Chicks and Mom

[melcaara]

I ordered chicks a couple days ago, they arrived a few hours ago. I stuck them all under my Cochin bantam (Betty) who has been sitting for a while and she took them all immediately. Somehow she has fit 18 chicks under her! 6 bantam Cochin, 6 Japanese bantam, and 6 Cornish x. I tend to have luck with giving hens chicks it seems, Betty herself was given to an Orpington hen at a week old after the hen had hatched some fertile eggs I ordered. The photo with the chicks all out was after they had warmed up and started moving around, I promise I didn't just plop them all in front of her like that

I'm so excited about the bantam cochins, they're birchen color and I absolutely love them. The Japanese ones are because my wife wanted one for a pet xD if I can start breeding and raising Cochin bantams I'd be so happy. I've had a variety of breeds now and nothing has stolen my heart the way Betty has.

The Cornish x were to avoid the small order fee, so I can pull them out and raise separately if they start causing issues with the bantams.

 

[sourland]

Good luck to Betty and her adopted kids.

 

[mbcerri]

Love this! Betty seems to be the sweetest!

 

[melcaara]

2 Weeks update: Betty and her many babies are doing pretty great! 2 cochins failed to thrive no matter what I did within the first couple of days, and one Japanese bantam had neurological issues so he got put down after a week. So that leaves 15 total, and they're absolutely thriving.
I separated the Cornish x today, they were getting too big. They keep pushing the others out of the way when I try to give them treats. As soon as I put them in their own kennel the other babies started coming up and interacting. This pic was a few days ago, the yellow ones are at least double the size of the cochin bantams today!


The photos of individual chicks were a couple of days ago, I thought it was neat how you could see the difference in posture. It's even more evident now, all the japanese bantams have tiny tails that always stick straight up lol.



I'm really hoping for three hens and a rooster from the cochins. One of them is already growing a comb, two of them definitely haven't and one is iffy. Apparently cochin bantam females don't get combs much at all, so they should be easy to sex early on right? My orpingtons were a pain because the hens have huge combs and wattles, but Betty barely has any comb at all. This is the one I'm assuming is a male! He does have some weird coloration coming in on his wings, hope it's not some color issue because I was wanting to breed good quality and good looking chicks from these

Oh, his name is Doma. You can see his little comb already!

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I'm especially sorry you lost 2 cochin chicks since you said that breed has stolen your heart, but glad all the rest are doing well!

 

[User105877]

I had some Blacktail buff Japanese bantys long ago. Pretty birds, average layers and mine typically went broody a couple times a year. They where all pretty docile too.

 

[melcaara]

I'm especially sorry you lost 2 cochin chicks since you said that breed has stolen your heart, but glad all the rest are doing well!

I am sad about it as well, but luckily the remaining four are exceptionally friendly and it's still looking like 1 cockerel and 3 pullets. I crouch down and they come running to me!

 

[melcaara]

I got this super cute photo of Doma and one of the females. 3 weeks!

 

[Whittni]

What is this crate type called?

 

[melcaara]

6 weeks! They're all so big and friendly (the cochins are, anyway)
definitely 3 pullets and 1 cockerel of the cochins, and 3 of the japanese ones are girls as well. cornish x are out of the picture finally

I have seen Betty disciplining the male chicks. It's hilarious, she's so patient about it. doma is nice and listens to her, and even amongst the chicks he'll sometimes back down to the girls. I watched one of the Japanese bantams straight up try to fight Betty for a minute. They're much more fiesty