[HesterF]

My superbroody has now been sitting for 49 days and I could hear peeping when I checked her this morning. I've been trying to be very hands off apart from kicking her off once a day to eat. So I lifted her to have a look and could see one little beak sticking out. Had a closer look and thought the shavings under her were looking a bit mucky but then realised they were covered in red mite. Awful, loads of them. So much for being hands off! And so much for the demiting/delousing/deworming regime I put her through at the start of her broodiness (plus the house had barely been used before).

So just on the day when I should be leaving them to hatch in peace, I had to transfer her and the eggs to a cat carrier while I cleaned out the house, sprayed it all, left it two hours to air (during which chick one hatched and a second cracked), and got some spray from the vets for her. I'll be checking much more carefully in future! Is there anything else I should do?

Given that little excitement this morning (and thank goodness I don't have to go to work), broody settled back down into her little house. Then checked on her again late afternoon and she'd been pulling off the shell from the egg that had cracked earlier. It looked like the chick was trapped in the membrane so she was trying to get it out. The chick was clearly wriggling around inside - the broody had cleared quite a lot of the shell - so I broke the membrane and helped it out. Was that the right thing to do? I know you're not supposed to help them out but I thought I'd follow the hen's lead.

The remaining three eggs have now all pipped and I can see they've broken the membrane - little beaks sticking out - so does that mean they'll be OK? Bit worried they'll be stuck through the night.

H

[doganjo]

well done helping your hen    - good to follow her lead.  I'm sure the others will be fine if their beaks are out.  She has the correct humidity under her so that will help keep the shell soft enough for them to get out, and she'll help again if needed. Sorry you had mite problems, hope you've got rid as they could devastate babies.  She sounds like a super broody!  Photos soon please.

[HesterF]

Yay Two more had got out by themselves this morning and the one I helped out yesterday is fine. The final one had nibbled all the way round but was completely exhausted so I got him/her out. He/she is still looking pretty exhausted whilst the others are starting to explore a bit so I hope he makes it. Otherwise the others are all fine and very cute (two lavender araucanas and three marans so very cool colour chicks). Bit better than my one duckling from five last time. Broody mum looking pretty proud of herself and already showing them how to eat.

H

[Anke]

Re mites - old-fashioned creosote, treat the whole inside of the shed, repeat annually or whenever there is a swap-over. Job done. WE have not had mites since we started doing it.