- Thread starter
- #81
freemotion
Food Guru
Well, she abandoned that lone egg and started another nest nearby. I was watching the one egg and didn't see the others until a few days ago, when she was up to six eggs. Yesterday she was up to seven, and this morning she did not come for breakfast....she was on the eggs.
I went to check on her later and found that her spot was going to be in the hot sun for the majority of the day, and at the times when the sun was at its hottest. She was already in distress when I discovered this, panting open-beaked. So dh and I set up her wooden nest box in the broody pen, in the shade of a maple and a walnut, and under the small hoophouse, covered with a tarp. No sun will hit her nest now.
We went out to the pasture to get her....dh with a small pail lined with hay for her eggs, and me with a large bath towel to wrap her in should she struggle too much for me to carry her all the way across the pasture, through the paddock gates, across the yard, through the gate into the broody pen, and into the hoophouse.
I reached for her and she bolted, but I caught her wings and she only broke one egg in the struggle. I had to grab her legs and get her upside down so she would go limp. I did not want to carry her this way, but it was working, so I supported her weight with my other arm so as not to injure her legs.
We got her in, and she struggled again as I was putting her in the hoophouse. When I left her, she was just lying on the ground in front of the nestbox, wings slightly spread, panting. I decided to walk away and let her settle for an hour or two. She may have a sore hock from the struggle, but I am sure she is uninjured. DH was concerned, but I felt the pressure I put on her, and it was not much at all. I let my hand go with her movement as much as possible so as not to injure her, but without letting her get away until she was where I wanted her, safe and sound.
Then I got to thinking.....how viable will those eggs be, since they were sitting in the sun every day, some for over a week? Is it worth letting her remain on them? I am thinking that if she stays broody, I will stuff the nest with chicken eggs again, and the tom can't smoosh anyone because he cannot get into this pen. If I leave her eggs with her, I will add the chicken eggs in a week to make up for the hatching date difference.
Waddaya think?
I went to check on her later and found that her spot was going to be in the hot sun for the majority of the day, and at the times when the sun was at its hottest. She was already in distress when I discovered this, panting open-beaked. So dh and I set up her wooden nest box in the broody pen, in the shade of a maple and a walnut, and under the small hoophouse, covered with a tarp. No sun will hit her nest now.
We went out to the pasture to get her....dh with a small pail lined with hay for her eggs, and me with a large bath towel to wrap her in should she struggle too much for me to carry her all the way across the pasture, through the paddock gates, across the yard, through the gate into the broody pen, and into the hoophouse.
I reached for her and she bolted, but I caught her wings and she only broke one egg in the struggle. I had to grab her legs and get her upside down so she would go limp. I did not want to carry her this way, but it was working, so I supported her weight with my other arm so as not to injure her legs.
We got her in, and she struggled again as I was putting her in the hoophouse. When I left her, she was just lying on the ground in front of the nestbox, wings slightly spread, panting. I decided to walk away and let her settle for an hour or two. She may have a sore hock from the struggle, but I am sure she is uninjured. DH was concerned, but I felt the pressure I put on her, and it was not much at all. I let my hand go with her movement as much as possible so as not to injure her, but without letting her get away until she was where I wanted her, safe and sound.
Then I got to thinking.....how viable will those eggs be, since they were sitting in the sun every day, some for over a week? Is it worth letting her remain on them? I am thinking that if she stays broody, I will stuff the nest with chicken eggs again, and the tom can't smoosh anyone because he cannot get into this pen. If I leave her eggs with her, I will add the chicken eggs in a week to make up for the hatching date difference.
Waddaya think?
Sounds like you have a good momma there. I can't wait to see what hatches. Did you leave the turkey eggs in as well or just the chicken?
