Hatching with 2 broodies

[16 paws]

Things are calming down a bit here. The ant baby is doing good under the heat light.
The chick that is externally pipped is doing fine under Penny and she is sitting tight talking to the hatching baby. My husband helped me clean out Laylas nest and she is sitting on a wooden egg.

Now I am thinking that tonight I would take the eggs from Penny and put them back under Layla and also give her ant baby back. Does that sound like a good idea? I am a little nervous about it because this is Laylas first hatch and she is not a proven good mother. Now Penny on the other hand is a very good mom and I could return the ant baby back to her as she already has the rest of the eggs, and just let her raise them. I am not going to be here tomorrow so I cant just watch Layla and see how she does. Any thoughts?
And by the way, thanks so much to Farmer Viola and Teila for helping me out here...I am so thankful....
Marie
PS, if the ant baby lives I am going to name her Antie Emm

 

[Farmer Viola]

We have had a terrible problem with ants this year, lived here 12 years and have never had ants like this.
I believe it was my fault because this morning I gave her some scrambled egg and went to work, the chicks arent due til tomorrow. Well I dont think she ate the eggs and that is what attracted the ants. She is in a sectioned off part of the coop but on the coop floor. That is where she wanted to be so I just left her there. I should of done something about the ants but I didnt see any until there was a broken egg. Then they all come marching in! I didnt know what to use that wouldnt harm the chicks. That chick had at what seems like a hundred ants on her. What a disaster....

do not blame yourself you did everything you can! you even saved that chick's life

Things are calming down a bit here. The ant baby is doing good under the heat light.
The chick that is externally pipped is doing fine under Penny and she is sitting tight talking to the hatching baby. My husband helped me clean out Laylas nest and she is sitting on a wooden egg.

Now I am thinking that tonight I would take the eggs from Penny and put them back under Layla and also give her ant baby back. Does that sound like a good idea? I am a little nervous about it because this is Laylas first hatch and she is not a proven good mother. Now Penny on the other hand is a very good mom and I could return the ant baby back to her as she already has the rest of the eggs, and just let her raise them. I am not going to be here tomorrow so I cant just watch Layla and see how she does. Any thoughts?
And by the way, thanks so much to Farmer Viola and Teila for helping me out here...I am so thankful....
Marie
PS, if the ant baby lives I am going to name her Antie Emm

oh good, I am so glad to hear Layla is back to sitting and has calmed down. is her nest relocated? I would be worried about the ants making the same return path. other than neem oil, I use borax and sugar water inside my house. I think that would be too dangerous to use around chickens though. the neem works very well here.

did the ant baby get bit very much? I might give it extra attention, like probiotics, electrolytes, and vitamins in water before returning to the nest. I would mix all those in 1 water to make it easier. if it's alert, standing and peeping after that I would give it back to the mom so it can bond right away. just getting some extra good stuff in her system should help recovery and healing while keeping warm under mom.

I dont know how best to do the return of chicks and eggs.. if you think Penny would be a better mom, maybe give her the two questionably weakened chicks ant babies to take care of? ROFL Antie Emm that cracks me up!!!

..and then the future hatching eggs given back to Layla? just so it can all go smoothly after that traumatic experience? I don't know... because Layla semi-rejected the chick when it was covered in ants (understandably), so would she accept it again afterward or even recognize it? I am too inexperienced to really have anything meaningful to contribute, I hope someone else can chime in soon I have been checking this thread feverishly for Antie Emm and I am so glad she is okay. you really did a great job acting quickly to save her, it wasnt me, it was all you Marie.

 

[Teila]

Wow! OK, I officially give up at trying to keep up! 3 days and I have missed 9 pages of posts! Of course, it goes without saying that I am going to read all the posts, just not reply to them all

All your pictures are wonderful and I so love looking at all of them and sharing in the joy of all those beautiful bubbies!

Lots going on .. assisted hatches, ants etc!

Sonya9 your diagnosis is definitely Chick Obsessed but do not feel too special…we all have that particular disease

Lols at your bantams in the no-chick-feeder IC another memo that was not read

16 paws good to read that things are calming down a bit. Antie Emm looks so sweet and cute in her very first picture, so sad it was under such traumatic circumstances! I have everything crossed that she makes a full recovery

How long before Penny’s eggs are due to hatch (sorry, as I mentioned, have trouble keeping up). Just my thoughts, if Penny’s are due in the next day or so, if it was me, I would consider leaving Penny with Layla’s pipping eggs and Antie Emm and give Layla the eggs Penny was sitting on but only if Layla was happy in another nest. I agree with FV, even though you have cleaned the nest out, I would not trust those nasty ants to not return. I know I would also feel so very sorry for Layla to get right to the end and then end up with no babies after all her hard work and dedication.

