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Science Forum Index » Agriculture - Poultry Forum » preparing for motherhood :-)
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| 0tterbot |
 Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:33 am |
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"Jill" <news@NOSPAMkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
news:460100bf$0$8758$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
Quote: 0tterbot wrote:
"0tterbot" <spl@t.com> wrote in message
news:b08Lh.12884$8U4.5243@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
the story so far:
i have a broody chook and my neighbour risked life and limb to get
me two fertile (we hope!!) eggs from under one of her broodies (an
angry one  . they are due to hatch some time in the next few days
but we don't know the day. when we got the eggs they'd been sat on
for "about" two weeks already, & my broody was only sitting herself
for one of those weeks, so she might get a surprise ;-)
today's update is: one egg was cracking this morning. later in the
morning bunce was tapping it with her beak & talking to it. then, i
had to go out for the day.
when we all got back, the egg has _entirely disappeared_(!)
What small predators do you have ?
Snakes, rats, or that size?
maybe snakes. we have those (everyone does). none of us have ever seen a
snake around the henhouse before, though. if that makes any difference.
!!?
kylie |
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| Jill |
| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:56 am |
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| FarmI |
| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:47 pm |
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Guest
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"0tterbot" <spl@t.com> wrote in message
Quote: "Jill" <news@NOSPAMkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
0tterbot wrote:
today's update is: one egg was cracking this morning. later in the
morning bunce was tapping it with her beak & talking to it. then, i
had to go out for the day.
when we all got back, the egg has _entirely disappeared_(!)
What small predators do you have ?
Snakes, rats, or that size?
maybe snakes. we have those (everyone does). none of us have ever seen a
snake around the henhouse before, though. if that makes any difference.
I'm with Jill on this. I think it's more likely to be a predator of some
sort rather then the hen doing anything. And don't think that just because
you haven't seen a snake near the chookhouse that they either aren't there
or don't go there regulalry. They will be there or around. More regulalry
in dry weather for the water, but at other times for the
mice/rats/anticinus(sp?) that will be there too. |
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| Peggy |
| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:23 pm |
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Hi All,
It may even have been a rat .I have had checks taken from the nest. Later
found the skeleton in a old rat nest with half the skull eaten. Good luck
with the other one.
Peggy
"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> wrote in message
news:4601c420$0$17561$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
Quote: "0tterbot" <spl@t.com> wrote in message
"Jill" <news@NOSPAMkintaline.co.uk> wrote in message
0tterbot wrote:
today's update is: one egg was cracking this morning. later in the
morning bunce was tapping it with her beak & talking to it. then, i
had to go out for the day.
when we all got back, the egg has _entirely disappeared_(!)
What small predators do you have ?
Snakes, rats, or that size?
maybe snakes. we have those (everyone does). none of us have ever seen a
snake around the henhouse before, though. if that makes any difference.
I'm with Jill on this. I think it's more likely to be a predator of some
sort rather then the hen doing anything. And don't think that just
because
you haven't seen a snake near the chookhouse that they either aren't there
or don't go there regulalry. They will be there or around. More
regulalry
in dry weather for the water, but at other times for the
mice/rats/anticinus(sp?) that will be there too.
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| pecan |
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:55 am |
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Guest
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0tterbot wrote:
Quote: "0tterbot" <spl@t.com> wrote in message
news:b08Lh.12884$8U4.5243@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
the story so far:
i have a broody chook and my neighbour risked life and limb to get me two
fertile (we hope!!) eggs from under one of her broodies (an angry one .
they are due to hatch some time in the next few days but we don't know the
day. when we got the eggs they'd been sat on for "about" two weeks
already, & my broody was only sitting herself for one of those weeks, so
she might get a surprise ;-)
today's update is: one egg was cracking this morning. later in the morning
bunce was tapping it with her beak & talking to it. then, i had to go out
for the day.
when we all got back, the egg has _entirely disappeared_(!)
i am thinking that the chick didn't make it, & bunce has eaten it.
my other, more horrible, thought is that the chick might have made it, but
bunce ate it anyway. this is too horrible to think about, so i am going with
option a.
tbh, i was expecting perhaps a dead baby, but no egg at all & no trace of it
has kind of done my head in!!
the other egg is still there & is intact & she's sitting on it.
kylie
We had (have) a similar problem. Our first-time mother was sitting on 9
eggs at one stage, all her own eggs. Her eggs are very white.
