My royal palm turkey went broody about 3 1/2 weeks ago with 7 eggs. Of course she decided to lay the eggs in the shed full of chemicals and tools with no door. We cleaned out as many chemicals as we could and moved the tools. My mom and I built a "box" around her. We took two boards (since she was in the corner) and made a makeshift box about a foot high. This has worked out well since we put it up a week ago. We also took an old door and laid it sides ways. It's about three feet high so it keeps out the kids and the dogs. We felt safer that the eggs would hatch and be okay. Winnie (the soon-to-be-mother) comes out of the shed once or twice a week to get a drink (although there is water in there) and take a dust bath. If the dogs are out when she is, she will hiss, and chase them but never me or any other human. She is going to be an excellent mother.
I looked out the window and she had left the shed to take a dust bath and drink. I decided I would sneak in the shed and check on the eggs to see if there were any signs of hatching. That's when I saw a broken egg on the lawn, I was hoping that maybe it was one of my other turkey's eggs but I knew it wouldn't be. There it was, a fully formed baby still half in the egg. It had tiny feathers and everything. It must have been only a few days from hatching.
I don't know what to do. I am assuming it must have been a chipmunk, because I saw one in there once when she first started laying. I have no idea though. All I know is that I need to keep the babies safe. This would be a lot easier if we had someplace to put everything that is in the shed. I could then simply block off the whole thing.
The shed is double sided and in one half is Winnie and the eggs and in the other is our rescued rooster. The shed is not mine, it is my stepdad's and he doesn't want Winnie (who doesn't poop in there) in the shed anyway. So switching Winnie and the rooster wouldn't really be a possibility because the rooster would poop everywhere. I also don't know what to do once they hatch, I have never had a bird go broody and I have never hatched eggs. When I got birds they were a day old or older. I am not sure if I should leave them with Winnie, which risks probably half of them dying, or taking them and putting them in a brooder in the shed. I feel horrible removing them from their mother because she is already so protective but I also feel bad basically signing them up for death.
Before this happened I was planning on keeping the babies with her. I already have shavings around her and blocks set up for the water and food. The heat lamp too is set up but not on.
What should I do?
I looked out the window and she had left the shed to take a dust bath and drink. I decided I would sneak in the shed and check on the eggs to see if there were any signs of hatching. That's when I saw a broken egg on the lawn, I was hoping that maybe it was one of my other turkey's eggs but I knew it wouldn't be. There it was, a fully formed baby still half in the egg. It had tiny feathers and everything. It must have been only a few days from hatching.
I don't know what to do. I am assuming it must have been a chipmunk, because I saw one in there once when she first started laying. I have no idea though. All I know is that I need to keep the babies safe. This would be a lot easier if we had someplace to put everything that is in the shed. I could then simply block off the whole thing.
The shed is double sided and in one half is Winnie and the eggs and in the other is our rescued rooster. The shed is not mine, it is my stepdad's and he doesn't want Winnie (who doesn't poop in there) in the shed anyway. So switching Winnie and the rooster wouldn't really be a possibility because the rooster would poop everywhere. I also don't know what to do once they hatch, I have never had a bird go broody and I have never hatched eggs. When I got birds they were a day old or older. I am not sure if I should leave them with Winnie, which risks probably half of them dying, or taking them and putting them in a brooder in the shed. I feel horrible removing them from their mother because she is already so protective but I also feel bad basically signing them up for death.
Before this happened I was planning on keeping the babies with her. I already have shavings around her and blocks set up for the water and food. The heat lamp too is set up but not on.
What should I do?
