"Tilly" update

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Yvonne

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Tilly still hasn't laid a single egg :? So when my farrier came, he has an incy so gave him 6 eggs, haven't heard from him yet, BUT, in the meantime one of our chooks went broody so out of curiosity as we weren't expecting anything, my OH put two eggs under her. A second hen has now gone broody so they have an egg each now as she pinched one. That was 2 weeks or so ago apparently. Yesterday OH picked one up and said it didn't appear addled and felt heavier so last night candled it. He is pretty certain as there was a large black blob in both with movement to one side that we could have babies. If this is the case and they hatch gives us a problem, what to do with them and where to put them. It is a good job Ellie stopped laying double yolkers, TWINS :D

If they hatch, I assume that they won't be able to stay with the hen, at least not in the chicken house. Will the other hens kill them? If so when would be the best time to remove eggs/goslings/hen(s). The goose house isn't big enough so they would need new house anyway. I don't have a heat lamp so will need to try and borrow one. Oh well, still have two weeks.
 
I had a quick look last night. We used a torch about an inch in diameter and a toilet roll as we haven't a proper one so hope they are ok. Tried not to do it for too long. Definately goslings moving around. Saw what looked like the eye and head. As it gets nearer to hatch time do I need to do anything like wetting the eggs or will the chook be okay being left to her own devices?

Excited now I have got used to the idea although calling Tilly "he" is a bit strange even though I have suspected it for a long time.
 
:-)01 OH has just had a look at the 2 eggs. They are due to hatch any day now and one has a small crack so fingers crossed they will hatch out ok. Haven't done anything to them just left the chook to it. If they hatch out will try and post some pics.
 
:-)08 We have one gosling. It is soooo cute. The other one isn't far behind. Pics to follow shortly, hopefully.
 
These are pics of the first gosling. Hopefully I have done it right. There are now two cracks in the second egg so hopefully will hatch tomorrow
 

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Hi,
Thank you. Sadly and regrettably, we stuffed up and that little gosling died. We left it in the chicken house with the 2 broody hens and the 2nd hatching egg with the intention of, once the 2nd had hatched, removing the 2 goslings with the black rock hen. Having been told not to move the hens once they were sitting left them in the nest box. Went in yesterday morning and found it on the floor. Sadly, dead. What happened, I don't know, whether it was pushed out, or accidently somehow fell out.
I was gutted and knowing the second egg was due to hatch went and bought a heat lamp. We made a brooder out of half an oil barrel with some chicken wire on top and as soon as it hatched and partly fluffed, took it out. So far it is doing well. A lesson learnt the hard way :(

Had only ever used our Muscovy for hatching ducks and hadn't hatched anything with these hens before. If we do again will make sure to remove them.
 

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:-)09 oh well... It could have gone the other way and gone right... It just didn't. No fault of yours ... we are just the gods playthings, :-)05 :-)02 imho. The new one looks great and your trio are impressive also :-)17
 
Hi Rebelodicus

Thank you. It has started eating and drinking so hopefully it will do just fine. It seems a bit lonely on it's own, will see if I can get another one about the same age.
 
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