[NormandyMary]

The Saturday before last, I lost 4 chooks and 1 cockerel to (I think) foxes. Another 2 chooks were injured, as was Monty my eldest cockerel. I nursed the poorly chooks back to health within a week, and then last Saturday, foxy returned, beheaded the injured Sussex, and took away the red. I found Monty sitting quietly in the field, then realised that he was dripping with blood from another gash on his back. I carried him to the henhouse and put him next to broody, his other favourite hen. (The dead sussex was his girlfriend).He has made a recovery of sorts, but is now a shadow of his former self. He wont leave the henhouse, looks very sad, and to add insult to injury, Ive had to move his  other girlfriend to the maternity unit. Ive been tempting him with his favourite foods, apple banana and my home made fruit cake, he doesnt seem interested in grain. I still have 2 chooks left who are keeping an eye on him, but I wonder if there is anything else I can do. I visit him every hour or so and talk to him, but dont know what else to do. Any advice gratefully received

[Jeanette]

I am so sorry to read about your cockerel. I am afraid i cant help but it sounds as if you are doing everything that can be done. When a fox got my girls there was only one left alive and like your cockerel seemed very depressed for a while but with lots of love and time she was fine so i am sure your boy will be ok.

[cornishgirl]

I wouldn't leave him on his own - put him with others, even in the "maternity unit" as cocks seem to suffer more stress than hens - and keeping him alone will feel like abadonment. Visitin hourly is fine, but your not a hen..... sorry re your fox attack...

[NormandyMary]

My 2 other chooks look after him in the hen house, they seem to fuss over him quite a bit, is it safe to put Monty in the maternity unit with the eggs due to hatch in a few days?

[Pretty Chick]

is it safe to put Monty in the maternity unit with the eggs due to hatch in a few days?

I'm not sure, we put our cockerel in one of the hen houses with one of the broodies at night so he has some company, but a few days ago I found the egg broody Rosie is sitting on was slightly cracked on day 15 (you've probably read that topic of mine).
Yokey the cockerel is an orpington and Rosie a pekin bantam, so possibly Yokey shoved her around a bit and knocked the egg resulting in it cracking.
Having said that, I didn't discard the egg, but candled it to see what was happening inside and found that it's definitely still alive.

It's up to you if you want to take that chance.
I hope Monty gets back to his normal self. That naughty fox  .

Good luck  

[NormandyMary]

Broody decided for herself that nursing Monty back to health took precedent over her 4 eggs. She left her hutch and went into the main house and plonked herself next to Mont. Ive now transferred her eggs back to her in the main house, and will just have to take each day as it comes. Last time, they hatched in there, we'll just have to see. Mind you Im wondering now if Ill get any as she did leave the alone for about an hour this morning, so mybe she realises that none of them are viable. I havent candled, as I wouldnt know where to start.
To be honest though Mont is my priority, I hope she manages to pull him trough. I gave him  a lovely stroke this morning, something Ive neve done before in case he went for me. He really seemed to enjoy that!!

[joyfull]

last year one of my broodies was off her eggs for a couple of hours when the door closed and I was out - most of the eggs still hatched so you never know 

[wildwitchy]

I hope he feels better soon.  What a shame for him. I love my adolf the cockerel.

[NormandyMary]

Sorry to bore you all, but I think we have finally turned the corner with Monty. He has spent a lot of time standing up straight today, and twice has made the trip to the food bowl and had a good nosh, just grain, pellets and crushed corn that the girlies have. He's also had some apple and banana. He has also drunk a lot of water, I was so worried about him dehydrating in this terrible heat. He has done a lot more walking (well, stomping, he's so huge he stomps and the floor shakes ha ha!), and Im really hoping that I can get him outside tomorrow.

[Pretty Chick]

That's great Mary, I'm so glad he's feeling better  :happy: .

How are the eggs that are/were due around today getting on? Have any hatched yet?

[Pretty Chick]

Oh, I've just seen in another topic you've put 'a big fat zero'  .   When is/was it day 21 of incubation?

[NormandyMary]

I let them got to 23 days, infact, 2 days ago, she discarded 2 eggs herself, they were pushed out from under her. As I threw them away, one exploded. When I went to check her again the folowing day and there was only one marked egg under her. Heaven only knows what happened to the missing one! I listend and watched the remaining egg for ages and decided that there were no signs of life. Now Im having to turf broody out of the henhouse many times a day, and Im hoping that it will tempt Monty out too.

Now where was that internet site for incubators?!