Possible breeding program

[DarJones]

For future use, a broody hen won't accept chicks from an incubator until she has clucked to them overnight. Just after dark, put the chicks in a box beside the hen where she can hear them. She will usually accept them the next day.

 

[LaurenRitz]

That hasn't been my experience. In this case, the first two chicks she accepted were dumped behind her while I kept her attention with the other hand. She heard them, started burbling, and from that moment they were a happy little family. That was during the day.

The following night I introduced the other two and she took to them just as readily. I expected this--I've given her chicks before and she has never rejected one.

I was more concerned about the chicks not bonding, but it worked like a charm.

 

[LaurenRitz]

So I have a broody in the broody cage with her babies, and another in the main coop.

Last night I put the troublemaker cockerel in the bachelor pad. He was being a horny teenager, and since the adult hens were running him off he started trying the 12 week old pullets and ambushing the hens. The flock master, just like his Dad, stood back and grumbled but didn't do anything about it.

Nope, nope, nope. With him isolated, the remaining two young cockerels (16 weeks) have started guarding the mom and her chicks. They allow her boundaries and she's stopped hissing at them when they come too close.

These are two of my three JGxRIRxRIR crosses, and I think they're going to make great Dads. Even the other might, if I give him some time to grow up.

 

[LaurenRitz]

So all three boys are in the bachelor pad for at least the next month. Somebody killed one of the 12 week chicks, I think trying to mate her, but she was the smallest...

The girls are going in the coop at night without me having to carry them in and there's a lot less stress.

At the other end of the yard the chicks are starting to show an interest in the roo and are following the adult flock.

Of course, it might help that one adult hen is raising chicks, another is sitting, and a third has disappeared. I think she's sitting somewhere but I can't find her nest.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Bielefelder x JG x JG (Biel x JG cockerel over JG hen)

Biel x JG x BA, already showing a comb, and at least in one case, it's already turning pink.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I have an escape artist. I put the boys in a bachelor pad under the deck. The door is still closed. I realized he was out because the little girls were squaking and the older cockerel was chasing him.

He wouldn't leave the girls alone even after dark, so I put him back. If he's figured a way out it won't be too long.

 

[LaurenRitz]

The Biel x JG x BA/JG chicks are 5 weeks old. Mama is spending part of her time just sitting in the shade while the chicks explore.

The babies are still staying pretty close, but no screaming if they're out of her sight. Except the littlest one. She's still spending a lot of time under Mom.

Not sure yet if there's something wrong with her. She's much smaller than her siblings.

 

[LaurenRitz]

The new broody is sitting on a bunch of eggs OUP (of unknown parentage). A couple more days to lockdown.

I don't want any more eggs from the Biel x JG roo, so when she went broody I arranged to get some eggs from a friend.

She is currently sitting on 2 Marans eggs, one pink egg and one blue.

I think I may have lost another hen, but I can't find any sign of a struggle. No feathers, either. Just that the boys in the bachelor pad were screaming and by the time I got out there they had stopped. But now all the birds are acting spooked.

I think she was depressed. Her sister died last week and I put the rooster in isolation. Now her last remaining adult sister is alone, unless she's gone broody somewhere I can't find her.

If she was taken by a predator, she's the first in two years. Her sister died of henstupid, trying to lay an egg in a place she couldn't get out of.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Looks like broody1 has abandoned her chicks at week 5. She's foraging with the adult flock and the babies are foraging on their own.

Broody 2 is hatching! One baby out so far, three to go. I have another 3 in the house to give her once they hatch.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Broody 2 only hatched 1 chick, a tiny yellow. I'll see if I can find a few more chicks for her tomorrow. She abandoned the nest with her baby so I pulled the remaining eggs into my incubator.

Looks like they all made it to lockdown at least. Some still show veins. I didn’t see any internal pips. Today is day 22.