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Post by 4pygmies on Jul 8, 2008 6:58:19 GMT 1
Oh dear..................poor Jessie...but it sounds like Pearl has had enough...Debidoos knows how she feels too! It's always very hit and miss with bought eggs though isn't it? Better luck next time!
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Post by debbiem on Jul 8, 2008 7:08:35 GMT 1
Thanks - I'll put her on the eggs one more time. I think Pearl's gunning for me already!
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Post by 4pygmies on Jul 8, 2008 7:12:30 GMT 1
You better watch it then - an angry chicken looks very reptilian and can be dangerous you know..........got any cricket shin pads you could wear until she forgets....?  |
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Post by emseypop on Jul 8, 2008 17:46:09 GMT 1
At least you'll be all set with the maternity wing (pardon the pun) when your next lady gets broody, mind you don't count your chickens, you never know, it may happen yet?
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 8, 2008 20:12:32 GMT 1
maybe it was a phantom pregnancy....
sad that no baby chicks arrived...maybe next time you could source the eggs locally? is there anyone nearby who would sell you a fewl fertile eggs?
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Post by debbiem on Jul 9, 2008 9:54:07 GMT 1
The eggs are now underneath her back in the main HH and you're right Emsey, at least we have the bijou maternity hospital ready for whenever and whoever!
That's a good idea Cheery, investigating getting some more locally - it makes much more sense all round.
You hear of people though buying some free range eggs say from Waitrose and getting them to hatch....it's fun and intriguing getting them from eBay but no fun later on with disappointed children.
We've also lost one of the eggs - I have no idea where it went or who had that!
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Post by emseypop on Jul 9, 2008 10:01:44 GMT 1
We've also lost one of the eggs - I have no idea where it went or who had that! Wow thats odd! I wonder if it hatched and wandered off! The kids can look forward to next time anyway. |
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Post by debbiem on Jul 10, 2008 9:21:51 GMT 1
I'm beginning to think it hatched alright Emsey but..............ugh........this morning I went to check on Pearl and saw her eating some bedding with blood all over it - attached to the bedding was a dead chick. I can't say for sure but I think Pearl was on her way to eating that too. It was a huge golden chick - maybe the colour made her turn on it?
Could the others have done it like 4P suggested?
SOD'S law it had to hatch just as we had given up hope and transferred her and eggs back into the main HH.
I think remaining 4 eggs and Pearl are going to be put back in the nursery if they stand any chance at all.
Is this the fate for the other four if they hatch?
How do I tell Jessie? Probably best to tell her just as it is, but gently...........
Any advice chicken peeps pleeeeeeeeese!
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Post by debbiem on Jul 10, 2008 9:40:13 GMT 1
I haven't got a heat lamp - I'll just keep an eye on things.
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Post by emseypop on Jul 10, 2008 10:01:19 GMT 1
Ohhh what a shame Mrs B Its the last thing you expect to happen isn't it! I think Jessie should know whats happened. I think I'd have a go at bringing them indoors and taking a chance on hatching them away from Pearl. What will you do if you do get some chicks, it'll be hard going introducing them to the rest of the flok.
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Post by debbiem on Jul 10, 2008 10:16:54 GMT 1
I'm going to keep them with Pearl - looking at the dead chick it doesn't look right, I'll have a closer look later when my squeamish levels go back up but maybe there was something wrong with it - it certainly didn't smell right for a newly hatched chick. She's still sitting on the others and protesting when I come along and interfere. We'll see what Mother Nature decrees.
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Post by floweringcherry on Jul 10, 2008 16:17:46 GMT 1
What a shame  |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 10, 2008 19:16:57 GMT 1
have you got a heated propagator? with a bit of sand in the bottom and some soft straw it might be OK as an incubator? especially if it has vents in it...just a thought....
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Post by 4pygmies on Jul 11, 2008 9:26:23 GMT 1
Any news Debbie?
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Post by debbiem on Jul 11, 2008 9:35:49 GMT 1
Last night Jessie and I decided to test the 4 remaining eggs - apparently if they're viable they float in warm water and if not they sink. All 4 floated.  We then tested our normal unfertilized eggs and they all sank! It all looked very conclusive so(poor Pearl) we put the eggs and Pearl back into the small HH. This morning I let her out to eat and do her ablutions, next minute she's back in the main HH.  So the eggs went back in there under her. I put them in front of her and she scooped them back underneath.....I hope all our interest and fiddling and interferinfg isn't making it all go wrong! Jessie's really excited again but I don't think they'll hatch somehow..... She didn't want to see the dead chick, the poor thing's a really gruesome sight but on looking at it I don't think, I know I'm no expert, that it hatched as a fully developed chick - it just doesn't look right so maybe Pearl knew that? Oooo, I dunno...... Cheery that's a great idea but we don't even have a propagator, and as Jessie and I discussed last night, if we were to hatch them ourselves what would we do next? We would probably have to rear them ourselves away from the other hens and at some point they would have to be introduced into the flock and I think that would be a disaster! |
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Post by debbiem on Jul 11, 2008 10:42:52 GMT 1
 A new species of chicken has moved into the bijou nursey; Maybe I'll try the eggs under her?   |
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Post by Sleepy on Jul 11, 2008 10:47:46 GMT 1
Oh! she's soooooo gorgeous ;D
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Post by emseypop on Jul 11, 2008 10:52:48 GMT 1
A new species of chicken has moved into the bijou nursey; Maybe I'll try the eggs under her? Aww she looks just like a cat that lives down the road, she always greets the children on the way to and from school, we call her smudge, there's also teapot, trois, and ossinge cat  |
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Post by debbiem on Jul 18, 2008 10:48:27 GMT 1
I think Jessie and I have given up - but Pearl's still sitting there like a good'un.
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Post by 4pygmies on Jul 18, 2008 15:04:29 GMT 1
 What a shame but if Pearl's still there it might still happen.....
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 18, 2008 17:21:26 GMT 1
praps its a tyranosaurus egg......
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Post by debbiem on Jul 24, 2008 8:10:00 GMT 1
You could be right Cheery! ;D This was taken yesterday - there's no sign whatsoever of her throwing in the towel...  |
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Post by debbiem on Jul 25, 2008 8:29:58 GMT 1
I don't know, but I would've thought so. I'm still having to drag her out to eat something, which I only do if there are some nice leftovers around so she gets some. I think we'll have to make a decision soon..... |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jul 25, 2008 18:27:53 GMT 1
is there anyone you get some advice from Debbie...I have visions of the egg going rotten and exploding or sommat...not v nice for Pearl (or you)
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Post by debbiem on Aug 4, 2008 10:01:03 GMT 1
Well, we gave it a go, and although the eggs seemed perfectly fine and unsmelly we threw in the towel yesterday and all agreed it was far too long now and they were never going to hatch. So they're now residing in the brown wheelie and the henhouse has had its first good clean out for ages. BUT she's STILL broody but coming out to eat a bit more often - she had a right screech at me yesterday though evicting her while I did the deed!
I've promised Jessie we'll have another go - but at another time.
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What a shame but if Pearl's still there it might still happen.....