Post by Rachael Kellett on Aug 23, 2012 12:40:01 GMT
I have a breeding pair who are successfully rearing six babies. The youngest is 24 days old today, the oldest is 35 days old. I checked on them yesterday afternoon to find that the hen had laid an egg!
I don't want them to go another round and I am worried about the hen attacking the chicks when she has laid a second egg and starts sitting on them. She hasn't shown any signs of aggression yet but I don't want to risk it.
Barrie has given me advice on facebook, as has Gaile, but I just wanted to clarify a few questions I have. He has told me to remove the eggs and replace with marbles (I don't have any dummy eggs) Wait until the youngest chick is 28 days old then remove the nestbox and the hen from the cage.
My questions are: If, at 28 days old I remove the nestbox can I leave the hen with them if she has shown no signs of aggression or will she want to continue laying eggs even with no box?
When removing the hen I know I've not to put her straight back into the flight, Barrie said I have to "get their body temperature lowered" Can someone explain this to me please, and what the hen will need nutrition wise before she is okay to go back into the main flight.
If I do have to separate the hen from the cock and chicks will I be okay to move them to another cage? I've ordered a wire cage for them, and leave the hen on her own in the breeding cage for a week?
I don't want them to go another round and I am worried about the hen attacking the chicks when she has laid a second egg and starts sitting on them. She hasn't shown any signs of aggression yet but I don't want to risk it.
Barrie has given me advice on facebook, as has Gaile, but I just wanted to clarify a few questions I have. He has told me to remove the eggs and replace with marbles (I don't have any dummy eggs) Wait until the youngest chick is 28 days old then remove the nestbox and the hen from the cage.
My questions are: If, at 28 days old I remove the nestbox can I leave the hen with them if she has shown no signs of aggression or will she want to continue laying eggs even with no box?
When removing the hen I know I've not to put her straight back into the flight, Barrie said I have to "get their body temperature lowered" Can someone explain this to me please, and what the hen will need nutrition wise before she is okay to go back into the main flight.
If I do have to separate the hen from the cock and chicks will I be okay to move them to another cage? I've ordered a wire cage for them, and leave the hen on her own in the breeding cage for a week?
As you know, I am not as experienced with breeding as others, but one of my breeding females had 1 chick in the nest still when she started laying eggs again (she layed 7 fertile eggs) I think it was too stressful on her because 5 days before the first was supposed to hatch, she died in the box 
I think it was my fault 
.
I'm going to take it out and replace it with a marble today. Its very unlikely its fertile anyway because out of six eggs last two only two hatched.