Visitor sitting on eggs

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Well, thanks...........what a cool bunch you are....!! I have horses and then these borrowed chickens.

Also, because I communicate well with the majority of the animal kingdom I have redtail hawks that come each summer, nest here, raise their young, give flying lessons and head out about mid-August. The chickens spent a lot of time in the area where their nest is and there was never even an attempt to snatch one. I really feel that the chicken is quite safe where she is because of how many different creatures come and go and live in peace together...........it's quite amazing.

The neighbors, on the other hand, well, I'm quite sure they would not be pleased at all that their hen is over here creating new life. So, I think I'll avoid that connection. I have a 4-way feed that has some molasses in it - would that be a better choice to feed to her? Seems like they are pretty much free-ranging and horse poop is one meal of choice. I don't have any cat food, but do have some Ol Roy dog food - how about that?

I figure 12 eggs weren't all layed by her and that the other hens contributed a few as well, but I guess chickens don't babysit or whatever you'd call it. At least they come over to visit a couple of times a day. Well thanks......any other contributions are certainly appreciated as well as the ones I've already received.

If anybody needs help with horses, let me know.........I'm way more skilled in that area.......
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Soaked dog food should be a good temporary feed. I personally don't think that some horse grain is bad. My chickens have stolen it from the horses for many years!
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A higher protein diet is best though.
 
For 1 if these are not your birds you should not allow her to hatch them! if its okay with your neighber then i would candle them by placing a flash light againsted the eggs in a dark room. if theyre almost completly black exept for the air sack it means they should hatch soon.
 
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Let her do her thing and hatch them out. She's doing the broody thing and she may wind up with a chick or 10. If you have any scraps from the table, some sweet feed, scrambled egg, etc. handy, give her some of that. It'll give her some much needed protein.

If the neighbors ask, let them know she's been nesting in the barn during the night but make sure you let them know it's okay with you that she does this. That way they don't fret if a predator got her and you've fulfilled your neighborly duties.

It also sounds like next time you head to the feed store, a bag of chick starter may be in order
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Just wait until chicken math hits ya
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Let her do her thing and hatch them out. She's doing the broody thing and she may wind up with a chick or 10. If you have any scraps from the table, some sweet feed, scrambled egg, etc. handy, give her some of that. It'll give her some much needed protein.

If the neighbors ask, let them know she's been nesting in the barn during the night but make sure you let them know it's okay with you that she does this. That way they don't fret if a predator got her and you've fulfilled your neighborly duties.

It also sounds like next time you head to the feed store, a bag of chick starter may be in order
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Just wait until chicken math hits ya
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Oh, no! The dreaded chicken math!!
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Chinchilla2.............thanks - that was very helpful. I put some egg out - yellow jackets think it's good. Not sure if she's eaten any or not. I'll do a handful of sweet feed and I've a few bites of broccoli. A bantam......how much could ONE possibly eat in a day? And she's really very focused on what she's doing. The others came by and gifted me with 2 eggs.

I never see the neighbors - maybe a view of them bringing out a garbage can on Wednesdays, that's about all. In 8 years we've probably had 4-5 very short conversations. This just isn't a friendly, folksy sort of place. They've never come over looking for their chickens and if I hadn't cleaned up the barn, I'd never have known the hen or the eggs were even there...!! So, I'll do my part and let nature take care of the rest. Amen.
 

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