Storms and chickens

[Tom and Barbara]

I put some Clarence Court eggs under a broody and they were due to hatch last weekend. So far no sign of anything and I did say if nowt by Wednesday I'd boot her off......so when I popped my head in on Wednesday, she'd kicked one egg out which, sure enough was infertile. Now would you guys take this is a sign that she can 'feel' something in the others and it's worth letting her sit (if so for how long???), or would you say enough's enough? She looks worn out.

[Jools]

I really wouldn't leave her for more than another day or two. It's so unlikely the eggs will hatch after all this time, but it's up to you really. Could you face cracking on the ones still under her? Horrible dilemma you have - sorry!

[feemcg]

I think if they were due last weekend then she's sat for well over the 21 days. When she's off the nest to feed you could put the eggs to your ear - you would hear tapping, cheeping or even just a 'squelchy' noise as the chick moves around. Also while she's off the nest the eggs stay warm if there's a live chick in them, but go cold very quickly if theres nothing.

I didn't get round to putting Clarence Court eggs in the incy though I'd still like to give it a go - need to get rid of some wee ones first .

[Tom and Barbara]

thanks guys, i think as you say, enough's enough, she looks worn out - it's just that horrible mum vs chicks dilemma. I'd hate to take her off to discover the eggs were developing you know? but being realistic it is too long isn't it, SOMETHING would have appeared by now

[The Dogmother]

Did you candle them at all?

[Tom and Barbara]

we didn't candle this time as we never seemed to catch her off the nest and she was very VERY protective!

[Tom and Barbara]

Well we took her off the nest and 9 of the eggs weren't fertile and 2 were part developed but had died, so definitely the right decision. She's been happily munching grass and stretching her legs now, she looks better already. Thanks for the advice.

[bronze]

At least she seems happy enough

Will you try again igf it happens again?

[Tom and Barbara]

I'd try Clarence Court again but definitely in an incy as it seems to be too much of a hit and miss to let a broody sit on after all the dedication!

 

I mean if we candled to find none were any good next time and have to take her off, you haven't really solved the broody issue have you?- i can't substitute for different eggs and ask her to sit longer and I don't want to run the risk of a depressed chicken by taking her 'babies' away as they tend to just give up on life then don't they. No, it was an interesting experiment but highlighted that it's an incubator job I think.

[Jools]

Or maybe half a dozen Clarence Court and a few other hatching eggs that are more certain ... just in case

[Tom and Barbara]

good point jools, at least you then have the chance of SOME hatching.

 

I think we'll try that next time. Especially as we've decided to hold off on getting an incy just yet and instead build new quarters for our existing girls and set ourselves a LIMIT on the number of girls we have! We actually decided to do this after looking at your pics of your winter accommodation.

 

Did you build it yourselves?

[Jools]

Good idea to set a limit as it's all too easy to get carried away .

 

I can't imagine ever hatching any other way than with a broody. It's so natural and rewarding, without the pressure of getting everything in the incubator right, never mind the brooder! Mother Hen definitely knows best.

 

I told OH what I wanted for our winter run and he did the building! As usual, it's heavily over-engineered and would no doubt withstand an earthquake and it would probably have been cheaper to buy one in, but once boys get going, there's no stopping them!

[KTee]

Good idea to set a limit as it's all too easy to get carried away .

 

I can't imagine ever hatching any other way than with a broody. It's so natural and rewarding, without the pressure of getting everything in the incubator right, never mind the brooder! Mother Hen definitely knows best.

 

I told OH what I wanted for our winter run and he did the building! As usual, it's heavily over-engineered and would no doubt withstand an earthquake and it would probably have been cheaper to buy one in, but once boys get going, there's no stopping them!

 

Over-engineering? Over-engineering?! - --- Quality, please. I have just built a "substantial" run for my OH's first 2 chickens. My neighbour asked if we were expecting Vultures or Albatrosses.

I told him "No, ostriches - bigger eggs!

[Jools]

You just have to be related to my OH

[Tom and Barbara]

 

Over-engineering? Over-engineering?! - --- Quality, please. I have just built a "substantial" run for my OH's first 2 chickens.

 

lol but yes that's what i have in mind a more 'substantial' housing area. I figured this will be a long term hobby so why not make it a real feature in the garden and give the girls all-weather shelter. The runs we have are great and didn't cost a fortune, we recycled a lot of the materials.....I just feel the need to go one step further now..........sadly jools' hubby is too far away to employ to build it

 

jools are those really large panels of weld mesh or mesh weld or whichever it is? What does the structure look like from outside?

[Jools]

I'll put a few pictures of the build in my gallery - ignore the junk yard around it - I got hubby to tidy up once he'd finished

 

We bought rolls of weldmesh online - I think they were 5m or 6m long and 1m wide. We went for the 16 gauge, 2.5cm square. Hubby used metaposts bolted to the concrete floor, then fixed the uprights in place at 5ft intervals, then the horizontals at 1m intervals. We just unrolled the weldmesh and stapled it around the run on the handily placed 1m horizontals! The draft boards went on top of the weldmesh around the bottom, then the roof (coruline?? from B&Q).

 

Subsequent amendments have been some plastic corrugate sheets just above the draft boards as it's often very windy and wet up here and the run is quite exposed, and some guttering to collect the rain water from the roof for the veggies. I've just boarded off one end of the run, added some soil and dug up some turf from where I don't want it in the garden and "planted" it in the run. I know it won't last long, but the chicks will enjoy it when (if!) they hatch next week.

 

Any other questions, please just ask. Other than borrowing hubby of course - but I think he was only pretending not to enjoy building it for me

[Tom and Barbara]

you absolute star jools, thanks!

 

I've found the 6m rolls of weldmesh online so we can start planning it all out now *so excited*. I'd thought about the guttering for veggie beds too so I'll definitely include that, it's perfect as they're just next door.

 

We were there for ages last night working out who would need what space in the new quarters. We're going to do a big 'L' shape and have dividers for the large girls, the naked necks, the bantams and the brahmas.

 

I put an add up yesterday for my hatched chicks and someone phoned straight away - he's coming to get them tonight. I'm glad they all got rehomed but a bit too!