Here is our story ( hen and I )
Great news for my hen who has been sitting on eggs since the beginning of June.
It only takes 21 days for chicks to hatch if you have a rooster ! For
the first six weeks she sat on unfertilized eggs. We have no rooster.
Every few days Gord or I would take all the eggs away from beneath her and sure enough the next day she would collect all the eggs from the other hens. Finally at the end of July ( she had been sitting in the HOT coop for 2 mo.s), I found a neighbour (near 18 pastures- a golf course ) who had fertilized eggs. So I gave them six dummy eggs for the six that had a 50% chance of hatching.
I waited three more weeks , two eggs hatched but no sign of any chicks.??????
I presume the other hens, rats or some other critter ( maybe the cat ) got them. The hen was steadfast in collecting and keeping six eggs ( now its the 3 rd week of Aug!) and still kept sitting.
WeIl I was heartbroken for her and was at the end of my limit for heart pain and wanting her to have babies. She had been sitting for 3 mo.s by now and sat in the dark all this time, only leaving the eggs once a day for a quick drink of water and a bit of food.
. So finally I had another idea and went on Craig's list and looked for
someone selling chicks. One guy only wanted huge orders but another person was selling chicks for $5.
I responded to that ad but this lovely woman (Loretta) wrote back saying her
chicks were too old BUT she was expecting another hen to hatch in about a
week and would sell me two of them.
After 3 mo.s what was another few days, and she was bringing them to me because I can't drive etc. just over a week later she called and was bring them over. I had filled the double bunny hutch with clean shavings, fresh water, food! The bunny hutch is about 3' high, off the ground and strong, small wired mesh. I wasn't having any critters eat these ones! I went in the coop, picked up the hen, who was all wet underneath her wings. N
ow I know the truth of as mad as a wet hen!
So, just a few minutes ago Loretta called to say she is on her way over with two chicks that had just hatched! So I went into the coop and picked up the hen to transfer to the hutch. Then went back and got her eggs to put under her. And she threw herself against the wire over and over trying to get back to her eggs!
Even thought they were right beside her. She wasn't having any of that!! She
just threw herself against the wire over and over trying to get back to her eggs
that were right beside her. In the.meantime Loretta drove over and brought the 2 itty bitty babies. They each looked like the flower on a dandelion gone to seed, two
fuzz balls which we put in with the hen in the old bunny hutch. No one was happy? What's this? They are,all three, going crazy squawking and peeping and feathers and fluff flying.
Then I GOT it!
The hen had been in the dark for over 3 mo.s, and sun was flooding the hutch with a strong glaring bright light! And she's still throwing herself against the wire over and over trying to get back to her eggs even though two little peepers were going crazy with her, YIKES!!
SO, I ran in the house and grabbed a big blanket to drape over the front of the
hutch to mimic the dark the hen had been in for almost 3 1/2 mo.s and the
chicks for about 21 days.
Once the blanket shut out the light she began to settle down....talking
to the chicks who were running in around her legs not knowing what to do.....so
Loretta and I stayed there listening and peeking in the sides to try and
figure out if the chicks and hen would bond. Sure enough about ten
minutes later they had all cuddled up and made tiny happy sounds.
The momma sounded like she was purring when we left them alone .
Wow am I glad that is done, everyday I felt so bad for that poor hen
trying to her death if she had to, to hatch and have her babies. I don't think
she knows that she didn't hatch them.
And now they are all grown up! Golden rooster and fluffy black hen. (jack &Jill)
I hope you liked the story)
![B]](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2F%5BB%5D%5B%2FB%5D&hash=e51168ab9e517cbafbe4b9189c3084fa)
Not a good picture, will take a good one and send later!
[/IMG]
Great news for my hen who has been sitting on eggs since the beginning of June.
It only takes 21 days for chicks to hatch if you have a rooster ! For
the first six weeks she sat on unfertilized eggs. We have no rooster.
Every few days Gord or I would take all the eggs away from beneath her and sure enough the next day she would collect all the eggs from the other hens. Finally at the end of July ( she had been sitting in the HOT coop for 2 mo.s), I found a neighbour (near 18 pastures- a golf course ) who had fertilized eggs. So I gave them six dummy eggs for the six that had a 50% chance of hatching.
I waited three more weeks , two eggs hatched but no sign of any chicks.??????
I presume the other hens, rats or some other critter ( maybe the cat ) got them. The hen was steadfast in collecting and keeping six eggs ( now its the 3 rd week of Aug!) and still kept sitting.
WeIl I was heartbroken for her and was at the end of my limit for heart pain and wanting her to have babies. She had been sitting for 3 mo.s by now and sat in the dark all this time, only leaving the eggs once a day for a quick drink of water and a bit of food.
. So finally I had another idea and went on Craig's list and looked for
someone selling chicks. One guy only wanted huge orders but another person was selling chicks for $5.
I responded to that ad but this lovely woman (Loretta) wrote back saying her
chicks were too old BUT she was expecting another hen to hatch in about a
week and would sell me two of them.
After 3 mo.s what was another few days, and she was bringing them to me because I can't drive etc. just over a week later she called and was bring them over. I had filled the double bunny hutch with clean shavings, fresh water, food! The bunny hutch is about 3' high, off the ground and strong, small wired mesh. I wasn't having any critters eat these ones! I went in the coop, picked up the hen, who was all wet underneath her wings. N
So, just a few minutes ago Loretta called to say she is on her way over with two chicks that had just hatched! So I went into the coop and picked up the hen to transfer to the hutch. Then went back and got her eggs to put under her. And she threw herself against the wire over and over trying to get back to her eggs!
Even thought they were right beside her. She wasn't having any of that!! She
just threw herself against the wire over and over trying to get back to her eggs
that were right beside her. In the.meantime Loretta drove over and brought the 2 itty bitty babies. They each looked like the flower on a dandelion gone to seed, two
fuzz balls which we put in with the hen in the old bunny hutch. No one was happy? What's this? They are,all three, going crazy squawking and peeping and feathers and fluff flying.
Then I GOT it!
The hen had been in the dark for over 3 mo.s, and sun was flooding the hutch with a strong glaring bright light! And she's still throwing herself against the wire over and over trying to get back to her eggs even though two little peepers were going crazy with her, YIKES!!
SO, I ran in the house and grabbed a big blanket to drape over the front of the
hutch to mimic the dark the hen had been in for almost 3 1/2 mo.s and the
chicks for about 21 days.
Once the blanket shut out the light she began to settle down....talking
to the chicks who were running in around her legs not knowing what to do.....so
Loretta and I stayed there listening and peeking in the sides to try and
figure out if the chicks and hen would bond. Sure enough about ten
minutes later they had all cuddled up and made tiny happy sounds.
The momma sounded like she was purring when we left them alone .
Wow am I glad that is done, everyday I felt so bad for that poor hen
trying to her death if she had to, to hatch and have her babies. I don't think
she knows that she didn't hatch them.
And now they are all grown up! Golden rooster and fluffy black hen. (jack &Jill)
I hope you liked the story)
Not a good picture, will take a good one and send later!
