)

Then, the dog attack came. He actually stuck his head in her nest and grabbed her but got only a mouth full of feathers as there were lots of her feathers in the nest and around the outside but she was up in the rafters, missing patches of feathers, but unharmed. I didn't think she would go back, so while cleaning up in the coop, I opened the nests back up and after two days, she was back in one of the other nests. I moved her eggs once again, and bless pat if she didn't move, a few days later, back to the original nest where she had had her close call! I moved the eggs, AGAIN, and they started hatching a couple of days later!

We work and work at getting temp and RH just right in our bators. We are careful to wash our hands and turn the eggs religiously, but not jostle them. We monitor for air cell size and movement and development. We count days, candle at just the right times (well, except SCG) and make special adjustments at lock-down. You would think we could have better hatches than some pea brained hen, but NO! She makes it look like there's nothing to it! She makes us look like idiots!

and

Scott

 

[Arielle]

I am always amazed at how a broody can hatch chicks, no matter the circumstances.

I didn't really expect these to hatch at all. She would sit for two days in one nest, with her eggs then move to another. I would move her back and she would sit a few days and move again. If there were eggs in another nest, she'd sit there. Finally, I put an open box with hay in it on the floor for the layers and blocked off the other nests (besides the one she was setting in.)

Then, the dog attack came. He actually stuck his head in her nest and grabbed her but got only a mouth full of feathers as there were lots of her feathers in the nest and around the outside but she was up in the rafters, missing patches of feathers, but unharmed. I didn't think she would go back, so while cleaning up in the coop, I opened the nests back up and after two days, she was back in one of the other nests. I moved her eggs once again, and bless pat if she didn't move, a few days later, back to the original nest where she had had her close call! I moved the eggs, AGAIN, and they started hatching a couple of days later!

We work and work at getting temp and RH just right in our bators. We are careful to wash our hands and turn the eggs religiously, but not jostle them. We monitor for air cell size and movement and development. We count days, candle at just the right times (well, except SCG) and make special adjustments at lock-down. You would think we could have better hatches than some pea brained hen, but NO! She makes it look like there's nothing to it! She makes us look like idiots!

Yes the broodies are far better hatchers than I am!! I had two BCM sit ALL summer long-- as chicks hatched I moved them to a brooder, and added more eggs!! Food and water within a foot and members of her little breeding flock were the only visitors. Usually to drop another egg!!


And I have a blue cuckoo maran sitting on eggs now!!! A hidden nest

and I don't have the heart to destroy the eggs. Cleaned a coop for her . . . will move her today.


Wisher . . yoou know pictures are a must of the new babies . . . . lol

 

[Wisher1000]

You're right! Besides, I need a good reason to go and bother her! I have been sitting on my hands all morning so that I won't go see if any more hatched, but as long as I HAVE to take pictures....................

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I am always amazed at how a broody can hatch chicks, no matter the circumstances.

I didn't really expect these to hatch at all. She would sit for two days in one nest, with her eggs then move to another. I would move her back and she would sit a few days and move again. If there were eggs in another nest, she'd sit there. Finally, I put an open box with hay in it on the floor for the layers and blocked off the other nests (besides the one she was setting in.)

Then, the dog attack came. He actually stuck his head in her nest and grabbed her but got only a mouth full of feathers as there were lots of her feathers in the nest and around the outside but she was up in the rafters, missing patches of feathers, but unharmed. I didn't think she would go back, so while cleaning up in the coop, I opened the nests back up and after two days, she was back in one of the other nests. I moved her eggs once again, and bless pat if she didn't move, a few days later, back to the original nest where she had had her close call! I moved the eggs, AGAIN, and they started hatching a couple of days later!

We work and work at getting temp and RH just right in our bators. We are careful to wash our hands and turn the eggs religiously, but not jostle them. We monitor for air cell size and movement and development. We count days, candle at just the right times (well, except SCG) and make special adjustments at lock-down. You would think we could have better hatches than some pea brained hen, but NO! She makes it look like there's nothing to it! She makes us look like idiots!

Hey, I resemble that remark.

Anyway, completely agree on broodies hatching miracles. I've had hens sit in the middle of January, sub-zero temps, get off the eggs and get back on the wrong nest. By the time I got home from work the eggs would be freezing cold and I'd just move her back to her nest. They hatched. It's good knowledge to have, when people freak out that their incubators become unplugged and the temp "plummeted" to room temp I can tell them with confidence to calm down. I also watched her raise chicks in those conditions, and after that I was a lot less "by the books" raising chicks. They can withstand much cooler temps (and thrive) than we give them credit for.

The Goat Haus is almost roofed. Roofer ran out of shingles (needed 6 more) because there was more cutting involved than he had originally thought (I had explained the situation over the phone, so he came out sight unseen). The Goat Haus has had a tarp over it for the past year. Can't wait to get that sucker off. I still need to paint it but I haven't exactly figured out how one paints it with goats that like to gnaw on everything.

I mean everything. The ladder. Shingles. The roofers pants and tool belt.

 

[Arielle]

Rofl . . . ok, you have talked me out of goats again . . . . need to find someone I can buy milk from instead and support their goats!!