Recent content by hentown

Please post pictures! One of these ducklings has gotten so large it is as big or bigger than the Pekins! They stay side by side all day, just like their Moms did while hatching and raising them early on. Great ducks!

I have 2 Muscovy hens. One is chocolate and one is violet. They collected about 12 eggs, and sat together on the eggs for a month. They were very diligent. I now have two gorgeous crosses - one named Penguin and one named Brownie. The chocolate has already started a new batch of eggs - can’t...

I have many different ages in my flock, and generally keep chicks separate until they are at least 8 weeks. It seems to work best when the flock can see but not interact directly with the chicks for a few weeks before I introduce them. Usually there are a few pecks or chasing incidents, but I...

Thanks so much Penny Hen - you just might have saved the duck egg!! If so, I'll be sure to send pictures of the hatchling!

If you read the earlier story about the accidentally refrigerated eggs, I think yours will be fine. My hen leaves her nest usually once a day, often before the rest of the crew is up, to eat undisturbed. It always seems to for about 10 or 15 minutes. Please let us know how it all turns out!

I also have a Bantam that went broody at the end of winter. She disappeared right before a blizzard, and it took me two days to find her. She was tucked inside a wooden pallet that was under a dog house! She stayed there through the blizzard and cold, and right on time, 6 put of 9 eggs...

Sorry, I meant tucked away and hot....

Hi All. Just a question - I have a beautiful Easter Egger that has gone broody. She has been sitting on anything she can find - other hens eggs or even the ceramic eggs/golf balls in the nest boxes to entice my pullets. This week, I went to collect my duck's egg of the day, and you guessed...

Amen. Live and let live.... Thanks for your addition to these comments. It's so great to read most of these messages, all prompted by such a well written story. One can learn a lot watching nature, surely so in the chicken yard!

That was a beautiful story until you sacrificed the wonderful rooster who was just doing his job in life... you had me believing you were just as I am, a supporter of the poor roosters of the world. Now I want to throw up.

Well all, I'm going to speak up for the poor Roos. I have 5 Roos and 25 Hens, some on their second season, some New. I have a mix of RIR, Delaware, Cuckoo Bluebar, Buff Orpington. California White, and black and blue copper Marans. With few exceptions, they all get along great. Each rooster...

Hey All! I have 4 RIR's, 3 Delaware's, 1 pollish rooster and one bantam Old English rooster. Everyone gets along well, sharing hens and co-sharing the crowing and protection duties. My issue is that one of the hens went broody when I was away from home over a long weekend. She kept a clutch...

update! The Frizzle, while he still sleeps alone in his dog house, now runs all day with the hens. He herds them, mounts them, and even sits with them in the coop when they lay eggs. The other smaller Old English rooster totally accepts him. I believe the fact that they free range made it...

I have a similar situation. I have 5 Rhode Island Red hens, a beautiful Old English rooster, and then my beautiful and huge black frizzle rooster. The hens and the Old English are always together, but the hens chase the frizzle away if he tries to join or share food. They also peck him if I...

Roosters are just like other creatures - some great, some good, some not so much. My Old English is dwarfed by his girls who are Rhode Island Reds, yet he fiercely and fearlessly protects them, and keeps them safe. He seems to size up people well - curiously approaching and deciding what to do...