Sufficient Self members with Poultry!

[Dreamz]

I think I lost my first bird today. Jlo hatched on july 2nd. Could not find her. Hopefully she will turn up tomorrow.

 

[Dreamz]

Praise God! She was on a tree close to the chicken house. She has never been happy to see me but I thing she did this morning as the day broke.

 

[farmerjan]

Amazingly wonderful to find a "lost bird". I had a leghorn pullet disappear 2 weeks ago. Was sure she was "gotten" by something. Her mate, a young leghorn cockerel, has learned to stick with the 2 lt brahma pullets and even will run into the crate at night when I go to put them in. Well, I heard a chicken cackling this morning and didn't think it was the ones in the crate when I went to let them out into the greenhouse shelter. Lo and behold, here comes that wild leghorn pullet out and around the shelter and so I opened the "door" to the shelter and let the 3 out hoping they would reunite and the pullet would follow them in later. I got the 2 brahma pullets back in, put in the crate early, but the pair would not go. So I just went out and the cockerel had gone into the shelter and wanted to run in the crate but I had it shut. Pullet is no where to be seen. So I opened the crate, the brahma's came out and got some food and water and then the cockerel ran into the crate and I got the brahma's in with him. Looked in trees but there is alot of under brush and I don't see her. Maybe she will get with the program and come in with him after a few days of trying. I will let them out in the afternoons I am home and hope that she will get smart before she becomes owl, coon, possum, hawk , or coyote bait.

 

[Finnie]

I’m glad to hear she came back

 

[farmerjan]

Crazy buff leghorn pullet came out again today with the 3, I let out loose. This afternoon about 5, I went out to see where they are, the leghorn cockerel is in the shelter by himself. Had to go roust out the 2 brahma pullets from the scrubby undergrowth behind the shelter and they went around and came in, but no sign of the buff pullet. Looked in the trees and all but it is thick and with her color is blending in real well with the changing leaves. So I got the 3 back in the crate for the night and she will have to be on her own for the next couple of days. I will be testing cows and home each night after dark and am not going out to find chickens in the dark... so they will stay closed in the shelter and then I will only have to crate them when I get home. The crate is for their protection since a predator can get into the shelter from under it if they want to. Can't get into the big plastic type dog crates I have in there for their night time safety.
Maybe when I let them back out loose over the weekend she will want to stick around closer to them? She is really really flighty... and sticks to the undergrowth around the trees and such so can't even try to use a net to catch her up and at this point no sense in getting her nuttier than she is. And she is far superior in type than the male.... Of course it couldn't be him that was the better bird.....

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

broody hen had 3 eggs kicked out of nest this morning when I opened the coop--ice cold and 2 were cracked. I opened them up-two looked like saddled/detached air sacs...the 3rd was severely underdeveloped for day 18.

candled the remaining 3 and all were wiggling. Hopefully they make it the last few days....

 

[tortoise]

broody hen had 3 eggs kicked out of nest this morning when I opened the coop--ice cold and 2 were cracked. I opened them up-two looked like saddled/detached air sacs...the 3rd was severely underdeveloped for day 18.

candled the remaining 3 and all were wiggling. Hopefully they make it the last few days....

 

[Dreamz]

You

broody hen had 3 eggs kicked out of nest this morning when I opened the coop--ice cold and 2 were cracked. I opened them up-two looked like saddled/detached air sacs...the 3rd was severely underdeveloped for day 18.

candled the remaining 3 and all were wiggling. Hopefully they make it the last few days....

You probably have an incubator to keep them going. I have heard so many broody hens that don't finish Glad my tiny sebright did good, way beyond.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

You

You probably have an incubator to keep them going. I have heard so many broody hens that don't finish Glad my tiny sebright did good, way beyond.

My leghorn finished strong and this girl, a Brahma, isn't 'not finishing' she is just kicking out dead eggs (or at least that is what I am seeing). She is still actively sitting, clucking and making dinosaur noises anytime we open the door or another chicken goes in.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Today might just be hatch day! 2 external pips and cheeps 3rd egg had lots of movement when candled but no external pip yet.