First off.. Hi all! My First post here.

 

I have a smallish (not too small) outdoor avery with 2 pairs (Green and Blue cock and yellow hen and then a blue cock and white hen)

 

I have 2 breeding boxes attached to the side of the avery and both are being used well with no fighting... however....

 

The yellow hen (sorry they don't have names) has laid 3 clutches of 5 eggs, only to sit on them for approx 2 weeks and then throws them out.... I can't understand why, the eggs are firm, they develop well and then she decides not to hatch them. I've tried diet change, there's no mice or roaches, she just won't do it.

 

That's my first question.

 

Second... my white hen has succesfully hatched 2 eggs from her clutch of 3 (first clutch ever) 4 weeks ago. Baby number 1 is a beautiful white and grey. He is fully feathered so I have taken him out of the nexting box and I'm hand feeding him because my Mum is going to take him as a pet. I have plenty of experiance with hand feeding (used to do it with my peach faces), but I am wondering if he should be starting on seed already? He'll be 4 weeks tomorrow.

Also, second baby from this clutch hatched 2 days later (Blue) however he seems so far behind with feathers, he's not patchy, they just don't grow as fast as the first. Is this normal? This is also the reason I have left him in the box with Mum, hoping she gives him extra attention now.

 

I know that all this info is probably on the site somewhere, and I have been searching a bit, but I was hoping to get some info from someone with the same problems.

 

Thanks heaps,

Marlo.

Edited April 10, 200817 yr by Marlo

Hi Marlo,

l do not know much about breeding but l'm sure that the more experienced breeders will help you out with your questions.

l just wanted to pop in and to tell you, welcome to the forums

Hi Marlo and welcome ....

 

I am sure by the sounds of it the First hen she is young ?? How old is she??? she could just be taking up the nestbox so the other hen can not use it ...

Happens some time with open breeding ....

Quite suprise that there hasn't yet been any fights .... My went like cats and dogs ...

 

QUESTION 3 CLUTCHES OF 5 EGGS - WHEN WERE THE 3 CLUTCHES 1 after the other??

 

Second one ... This has happend with my just recently ... There could be a few things that causes this ....How is the feeding going is this bub Full??? you may need to top it up I did for about 4 days and they he picked up . Feed you breeders a rich healthy diet full of GREENS ( no spinish ), calcium, and vitiams bubs should perk up soon ...

 

 

This is jut my opinion though , there will be other breeders to give you advice too ... All the best

Hi Marlo and welcome ....

 

I am sure by the sounds of it the First hen she is young ?? How old is she??? she could just be taking up the nestbox so the other hen can not use it ...

Happens some time with open breeding ....

Quite suprise that there hasn't yet been any fights .... My went like cats and dogs ...

 

QUESTION 3 CLUTCHES OF 5 EGGS - WHEN WERE THE 3 CLUTCHES 1 after the other??

 

Second one ... This has happend with my just recently ... There could be a few things that causes this ....How is the feeding going is this bub Full??? you may need to top it up I did for about 4 days and they he picked up . Feed you breeders a rich healthy diet full of GREENS ( no spinish ), calcium, and vitiams bubs should perk up soon ...

 

 

This is jut my opinion though , there will be other breeders to give you advice too ... All the best

 

3 clutches... within the space of 3 months... every egg she laid was fertile (I checked), she is the older hen that I got as a gift off a friend and she is approx 3 years old, has laid with no problems before...

My white hen with babies is happy in the other box and this was her first clutch, she's not even 1 yet!

 

Will try with MORE greens, though they have their breed and milk and boiled egg mix aswell.

3 clutches... within the space of 3 months... every egg she laid was fertile (I checked), she is the older hen that I got as a gift off a friend and she is approx 3 years old, has laid with no problems before...

My white hen with babies is happy in the other box and this was her first clutch, she's not even 1 yet!

 

Will try with MORE greens, though they have their breed and milk and boiled egg mix aswell.

 

Your hen is too young. I would hand raise both babies, especially as you say you are experienced in rasing baby birds, and recommend you remove the two nest boxes. A hen that breeds under 12 months of age is only a baby herself and dosen't know what she is doing, (like a 9 year old girl) not to mention the health risks to heself and the chicks.

 

When the hen is old enough, she should breed much better

Edited April 10, 200817 yr by **Liv**

I agree with Liv. A hen under 1 year old SHOULD NOT be breeding! She should not have access to breeding boxes or anything similar. The hen who has laid 3 clutches in 3 months, this is also not good. You should only let them lay two clutches in a row... no more. This is bad for their health. I'm not sure why she's not sitting on them. Is she is breeding condition? Maybe she just doesn't want to have young? Just because she mated and layed eggs, doesn't mean she'll hatch them...

 

I'd also agree with Liv on removing the nest boxes... atleast until the young hen is old enough. In the mean time, feed them plenty of greens and add some liquid calcium to their seed/water. This will help them BOTH get over their recent breeding situation. Good luck and please keep us updated.

A hen who isnt well enough or not up to the task of raising babies will not fulfill her duties by successfully sitting on eggs or fully raising the chicks. Time the nestboxes were removed....for the tired 3 yr old hens sake and for the sake of a hen breeding too young.

Edited April 10, 200817 yr by KAZ

welcome to the forum.

 

I have to agree with the others. 3 clutches in 3 months will wear a hen out thats probably why she isn't sitting on them. Your other hen is to young. While many books out there will say its possible to breed earlier you usually find that these books were published along time ago. Most new books say breed after 1 y.o. . Thats both Hen and Cocks. I would take the nestboxes out.

Well... baby number 2 is doing well now that he is the only one in the box... will give him another week before I take him out... Mum hen seems to be doing fine.

 

Older hen... maybe she is past her 'prime' and I will close off her box.

 

Thank you for all your input.

 

Baby number one doing great too... when I get a chance will post some photo's.

Be carefl closing off boxes, it may result in competition for the remaining box and you may end up with serious problems including a dead chick. If you want to leave the baby with mum for the moment it would be best to move them in to another cage or put the other pair in a seperate cage.

Melbourne is right .... removing the nest box will cause havoc and Kaos with fighting over the 1 nestbox in here .... Remove the hen that isn't rasing chicks and put her into another cage until the other hen has finished raising , ALSO TAKE NOTE that when the chick are close to fledging she will start another clutch this is WHEN YOU REMOVE HER AND LET DAD RAISE THE CHICKS UNTIL THEY CANEATE SEED ON THEIR OWN ......