Gorman Farm
Songster
- Nov 16, 2015
- 358
- 83
- 126
So we finally got several days of much needed rain, whatever is going to grow back will. Chances are we will have to seed parts of the pasture to help it recover.
I had three broody hens I couldn't break so I gave them each 2 eggs to sit on, 5 chicks were born today one other egg didn't make it, so our new rooster is doing his job breeding the hens as all the eggs were fertile.
Mama Orpington sat religiously on the eggs, then once the first chick was born she just pecked at it and wanted no parts of being a mom. The Orpy mix hen kept stealing all the chicks from the other hens, and my old red mixed hen the only one who has already raised chicks was the third hen. The not so bright Orpy mix took her chicks out in the rain and I had to rescue them. So I took all the chicks and gave them to ole red, put her in the small coop with the babies and 2 bantam pullets that are a few months old. Ole red is doing a great job has accepted all the chicks as her own. She was so clever with the last clutch that I felt she was the best bet.
I stripped the main coop down today after all the hoopala, and rebedded the nesting boxes. When the 2 hens without chicks came back in the looked around for chicks and upon not finding any commenced to eating and perching which neither had done in over 3 weeks. I hated to take away their chicks, but thought it was the best scenario for all.
I also put the three month old turkey chicks in the main turkey coop yesterday, so far it seems ok, I was't sure how that would go as they are so much smaller than the grown turkeys, but they were easier than introducing chickens. Over all I find turkeys to be kinder to one another than chickens.
I had three broody hens I couldn't break so I gave them each 2 eggs to sit on, 5 chicks were born today one other egg didn't make it, so our new rooster is doing his job breeding the hens as all the eggs were fertile.
Mama Orpington sat religiously on the eggs, then once the first chick was born she just pecked at it and wanted no parts of being a mom. The Orpy mix hen kept stealing all the chicks from the other hens, and my old red mixed hen the only one who has already raised chicks was the third hen. The not so bright Orpy mix took her chicks out in the rain and I had to rescue them. So I took all the chicks and gave them to ole red, put her in the small coop with the babies and 2 bantam pullets that are a few months old. Ole red is doing a great job has accepted all the chicks as her own. She was so clever with the last clutch that I felt she was the best bet.
I stripped the main coop down today after all the hoopala, and rebedded the nesting boxes. When the 2 hens without chicks came back in the looked around for chicks and upon not finding any commenced to eating and perching which neither had done in over 3 weeks. I hated to take away their chicks, but thought it was the best scenario for all.
I also put the three month old turkey chicks in the main turkey coop yesterday, so far it seems ok, I was't sure how that would go as they are so much smaller than the grown turkeys, but they were easier than introducing chickens. Over all I find turkeys to be kinder to one another than chickens.