Please keep us updated; you are in my thoughts

 

[Sonya9]

How long before Penny’s eggs are due to hatch (sorry, as I mentioned, have trouble keeping up). Just my thoughts, if Penny’s are due in the next day or so, if it was me, I would consider leaving Penny with Layla’s pipping eggs and Antie Emm and give Layla the eggs Penny was sitting on but only if Layla was happy in another nest. I agree with FV, even though you have cleaned the nest out, I would not trust those nasty ants to not return. I know I would also feel so very sorry for Layla to get right to the end and then end up with no babies after all her hard work and dedication.

Please keep us updated; you are in my thoughts

Yeah I would do the same. The little ant baby has gone through so much, giving her to an experienced hen seems wise. Poor Layla has worked hard though, give her some eggs to sit on and see if she settles down. If she is all upset and acting off you don't want to figure that out with 2 fragile babies under her.

 

[Sonya9]

Have had a bit of broody drama over here as well. Pallina is suicidal and attacks anyone and everyone that comes near, including the other broody and worse, her chicks!

How is Pallina doing today? Has she calmed down or is she still separated?

I sure hopes she calms down and can return to her babies, for everyone's sake.

 

[ItalyChickie]

How is Pallina doing today? Has she calmed down or is she still separated?

I sure hopes she calms down and can return to her babies, for everyone's sake.

I'm so sorry for worrying everyone with misleading wording yesterday!!! I had meant "the other broody's chicks" by that "her" - I totally see how it sounded like she was attacking her own. She wasn't/isn't, she is doing great as a mom, she only flips out when others come near - and "others" in this case does include the Araucana chicks, which obviously starts a broody war between the two, chicks peeping their heads off and everyone very agitated. (The Araucana chicks are twice as big as Pallina's banty babies, so I can kinda see how she would see them as a threat.)

They aren't really hurting one another or the chicks though, and my only reason for separating Pallina with the chicks yesterday was so that she could get used to her apartment, because she didn't seem to know where to hide after those encounters, and would pace like crazy or sit in the corner outside with her chicks - in the rain!!!!

After staying closed off inside for a couple of hours, she got used to it and now does go back there if she feels threatened, which is good enough for me. Generally, both families tend to stay a good distance from one another today, and seem to be adjusting.

In my other news, Bonnie has decided she is done being a mom, and the big babies Cochins and Orps have been peeping their heads off calling her all morning

, which of course makes me feel sorry for them and give them extra treats... I think that might have been their plan to begin with.

Here are some pictures of both the families:

 

[ItalyChickie]

Things are calming down a bit here. The ant baby is doing good under the heat light.
The chick that is externally pipped is doing fine under Penny and she is sitting tight talking to the hatching baby. My husband helped me clean out Laylas nest and she is sitting on a wooden egg.

Now I am thinking that tonight I would take the eggs from Penny and put them back under Layla and also give her ant baby back. Does that sound like a good idea? I am a little nervous about it because this is Laylas first hatch and she is not a proven good mother. Now Penny on the other hand is a very good mom and I could return the ant baby back to her as she already has the rest of the eggs, and just let her raise them. I am not going to be here tomorrow so I cant just watch Layla and see how she does. Any thoughts?
And by the way, thanks so much to Farmer Viola and Teila for helping me out here...I am so thankful....
Marie
PS, if the ant baby lives I am going to name her Antie Emm

Wow, that is one incredible survival story, you did a great job! Sorry I wasn't around as it was night my time - not that I could have helped much, so for moral support more than anything else. But glad that others were here and could help!

I also agree with Teila's advice, the ant baby might need the better care an experienced broody can give, yet it would be a pity if you have to break Layla after she was so close, so if at all possible, I'd let her try raising at least a couple of chicks... I also don't know whether both broodies started at the same time, but you saying that Penny has the rest of the eggs makes me think that they did... i.e. Penny's eggs were due at the same time as Layla's? Or no? I guess what I would do would depend on this...

