Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[peachie]

Hi All

 

I have a big flock of girls (Rhode Island Reds, Speckled Hybrids & Bantams) we had a visit from a neighbours cockrel and for the first time ever one of our hens went broody. I separated her off into our mark 1 eglu and candled the eggs after approx 2 weeks and we had 7 fertilse eggs.

My first chicks have hatched today (well one hatched on Wednesday but sadly died). Even though it is a bit cold we have decided to leave the chick with mum in the Eglu.

 

I am not sure what to do about housing as currently our mark 1 still has its roosting bars in and I am not sure if the chicks will be able to get out ok, any advice we be very welcome!

 

Thanks

 

Claire

[laurmurf]

chicks can't manage roosting bars, and they will soon want to run around (at least within the more protected environment of the eglu) so you'll need to take the roosting bars out and fill the body of the eglu tray with aubiouse or the like as soon as you can.

 

It really is a bit too cold at this time of the year, even with mum, so I do hope someone will come along and give you better advice soon. I would have thought you'd need to bring eglu, mum and chicks into somewhere more sheltered: like a garage, or the eglu in a shed. Just so when the chicks are roaming around they can do so safely.

[tom123]

Yes I agree, mum and chicks need to be very sheltered this time of year. I am keeping mine in a stable at the moment so a shed/garage would be fine. Even along the side of the house. If it gets really cold you could put a heat lamp up in the corner of the run so if they get cold they get under it.

 

Where do you live, I have one you can borrow if necessary?

 

Tom

[peachie]

Hi

 

Thanks for the lovely comments, the chick did well last night, nice and sheltered and with some extra isolation too.

 

I took the roosting bars out this morning, but sadly when i got home this morning I found the lovely chick had died.

Not sure what happend. It is quite upseting and sad as it seemed really healthy little chick.

[Lewis]

Sorry.

It might have been the cold

 

 

Not meaning to sound harsh, but a few people have had the same problem recently and its down to the time of year, with the weather being so bad and the quality of eggs isn't the best, so might be an idea to wait until Spring for next time