Re: Urgent advice please


"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"Ginny" <glvl88REMOVETHIS@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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If she's still sitting tight there may be hope yet. I know most hens have
as excellent sense in knowing if the egg is off/not going to hatch and
kick it out or leave the nest. My silkies are the worst for having no
sense and have sat through trying to hatch rotten eggs.

She's kicked out two.

Hope yours hatch soon. What sort are you hoping to hatch?

W x B Croad Langshan banties.

In the absence of any advice I kept the broody in her Eglu with a long run
attached. The other bantie wasn't happy being left out and communicated with
the broody through the walls. She slept and laid in her own coop.I let out
the broody every morning for about 15 minutes to scratch in the garden.
Occasionally I saw her, briefly, eating grain I left in the run feeder , and
drinking water.

We expected the eggs to hatch last Tuesday to Thursday. We had to go away on
Friday and decided to leave the broody on her (by then) three eggs. A son
came each morning and evening to open and close them.

He rang on Monday while we were on our way back in stair rods on the A1 and
said that that morning the broody rushed out of the coop like a bat out of
hell and he heard a 'commotion' in the Eglu so had a peek and saw three
chicks. He was thrilled and so were we! But he regards the chicks as his.
Hrumph!

A pic is on the sci.agriculture.poultry site: Mary's Chickens page 2 CCC02s
(Chirpy Chirpy CheepCheep)

They're all doing well, Zen is a great foster mother and the chicks are
hardy and healthy.

Today I was planting out some seedlings and found a LARGE worm. I put it
into the still-closed run for the mother. It was picked up by a chick who
ran away with it, pursued by Mum and the others. Eventually Mum got it and
there was a tug of war, part was detached and another chick got it, Mum
didn't know which chick to chase ...

We haven't laughed so much for ages.

I suppose many of you have experienced this but it's a First for us and
we're thrilled :-)

Mary

Mary




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Relevant Pages

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