If you have some eggs that are due in a few days, I'd try giving those to Layla (if they're hatching when you can watch her). Or maybe even give her a couple of fake ones to see if she will stay after all of this, and then decide? I realize the timing might be the deciding factor here though, if all those are due to hatch tomorrow or so.

 

[ItalyChickie]

Okay, I just have to share this... a confrontation scene of Bonnie and one of the teenage boys. Can't you just imagine them having a mom-teenager fight? "You can't abandon us, what kind of a mother are you?" "I can and I will, you're big enough to watch out for yourselves! Besides, my wings are just not big enough to cover you all anymore!"

Sorry. Got carried away there. Back to work for me.

 

[Sonya9]

"You can't abandon us, what kind of a mother are you?" "I can and I will, you're big enough to watch out for yourselves! Besides, my wings are just not big enough to cover you all anymore!"

LOL...that is exactly what it looks like!!! He is standing up on his tip toes trying to go nose to nose! Gorgeous little roo, I am partial to blues too.

So glad to hear Pallina was NOT attacking her own chicks! Having to separate them would be horrid.

Bella (young broody) on the other hand HAS gotten snippy with her own chicks after she has confrontations with the other broody. I don't think she will actually hurt them, she just pecks and screeches, they can run away if they like (and they have another broody right there to welcome them with open wings).

They are all staying in the coop so far, their mamas aren't taking them on any outside excursions but possibly the rainy wet weather is contributing to that. Doesn't seem to be stunting their development any, this morning one caught a moth and spent 5 minutes playing keep away from the other chicks and his mama, another was trying to catch a little knat that flew into the coop (looks like they will eradicate every tiny insect that dare enters). I just hope they are eating enough grit!

Meanwhile I decided to use the hens to do my public relations marketing with the chicks. I started putting egg/feed in my hand and feeding them, of course the mama's call them over to scarf up the treats. I really want these babies to be very tame so I should start now while they are still in the coop and easy to reach.

 

[ItalyChickie]

LOL...that is exactly what it looks like!!! He is standing up on his tip toes trying to go nose to nose! Gorgeous little roo, I am partial to blues too.

So glad to hear Pallina was NOT attacking her own chicks! Having to separate them would be horrid.

Bella (young broody) on the other hand HAS gotten snippy with her own chicks after she has confrontations with the other broody. I don't think she will actually hurt them, she just pecks and screeches, they can run away if they like (and they have another broody right there to welcome them with open wings).

They are all staying in the coop so far, their mamas aren't taking them on any outside excursions but possibly the rainy wet weather is contributing to that. Doesn't seem to be stunting their development any, this morning one caught a moth and spent 5 minutes playing keep away from the other chicks and his mama, another was trying to catch a little knat that flew into the coop (looks like they will eradicate every tiny insect that dare enters). I just hope they are eating enough grit!

Meanwhile I decided to use the hens to do my public relations marketing with the chicks. I started putting egg/feed in my hand and feeding them, of course the mama's call them over to scarf up the treats. I really want these babies to be very tame so I should start now while they are still in the coop and easy to reach.

Yes, that scene lasted several minutes, him trying again and again after getting pecks on the head from Bonnie, standing taller each time. Bittersweet yet funny to watch. That boy has exhibited very dominant/protective behavior practically since hatch with the rest of them, I am curious to see whether he will now be taking over as the leader of that group. Of course, that makes decision of which Orp roo to keep even tougher - A friend wants a couple of Orps from this hatch, boy and girl - but not a buff boy since he already has one, which leaves blue and lavender, and I am also head over heels in love with the lavender... this one:





Good idea on the public relations! I always do that with the chicks - just keep in mind that it can backfire, just wait until they grow a bit and as soon as they see you, you will be surrounded by crazy-excited teenagers (and their moms, and others who quickly catch on) who must have treats - because really, what other reason could you possibly have to go outside if not to give them treats???

Or maybe yours won't make the same assumptions as mine, I dunno, but it's a possibility.

We're in the middle of another one of those scary thunderstorms, so everyone is inside right now, but I had to chick nap Pallina's chicks to get her to go in, she seems to have forgotten where the roof is yet again! (Funnily enough, Chiocciola the other broody went in to where Pallina's babies were peeping, and brought hers in there too... only Pallina isn't having any of these co-broody stuff, so had to switch apartments yet again.)

Sorry you're having too much rain for outdoor excursions! But I really doubt being inside can slow their development if they're with the mama - she'll still manage to teach them what they need to know, and apply it once outside.