Gradually there were fewer eggs, and then some of them were brown, so
hers were disappearing, but another hen was laying daily on the nest she
was sitting on. At one stage she started rolling some of the eggs into
another nest alongside, and sitting on the other nest, then went back to
the original nest, but every time we looked there were fewer eggs.
As the time for hatching came closer I started checking on a daily basis
(she's at the other house, not my house), and one day there were three
eggs left. The next there were two eggs and a piece of shell, and the
remaining eggs were brown. The next day there were THREE!!!
Two days after the expected hatching date I simply removed the remaining
eggs and we've taken the nest away. I did try to put my other two
remaining chicks under her, but they were too old. Now, as far as
predators go - we haven't seen any sign of any, and we've also had nests
full of eggs in the open field without eggs going missing. So I'm also
inclined to believe it has something to do with the hen herself.
Unfortunately we do not have runs and things to put hens in separately,
or proper nesting boxes that are apart from the other chickens - that's
my next project.
Catherine
--
== Not nuts, just a little eccentric ==
http://www.africanbush.co.za
African Bush Tours and Safaris |
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| Jill |
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:56 pm |
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pecan wrote:
Quote:
We had (have) a similar problem. Our first-time mother was sitting
on 9 eggs at one stage, all her own eggs. Her eggs are very white.
Gradually there were fewer eggs, and then some of them were brown, so
hers were disappearing, but another hen was laying daily on the nest
she was sitting on. At one stage she started rolling some of the
eggs into another nest alongside, and sitting on the other nest, then
went back to the original nest, but every time we looked there were
fewer eggs.
That is why there is a serious case for putting a broody on her own
- the original nest of eggs are impossible for the hen to care for properly
as she has too many to brood
- therefore 'her' eggs die - so she kicks them out so as not to contaminate
the others
- the new hens eggs are all starting at different times so will not brood
well and as any of the original clutch will hatch and the hen will leave the
nest the rest will be half started and nothing to raise them
It is better not to let a bird brood than start in circumstances when you
are really stacking the odds against you
--
regards
Jill Bowis
Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk |
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| a_l_p |
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:55 pm |
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pecan wrote:
Quote: Unfortunately we do not have runs and things to put hens in separately,
or proper nesting boxes that are apart from the other chickens - that's
my next project.
Catherine
Can you do something "intermediate technology-ish" like making a circle of stiff
netting, or cardboard from a big carton, or some spare flooring vinyl, and plonk
it over hen & nest when she starts sitting? A piece of netting over the top,
plastic over that to keep the rain off.... Holes high up and quite small if the
whole thing is made of a carton or vinyl.
A L P |
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| pecan |
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:52 am |
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a_l_p wrote:
Quote: pecan wrote:
Unfortunately we do not have runs and things to put hens in
separately, or proper nesting boxes that are apart from the other
chickens - that's my next project.
Catherine
Can you do something "intermediate technology-ish" like making a circle
of stiff netting, or cardboard from a big carton, or some spare flooring
vinyl, and plonk it over hen & nest when she starts sitting? A piece of
netting over the top, plastic over that to keep the rain off.... Holes
high up and quite small if the whole thing is made of a carton or vinyl.
A L P
Well, we didn't have any of these problems with the silkies, and our
original chickens don't get broody, so we were taken unawares. I have
taken the black chicken off the nest completely, and removed all eggs.
The hens have the run of the property, so the next hen we find actually
sitting, I'll remove her and her nest to a safe spot, which I will be
building in the next couple of weeks. At least - that worked with the
silkies. Otherwise it will mean, as you say, creating some sort of lid
for the nest, wherever it may be.
Catherine
--
== Not nuts, just a little eccentric ==
http://www.africanbush.co.za
African Bush Tours and Safaris |
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