Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Advice Please  (Read 2561 times)

mintytwoshoes

  • Joined Feb 2012
Advice Please
« on: June 06, 2015, 10:54:00 am »
Hi  - need some advice - I have four hens sitting on eggs together - not intentional!! - we are now at hatch date and I know from the empty shells that two hatched yesterday but no sign of chicks.  This morning I found another dead in the pen outside the hutch,  quite pecked. 
I lost my two broodies due to age last month so the hens sitting are very new to the hatching game.  Has anyone experienced a broody attacking the chicks when they have hatched?


I do have the incubator ready and my thoughts are to remove the eggs at night and rear them without the hens input but I really would prefer the natural way.


Appreciate any advice !

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2015, 11:11:34 am »
We had an Orpington sitting on 10 eggs. On hatch day there were suddenly only 4 eggs left and one dead chick and we concluded she had eaten them all. The remaining eggs went into the incubator and we saved 2 chicks as a result. We never used her as a broody again.


My advice would be to remove the eggs to the incubator immediately Minty and be prepared to rear them separately.

Bramham Wiltshire Horns

  • Joined Oct 2014
  • leeds
  • Bramham flock Wiltshire Horns
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2015, 11:15:19 am »
same as above had orpington with 10 eggs, she hatched 10 out of 10 but seemed to have killed 2
maybe they where tooweak andcould be natures way of keeping the strongest going, she was also first time hatcher
follow on FB@BramhamWiltshireHorns

mintytwoshoes

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2015, 01:10:26 pm »
Thanks - I have managed to tempt the broodies out with some tasty bits - some of the eggs are now in the incubator - I have not been able to get them all but I am on the case.  Thanks for the advice it confirmed what I was thinking.
This forum is brilliant!!  Will let you know what we manage to get hatched!!

mojocafa

  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Angus
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2015, 01:16:20 pm »
Hi minty :wave:

Good luck, mojo
pygmy goats, gsd, border collie, scots dumpys, cochins, araucanas, shetland ducks and geese,  marrans, and pea fowl in a pear tree.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2015, 01:32:58 pm »
Four broodies on the same eggs? Fighting between them - chicks get killed or eggs smashed in the aftermath!  Hope you get the remaining ones hatched out  :fc:
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Hevxxx99

  • Joined Sep 2012
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2015, 02:39:20 pm »
Divide the remaining eggs between the hens and put them in separate places (boxes) so they can't fight over the chicks, or put them all under one and put her somewhere the others can't get to.  Don't be afraid to just pick them up and move them: they will complain and possibly peck (wear thick gloves perhaps if you're worried about that) but if the eggs are piping, they'll settle again very quickly.

mintytwoshoes

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2015, 04:40:45 pm »
Just to clarify - they all have their separate eggs - but they are all in together in the hutch in their own areas.
It is a valid point that if one has hatched they might all want to have the chick!  Thank you for advice.

mintytwoshoes

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2015, 04:43:32 pm »
Hi Mojo Good to hear from you - hope everything is good with you and yours.

mintytwoshoes

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2015, 09:25:23 pm »
Hi - thanks for advice - have two live chicks from the incubator and under heat now- hopefully more soon.

mintytwoshoes

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Advice Please
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2015, 08:51:08 pm »
Hi Everyone - just to give you an update we are up to thirteen chicks - so thank you everyone for the advice!!


 

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