broody hens and thunder storms

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by teela, Dec 20, 2005.

  1. teela

    teela Junior Member

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    Hi, was wondering if anyone out there has had problems with broody hens that are sitting on eggs during thunderstorms. I have heard the old wives tale that eggs will not hatch after a thunderstorm but I never believed it.......until now.
    This year we've had a thundery tropical start to our usual hot dry summer. To start with I had a hen on Plymouth Rock eggs, then while she was sitting we had a thunderstorm and none hatched. We tried again a few weeks later, this time 2 hens on Plymouth Rock cross eggs.....again a thunderstorm and none of the eggs hatched.
    This is getting really frustrating, usually by this time of year we have 15 or 20 young ones running around the place. At this rate I wont have any young layers for next year.
    I was wondering if this would also happen if the eggs were in a incubator? and WHY does it happen?
    Another request.........and I know there arn't many south aussies out there but if theres anyone in SA who has some Plymouth Rock hens they wish to sell, giveaway, whatever, let me know. My daughter really wants to start breeding them and showing them. At this stage we just have the PM roosters.
     
  2. teela

    teela Junior Member

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    chooks

    Hi RF, Yep they are sheltered, we actually obtained an old rainwater tank, cut it in half and put some wire over the top to keep out any stray cats or foxes. This we had hoped would keep out the snakes, whom eat a few of our chicks each year.
    So its not the rain but we think its the actual thunder that causes it.....and yes the hens sit constantly.
    Its a phenonunum!!!!!
     
  3. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Just a passing thought:

    I wonder if the sound of the thunder echoes or multiples within the metal tank?

    (Visualizing tiny chook earmuffs...)

    Sue
     
  4. teela

    teela Junior Member

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    broody hens

    Thanx Sue....Something I hadn't considered!
     
  5. Tamandco

    Tamandco Junior Member

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    Can't say I've ever found thunder storms to affect the hatch rates. Even had the incubator off for 16 hours after a thunderstorm>blackout and 11 out of 12 of the eggs still hatched!
     
  6. teela

    teela Junior Member

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    broody hens

    Hi, thought I'd drag this back up to the top of the list to give you the latest news.
    Chicks at last!!! I gave up the idea of the old rainwater tank and let the girls go broody where ever took their fancy, and they've made some weird places their nesting sites, in an old tractor tyre, behind the shadehouse (where its really too hot and not a place I would have chosen, but then again I aint a hen) and in amongst some thick asparagus. Despite a few thunderstorms we've had 11 hatch, so now at last I have some chicks to carry on next year. Perhaps sues theory about the vibrations was right.
    We've had some rotten 40+ days here, one day it got to 46 but despite this heat no chook losses.
    Hows everyone elses chooks coping in the hot weather?
     

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