Yesterday I noticed that Marigold seemed 'fat' near the vent area, which I was worried about. I did some reading up on tumours and didn't find much information. Today I was looking through some pics on my camera and found an old one I took the day before she laid her first egg. I looked up and saw Marigold and Skye mating! I know mating doesn't actually mean eggs, but just now I checked her vent. It looks pretty 'eggnant' ( I know they don't actually have pregnancies, that is just what I call it ). Also, she has been displaying some nesting habits, digging out the seed dish, chewing on things ect. What do you guys think? I hope it isn't a tumour as at the moment I have only $200 to my name ( Dad won't pay vet bills.) Other than this she seems pretty good, slightly overweight but poos are normal, she eats well and is pretty active. Also, what do I do if she does lay? Apart from remove the others?

 

 

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Edited August 12, 201014 yr by KAZ
photos werent edited to size before posting

"Eggnant" - I love it!!

 

As for what to do, I guess it depends on whether you want to breed more chicks or not. She only had the one round last time, right? So another round now wouln't hurt. But if you don't want her to, some suggestions are to remove anything she could see as nesting material, and switch around all the perches and toys to throw her off balance. Also to cover the cage more at night to shorten her daylight hours.

 

I wouldn't jump to the tumor conclusion. Unless, of course, it swells up abnormally. Right now I think it looks okay.

That's funny as Ratsy "Eggnant" - hope you don't mind if I start using your wonderful term!

 

Hens will often nest wherever and whenever THEY think they can and often the lack of a nest box won't stop them. If you can it would be best to separate her from her partner, although if she is far along on her "eggnancy" she may well complete the nest without him.

 

Certainly I wouldn't panic if she looks otherwise well and sometimes excess weight can make them look bulkier around the vent/rump too.

Thanks! So she probably is eggnant? I'm watching for an egg at the moment and trying to decide on whether I want her to have another clutch.

Good Things About Letting Her*

More birds ( lol )

Might get another green tailed chick ( Chubba Chubs has moulted out his old tail and the new one is just as green )

I will have enough room for them as I just have enough for another huge cage.

Maybe see if they are hiding other splits.

Opportunity to take more pics of the little ones.

Let her have a bigger family.

Show my parents I am responsible.

 

Bad Things*

Might have to pay vet bills.

Might lose birds.

Might have more bickering hens ( not that I mind, just I have heard horror stories of hens killing each other)

May have other breeding problems.

 

I'm still weighing it all up at the moment. Any thoughts?

yep buyt one breeding cage to breed them separate

and only do it if you can pre house or want more birds

also if your prepered to pay any costs

I don't think Nubbly or I actually said we think she is "eggnant" for sure. Just gave you some advice, in case.

 

My advice, if she is eggnant, is to make sure your parents are okay with it before going ahead, because last time, didn't thay make you sell some of the babies you wanted to keep? I think you either need a plan that you and your parents are both happy with, or else you should throw away any eggs that are laid.

 

I didn't know you were having hen-bickering issues. What is your hen to cock ratio? I think they will fight if there are not enough cocks to go around, and if there is not enough room.

 

If you are getting another huge cage, you could separate boys from girls, and avoid some of these issues, maybe. :angel:

Best of luck Ratzy with Marigolds 'eggnancy'. Maybe she is having a 'phantom eggnancy'. :angel: LOL

I'm willing to pay vet bills, I just hope I won't have to! I said 'if' eggnant. I will put the divider in the cage again then. I've spoken with my parents, they are fine with it because I will have enough room. I have 3 hens and 2 cocks. They don't really bicker that much, just when I have a treat for them or when Marigold is kicking all of the seed out of the bowl. She hasn't come out of breeding condition since December last year, maybe she is trying to tell me something? I have a massive clean out scheduled for today so I will set up then. I've just checked my supply box for everything I need. I have a...

nestbox

hand rearing formula ( in case )

Cuttlefish bone

nesting material

A box to put any chicks in while cleaning the box

seed

millet sprays

night light

syringe

money

hospital cage ( in case Marigold gets eggbound ).

