Recent content by mopalia

  1. M

    When do hens most often go broody?

    This cracked me up - I salvaged a dog crate for no reason and then I had a hen raise 12 chicks from a hidden nest when they were free ranging! I had to bring in one chick that wasn't doing well (took him 3 days to stand and walk) and then one more for company. The dog grate moved to my living...
  2. M

    How to add two indoor chicks to the gang outside?

    Oddly, no predators. Cage can be in total shade, with mister available if temperatures go up towards the 100s. I like the housing them outside for a week, then turning them loose. Let's see what happens! Thanks for a good commonsense approach.
  3. M

    How to add two indoor chicks to the gang outside?

    Well shaded, with optional mister if it goes towards 100. No predators. Flock sleeps in the coop, which has plenty of room for all of them. Expecting at least 50% roos, and really little hope of rehoming them - resigning myself to finding a kind way to send them to freezer camp.
  4. M

    How to add two indoor chicks to the gang outside?

    I told earlier about my hen who set up housekeeping under the cedar tree unbeknownst to me. She hatched quite a brood (not sure they were all actually hers, the other hen might have been laying in the nest, too), and she has been a great mom to 10 chicks outside. But one was born a day late...
  5. M

    Update on almost exponential flock increase, not ready for it!

    I kidnapped one from the flock or chicks and brought it inside, now the first one and its buddy are doing very well in a big cage in my living room. I'm thinking about trying to integrate them with the others in the next few days, but I may just leave them for a few weeks.
  6. M

    Update on almost exponential flock increase, not ready for it!

    Sadly, my late hatcher wasn't able to stand - it took 3 days before it was strong enough to stand and walk on its own. But it's fine now. Trying to figure out how to integrate them at this late date.
  7. M

    Update on almost exponential flock increase, not ready for it!

    Well, that's odd. Because we are serious foodies here, I have vanilla beans and pure vanilla, but no imitation, I'll have to go try to find some. Thanks for the weird tip!
  8. M

    Update on almost exponential flock increase, not ready for it!

    My hen stopped laying, turned out to be setting on eggs under a cedar tree. She hatched 12. the next day I heard hysterical peeping from the nest (they were all off the nest), and when I checked there was a chick in the nest stuck to its shell, which fell off when I picked it up. It couldn't...
  9. M

    Oh, no, now what? Late hatchling.

    I have a thermometer tracking the temperature, but I'm having trouble keeping it at 95. Getting better at it. It is having trouble standing, but it's pretty new - feathers aren't even dry yet. it's getting the idea of standing, seems to be closer to making it up. Unexpected drama! I have it...
  10. M

    Now what? Late hatcher rejected by mom.

    Thanks, I'll try that as soon as it is stable and mobile.
  11. M

    Oh, no, now what? Late hatchling.

    I went out and heard frantic chirping coming from the nest that had been abandoned. (posted earlier about the unexpected dozen.) Found a chick struggling to get out of the shell, and when I picked it up it fell right out. Mom hen won't have anything to do with it. I brought it in and it's in...
  12. M

    I wasn't ready for this!

    Yes, they have crumbles. But I heard framtic chirping for the other side of the yard, where her nest had been, and investigation revealed a chick having trouble getting out of its shell. I picked it up and it fell right out - but mama hen won't have anything to do with it. So not it's in a very...
  13. M

    Now what? Late hatcher rejected by mom.

    The unexpected 12 chicks I wrote about yesterday had one late hatch - it was having trouble getting out of the shell and I could hear it chirping all the way across the yard. I helped it out and brought it to Mom, who was uninterested in this damp, scraggy chick. It seems to be a fighter -...
  14. M

    I wasn't ready for this!

    I can"t even imagine what I am going to do with all the cockerels. The sire of these chicks got re-homed because he turned mean.
  15. M

    I wasn't ready for this!

    No, because we had a rooster. He's gone now (he got mean and started attacking me). They have oyster shell on the side. and I scatter ground up eggshells with their daily treat.
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