BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[BDutch]

Cut pieces of about 10 x 15 cm, roll the paper and use an elastic band to keep it tight.
I made loose tie wraps around the roosts with just enough space to stick the rolls in. You can roll it around the roost too and use a piece of tape to fix it.

If you see one red mite there are probable more. Don't forget to heat the corrugated paper above 50C if you see one. I reuse the corrugated paper and put the paper in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to kill all the red mites and nymphs I didn’t see.

 

[BDutch]

I havent seen any tiny creatures in the corrugated paper rolls anymore.

Back to eggs and broodies. Kraai and Katrientje are each sitting on 4 eggs now (3 real and 1 fake). The other hens have another temporary nestbox under the roosts/poopboard but still prefer to lay in the broody nestboxes and ignore the extra nestbox.

If one of the hens wants to lay an egg, Katrientje or Kraai step aside and wait till the hen leaves again.

Maybe the eggs have been disturbed too much because of it, but there is no fuss at all if my other hens lay an extra egg in the nest. Anyway, if a few eggs hatch I’m happy. I expect the chicks to hatch on Thursday.

I skipped the plan to move the hens in the night to the second run because we had a lot of rain again and the second run was very muddy. At the moment it isnt a good place for very young chicks.

Unfortunately I got too sick to make further improvements in the second run. Making the nursery ready in the small coop is first priority now.

I still want to move the hens and chicks after they hatched and after I made the improvements that have been delayed.
1 make a simple drainage
2 make a cover over the part of the second run where the little coop stands.

Janice, Black and Pearl lay very well now. But I havent seen Ini mini laying. She always laid the same eggs as Black and Pearl, so I’m not sure if she has retired now. I wonder if retired hens have a red comb.
Ini mini (on the left) and Black.

 

[ManueB]

Unfortunately I got too sick to make further improvements in the second run.

Hope you feel better soon ! Try to get a lot of rest and hydrate.

I wonder if retired hens have a red comb.

My ex-batts still had very red combs after they stopped laying. Their combs only turned pale when they molted or when they were sick. I am not sure if hormones work the same for chickens that are not production breeds.

 

[BDutch]

Both Kraai and Katrientje came out for about 10-15 minutes to drink, eat, poop. I spoiled them with a few mealworms.

Ini mini and Janice came along to see if there were treats for them too.

 

[NanaK]

I wonder if retired hens have a red comb.

I have several hens 7-11 years old. Some do not lay and some give me a random egg or so in spring. There combs and faces are bright red except during molt.

They are Buff Orp, Cream Legbars, Marans, and home made Easter Eggers. All large fowl. As they get older they will take longer breaks between lay cycles.
Ini Mini could still lay.

Hope you feel better.

 

[BDutch]

Hope you feel better.

Yes thanks.

 

[BDutch]

Yesterday I closed of the little coop with the nestboxes to give Kraai and Katrientje a little piece. Black and Pearl were persistent to join the two broodies and I find 4 hens on 6 eggs a real no go.

Today I opened up the back door to let the hens free range. When I was checking for chicks, Kraai came of the nest and I let her out for her usual break to eat, drink and poop. I left the door to the little coop open for a while.

Kraai returned fast today and was back within 5 minutes. Two visitors sneaked in when I was away for a sec. Both Black and Pearl were sitting in the nestbox with Katrientje..
Kicked them out and locked the door .

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Yesterday I closed of the little coop with the nestboxes to give Kraai and Katrientje a little piece. Black and Pearl were persistent to join the two broodies and I find 4 hens on 6 eggs a real no go.

Today I opened up the back door to let the hens free range. When I was checking for chicks, Kraai came of the nest and I let her out for her usual break to eat, drink and poop. I left the door to the little coop open for a while.

Kraai returned fast today and was back within 5 minutes. Two visitors sneaked in when I was away for a sec. Both Black and Pearl were sitting in the nestbox with Katrientje..
Kicked them out and locked the door .

Those two visitors sure are eager to take over. Will you give them eggs or chicks?

 

[BDutch]

Those two visitors sure are eager to take over. Will you give them eggs or chicks?

No chicks or eggs now. I expect a poor result this hatch. I hope /am glad if Kraai hatches one chick too.

If no more chicks hatch than the one peep from the photo
+ Black&Pearl get broody at the end of April , I might give them a few eggs in Mai.

 

[BDutch]

Katrientje really is very committed to hatch and to keep the chick warm. Still just one chick so far.

This morning Kraai was still committed to hatch her own chick too. But when I looked under Katrientje she pecked the little chick. (Jealous ?) I put her outside and gave the other 3 eggs to Katrientje.

When I was looking for Kraai she seemed to have vanished. When I looked in the nestboxes again Kraai was happily sitting with Katrientje in one nestbox. But the small is very small for both.

So I took out the divider. Much better!

I will probably have just one chick with 2 mothers this time. I’m already curious about the upcoming flock dynamics with this little chick.

Any advice on when to move the mothers and chick to the tiny coop in second run are welcome.

The second run is a good place to keep the mothers and chick separated from the rest for a long time.

The other 4 can use the larger run and their usual coop area. And I can let them free range too without any difficulties.