 

I have space for any chicks. I have just wormed them, they aren't about to go into a moult, they are all pretty healthy.

Anything else? I am going to get some egg & biscuit mix and look at some toys for them. No egg has appeared but a few large poos. When Marigold laid her clutch, about 4 days before she laid she tarted looking eggnant.

I'm willing to pay vet bills, I just hope I won't have to! I said 'if' eggnant. I will put the divider in the cage again then. I've spoken with my parents, they are fine with it because I will have enough room. I have 3 hens and 2 cocks. They don't really bicker that much, just when I have a treat for them or when Marigold is kicking all of the seed out of the bowl. She hasn't come out of breeding condition since December last year, maybe she is trying to tell me something? I have a massive clean out scheduled for today so I will set up then. I've just checked my supply box for everything I need. I have a...

nestbox

hand rearing formula ( in case )

Cuttlefish bone

nesting material

A box to put any chicks in while cleaning the box

seed

millet sprays

night light

syringe

money

hospital cage ( in case Marigold gets eggbound ).

 

I have space for any chicks. I have just wormed them, they aren't about to go into a moult, they are all pretty healthy.

Anything else? I am going to get some egg & biscuit mix and look at some toys for them. No egg has appeared but a few large poos. When Marigold laid her clutch, about 4 days before she laid she tarted looking eggnant.

iodine and calcium bell cuttle bone is not enough

also a bird can not stay in breeding condition that long they need to molt maybe she looks like she is this is a big mistake lots make thinking birds are in condition as they look it

i just said that somewhere else

but im sure if you put her in with her mate and a box you would find out very soon if she is

good luck with it if you go ahead

dont forget the extra veg

Oops, my mistake! She came out of breeding condition about 2 months ago, when she was moulting. Thanks for the good luck! She is mating and checking out the box. I've just done the veg and fruit, I put in some hard boiled egg as well. They have a millet spray and cuttlefish bone, what other calcium supplies would you recommend? Her poos are massive compared to Skye's, which makes me think she would have laid anyway. I will just get some pics of my set up, see what you think. I can see everything from the kitchen and from the computer room, without them seeing me. I'm using a different sort of nest box this round.

Oops, my mistake! She came out of breeding condition about 2 months ago, when she was moulting. Thanks for the good luck! She is mating and checking out the box. I've just done the veg and fruit, I put in some hard boiled egg as well. They have a millet spray and cuttlefish bone, what other calcium supplies would you recommend? Her poos are massive compared to Skye's, which makes me think she would have laid anyway. I will just get some pics of my set up, see what you think. I can see everything from the kitchen and from the computer room, without them seeing me. I'm using a different sort of nest box this round.

well id just mash the egg with a weetbixs and grate a carrot that's what i do was recommended to me and is so easy and good for them

id be feeding either silver beet or spinach every day can just buy a small bag of it small spinach leaves and keep in fridge

they last me two weeks

just give two or three every day

most important fresh water daily

Thanks! So... egg and weet-bix? Carrot, silver beet and spinach? I'll have a look for those. I'll have some pics uploaded by tomorrow!

Thanks! So... egg and weet-bix? Carrot, silver beet and spinach? I'll have a look for those. I'll have some pics uploaded by tomorrow!

just one or the other i prefer spiniach as i said comes pre packed and lasts longer i find but i use silver beet in flights i just leave it stand in a cold place in a bucket of water add a touch of salt

if it goes brown stalks or yellow youve put to much salt

oh and yes mix the weet bix and egg shell in all with grated carrot

Edited August 14, 201014 yr by GenericBlue

Thanks!

Sounds like you should be starting another breeding journal soon enough, eh Ratzy?

Maybe! Marigold has laid an egg, like I said! Only.... off the perch, not in the nest box. It is in a container of seed at the moment, waiting for an egg to be laid in the nest box. Is that right? It hasn't been sat on, so it hasn't started developing. I've read that if you put the egg in the box straight away the hen will clean it out? She's checking out the box now! I'll wait until things get back on track before I make a breeding journal.