Chickin Fairy
Songster
We're expecting two baby bantams today or tomorrow!! Eek!!
Rocket went broody the last week of April and I tried to break her, but she refused. Then, I met a friend who has lots of birds, and she constantly has fertile bantam eggs. I asked her if I could have 2 and see if Rocket is a reliable broody.
I put the eggs under her exactly 2 weeks into her broodiness. I had no idea if she would continue to sit or get tired of it after another week. She has been sitting faithfully and no complaints. She's so calm. She fluffy up when I get close, but doesn't peck or try to bite me. At the same time I gave her the eggs, I moved her from the main coop into a side coop on the other end of the run. This was fun (sarcasm). I moved her at night, but she would get up the next morning pacing and wanting to go back to the big coop. Finally, I moved her again at night and covered her new nesting box with a thin beach towel for about 24 hours before she got used to the new place.
The additional coop I have was the original one I raised my birds in. I hadn't needed to use it, yet, but when it's unused, I remove the floor, and it's basically a frame that covers part of the run underneath. When I slide the floor in, I can use it for quarantine, medical tent, or in my favorite case, a brooder.
I had one egg that was cracked in at the airsac. I mended it with candlewax. I candled both eggs at 7 days and again at 14 and they are growing. I'm a nerd and set up a camera in Rocket's Coop to watch without disturbing her. Yikes! Did you know that hens will roll their eggs around? I didn't until I watched her yesterday. Quite a learning experience and fun to see this secret life.
I'll post more of my adventure here when things happen, and how I have my coop set up so it is baby-friendly, and my favorite chick products to use (hint: keep the Rent-A-Coop waterer).
Rocket went broody the last week of April and I tried to break her, but she refused. Then, I met a friend who has lots of birds, and she constantly has fertile bantam eggs. I asked her if I could have 2 and see if Rocket is a reliable broody.
I put the eggs under her exactly 2 weeks into her broodiness. I had no idea if she would continue to sit or get tired of it after another week. She has been sitting faithfully and no complaints. She's so calm. She fluffy up when I get close, but doesn't peck or try to bite me. At the same time I gave her the eggs, I moved her from the main coop into a side coop on the other end of the run. This was fun (sarcasm). I moved her at night, but she would get up the next morning pacing and wanting to go back to the big coop. Finally, I moved her again at night and covered her new nesting box with a thin beach towel for about 24 hours before she got used to the new place.
The additional coop I have was the original one I raised my birds in. I hadn't needed to use it, yet, but when it's unused, I remove the floor, and it's basically a frame that covers part of the run underneath. When I slide the floor in, I can use it for quarantine, medical tent, or in my favorite case, a brooder.
I had one egg that was cracked in at the airsac. I mended it with candlewax. I candled both eggs at 7 days and again at 14 and they are growing. I'm a nerd and set up a camera in Rocket's Coop to watch without disturbing her. Yikes! Did you know that hens will roll their eggs around? I didn't until I watched her yesterday. Quite a learning experience and fun to see this secret life.
I'll post more of my adventure here when things happen, and how I have my coop set up so it is baby-friendly, and my favorite chick products to use (hint: keep the Rent-A-Coop waterer).
She was still rolling the eggs around. I've attached a couple of screenshots. You can see the egg with a clear hole in it, she rolled that out and then tucked it back under her. Interesting that hens continue to move chicks while they are hatching. Nice to know she's helping them hatch!!
