YO GEORGIANS! :)

[ShadesofSable]

On a sad note, the cottontail bunny that I was nurturing passed away.  I had taken him to the vet cause he developed wry neck, and he seemed to be doing well with the meds, but then all of a sudden he passed, I really did get attached to the little guy.  

I'm so sorry to hear that.

 

[Coach C]

I apologize for blowing y'all up with questions today. We are on night two and she is still sitting. She got off for a little while this afternoon and went out to the run with the others then got back on. She now has 10 eggs under her.

My concern...the 21 day mark is one day after I leave for Atlanta for 6 days. I don't want them to hatch and the other older birds hurt them. I have a larger brooder box. Should I move her to that box and let her go? I don't want to mess her up by moving her.

Thanks in advance for the help. This will be my first hatching of any kind if she goes all the way.

 

[ameliadanielle]

All my hens have are portable nest boxes. I just pick the box up, hen and all, at night and move them where I want to put them. If a broody is a determined broody, you can even switch her and eggs to a new nest box and she'll keep sitting. If you're not going to be home when they are supposed to hatch, separate her. Put her in a pen or brooder with her nest and plenty of chick food and water. She'll also keep sitting on the nest for 2 days or so after chicks start hatching. In this heat my chicks are hatching early, because they can't even cool down when the hen leaves the nest. My last hatch most hatched out on day 20 and two stragglers on day 21. Especially if you don't know how she will be as a mom. I have a few hens that are great incubators, but are so sweet and non aggressive even while broody that they don't do a great job defending their babies from the rest of the grown flock members. It's been easier for me to put the hens and their nest in the garage or in a pen by themselves to hatch out babies. Mom and babies get released out on the yard with everyone else when the babies start getting their feathers and have a little size on them so they're big enough and fast enough to run away if mom isn't protecting them enough.

 

[ameliadanielle]

Fire ants.

I have had a few chicks and 2 ducklings die. Couldn't figure out why. I thought the ants were coming to them after they died. This morning I found an almost 3 month old turken in the pen where they go to sleep at night, alive and covered in fire ants. I got bit all over getting those ants off and rushed to get the baby some benedryl, but it was too late. They must have got on it last night while the babies were sleeping.

What in the world can you do to keep fire ants away that won't hurt the chickens?

I hate it when it's too late to help. It's Saturday so we slept in and I was an hour later going out and feeding and watering than usual.

 

[tine434]

Fire ants.

I have had a few chicks and 2 ducklings die. Couldn't figure out why. I thought the ants were coming to them after they died. This morning I found an almost 3 month old turken in the pen where they go to sleep at night, alive and covered in fire ants. I got bit all over getting those ants off and rushed to get the baby some benedryl, but it was too late. They must have got on it last night while the babies were sleeping.

What in the world can you do to keep fire ants away that won't hurt the chickens?

I hate it when it's too late to help. It's Saturday so we slept in and I was an hour later going out and feeding and watering than usual.

I have a severe ant problem around my house too. The soil is nothing but sand. I'm worried sick about ants hurting my chickens too. I've put DE all over the ground where their coop and run are (they are still in a brooder box) but to be honest, I'd have to treat my whole yard! The DE hasn't even reduced the ants in the area I've been using it.

 

[Coach C]

All my hens have are portable nest boxes. I just pick the box up, hen and all, at night and move them where I want to put them. If a broody is a determined broody, you can even switch her and eggs to a new nest box and she'll keep sitting. If you're not going to be home when they are supposed to hatch, separate her. Put her in a pen or brooder with her nest and plenty of chick food and water. She'll also keep sitting on the nest for 2 days or so after chicks start hatching. In this heat my chicks are hatching early, because they can't even cool down when the hen leaves the nest. My last hatch most hatched out on day 20 and two stragglers on day 21. Especially if you don't know how she will be as a mom. I have a few hens that are great incubators, but are so sweet and non aggressive even while broody that they don't do a great job defending their babies from the rest of the grown flock members. It's been easier for me to put the hens and their nest in the garage or in a pen by themselves to hatch out babies. Mom and babies get released out on the yard with everyone else when the babies start getting their feathers and have a little size on them so they're big enough and fast enough to run away if mom isn't protecting them enough.

How soon do I move her? Can I wait until right before I leave, or should I do it ASAP. Will keeping her separated from the others that long mess her up?

 

[Flowerbh]

All my hens have are portable nest boxes. I just pick the box up, hen and all, at night and move them where I want to put them. If a broody is a determined broody, you can even switch her and eggs to a new nest box and she'll keep sitting. If you're not going to be home when they are supposed to hatch, separate her. Put her in a pen or brooder with her nest and plenty of chick food and water. She'll also keep sitting on the nest for 2 days or so after chicks start hatching. In this heat my chicks are hatching early, because they can't even cool down when the hen leaves the nest. My last hatch most hatched out on day 20 and two stragglers on day 21. Especially if you don't know how she will be as a mom. I have a few hens that are great incubators, but are so sweet and non aggressive even while broody that they don't do a great job defending their babies from the rest of the grown flock members. It's been easier for me to put the hens and their nest in the garage or in a pen by themselves to hatch out babies. Mom and babies get released out on the yard with everyone else when the babies start getting their feathers and have a little size on them so they're big enough and fast enough to run away if mom isn't protecting them enough.

X2 But, be careful of what you are using to keep mom separate. Don't use a dog crate because new chicks will walk right thru the grate and then MOM will freak out and chicks can be lost that way. If you have to use a crate, put a box inside with walls high enough to keep chicks from falling out. And, don't be fooled, those tiny chicks can get over 4" and sometimes more!

 

[Coach C]

X2  But, be careful of what you are using to keep mom separate.  Don't use a dog crate because new chicks will walk right thru the grate and then MOM will freak out and chicks can be lost that way.  If you have to use a crate, put a box inside with walls high enough to keep chicks from falling out.  And, don't be fooled, those tiny chicks can get over 4" and sometimes more! 

I have a larger brooder. Tall enough and big enough for mom to move around, but secure enough for the chicks. Should I put the brooder in the run of coop, under the shade? Would that keep her close enough to keep flock familiarity?
I am sure that I am over analyzing and making this way more difficult than I should. I guess I am excited and nervous, being my first rodeo.

 

[Flowerbh]

I have a larger brooder. Tall enough and big enough for mom to move around, but secure enough for the chicks. Should I put the brooder in the run of coop, under the shade? Would that keep her close enough to keep flock familiarity?
I am sure that I am over analyzing and making this way more difficult than I should. I guess I am excited and nervous, being my first rodeo.

I would not leave my mom and babies outside where predators could get them. Snakes and hawks, raccoons and possums can get them at night.

 

[Coach C]

I would not leave my mom and babies outside where predators could get them.  Snakes and hawks, raccoons and possums can get them at night.

My run is completely covered and secure, but I understand what you mean. If I wasn't going to be out of town, I wouldn't stress. I would just move them as I found them. This timing is terrible, but guess that's how it goes