Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Beetlemama

I have a question, but first I'd like to say to Syman, I'm sorry to hear your girl didn't make it and that your other isn't going to either, that's really sad, I read a few pages back and it sounds like you did all you could for them


Now.....I have three hens and a cockerel, my girls are two cuckoo maran's (Edith and Ethel) and a bantam (Phantom the bantam) and the rooster is a cuckoo maran too (Rooster Cogburn).

Edith and Rooster made a right fuss yesterday when I took the eggs out, usually no one even looks at me once they realise I am not bearing gifts, and today Edith is sitting on eggs. We're loving the idea of babies but not sure if Rooster and Edith have even had any um, special cuddles, lol, we haven't seen them doing anything and really, it's been persisting it down for a week, who feels like it? :rotfl:

So my question is....we read 21 days-ish for fertile eggs to hatch and people are saying if she's still sitting after 25 days we should take the eggs off her and chuck em and try to stop her being broody, but she's only sitting on two eggs (one's hers and one's Ethels), do you think she will lay any more or now she's sitting is that it?

Any other broody/baby advice gratefully received too.

xxx

Gigervamp

If she's broody, she won't lay any eggs. And she might snaffle the eggs laid by the others to sit on!

You could buy in some hatching eggs to pop under her. If you want to do that, be aware that you will have to deal with the boys that are born (often 50% of the hatch, sometimes even more!) Trying to rehome cockerels is difficult, but if you're ok with dispatching them, you could grow the boys on to put in the freezer.

HeatherintheHills

Syman, so sorry to hear about your girls. What awful bad luck.

I have learned something today which I thought I'd share. My girls are ex batts and one of them became very ll during the week. I thought she wasn't going to make it and didn't want her to spend her last hours in the freezing temperatures and rain we have had here.

I made a large cat carrier comfortable and brought her into the house, this will be her 3rd night inside. I also gave her a bit of a clean and blow dry as her back end was really mucky and nasty. She purred while I was bathing and blow drying her then sat on my lap, wrapped in a warm dry towel for a couple of hours quite contentedly :rotfl:

Today there was a little sunny break so I took her out into the garden to let her feel the sun on her wings. I put the carrier a few yards away from where I placed her. She got up, walked straight over to the carrier and got back in! I have left the carrier door open indoors too but she doesn't seem too interested in coming out although she does sit right at the front of the carrier and watch what is going on in the kitchen. She walked well, her eyes are brighter and she's eating bits of sweet corn, rocket, meal worms and a bit of mixed corn. She is looking a bit better and I'm a little more optimistic than I was.

I wonder if bringing her into an enclosed environment (sort of deluxe battery cage) has taken some of the stress from her and helped her recovery? Has anyone else with ex batt's had similar experiences?

Gigervamp

I wonder if it's the familiarity of her earlier life, as bad as it was, it was what she started off with.

I hate it when one of our girls (or boys) gets sick. It rarely leads to a good outcome as they're so adept at hiding things until it's too late and all you can do is make them comfortable.

I now feel that when a chook has to come into the kitchen and live in the cat box, it's the beginning of the end.

I didn't say on this thread, but we've lost 2 recently. Tabitha, our bluebelle, who spent about 4 weeks down with us and looked pretty good 2 days before she died, but suddenly took a turn for the worst.
And Agnes our barnebar, who was right as rain. None of the signs of a sick chook, was found dead under her perch one morning.

Although we've got a lot of chooks, we love each and every one of them and it doesn't really get easier saying goodbye, but we console ourselves with the knowledge that they have had a good life.

I wish all the best for your girl. x

spirit

HeatherintheHills wrote: »

I wonder if bringing her into an enclosed environment (sort of deluxe battery cage) has taken some of the stress from her and helped her recovery? Has anyone else with ex batt's had similar experiences?

Yes, funny you should say that HIH, I've had a few poorly ex batts now that haven't pulled through. Like you I've given them the luxury hotel treatment indoors. Tempted them with whatever they will eat - sardines, prawns, melon and maggots.

whilst indoors they've liked to sit on an old towel surrounded by their favourite treas and can look out of the patio door to the garden. Wih Iris last week, she liked going outside for a little (slow) wander about and dig for worms. If I let the others out of their run too, then she didn't like it and ran back to the patio door wanting to be let back in.

I have a lot of removal boxes and made one up lined with newspaper and a big wodge of straw that she liked to sleep in. last Thursday morning I took the cover off the top to find she had died in the night :sad:

HeatherintheHills

Oh so many losses recently, I'm so sorry! I wonder if this awful weather is weakening them?

My poorly girl was my best layer and the first sign of illness was soft empty shells in the hen house. I think it might be egg yolk peritonitis (EYP) so probably the best I can hope for is to keep her as comfortable as possible so she can see out her days in peace.

I felt awful guilt when I first put her in the cat box, but have changed my view now seeing how content she seems to be. Gigervamp, I think you are right, familiarity with their earlier life may be a source of comfort when they are poorly.

Spirit I'd not thought of offering her prawns and sardines, thanks for the good idea! I'd bought some pomegranate for a recipe I was planning, I've an idea where the seeds might be ending up now.

If she goes she will be the first I've lost and I know I won't take it at all well.

Tygermoth

Yay! first ever chick.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/67469783/02%20-%201st%20Chick%2006-05-12.jpg

Boo, Dee (my Broody) seems to have crushed two of them.

So what do I do? I have quickly cleared the poor chicks remains away but the box needs cleaning as (sorry if TMI) bits are smooshed in the the base of the box

But as she has another three eggs (no cheeping or pipping sounds) and the nest is compromised.

I dont want to interupt bonding or upset her stitting for the other eggs or the chick!

Can someone assist?

Thank you.

HeatherintheHills

Tygermoth what a beautiful chick!

So sad about the others. I'm sorry I've no idea what to do about getting the box cleaned. Maybe the other chicks weren't viable and your broody killed them, as I've read somewhere they do?

spirit

HeatherintheHills wrote: »

If she goes she will be the first I've lost and I know I won't take it at all well.

No, it's pants when they go and it does not get any easier with subsequent ones either. With the batties, you can be reassured that you gave them a decent life out of the rotten cages. To see them scratching for worms, dustbathing, stretching out in the sun is just about the best thing ever.

Syman

so, if i was looking into battery rehoming, do you have any pointers in the SE England/Surrey areas where i should start looking?