Thanks for the replies. If it's just broodiness, that is great. We have had broody hens before but never this posture. She seems in pain when she does this.
If I try to remove her from the box, she does sink down and try to refuse being moved. She does not peck or get aggressive, though...
Thank you so much for the reply. Would broody behavior include her raising her rear up high like this?
I should add that I have seen her do this a few weeks ago, and she got over it. So that would point to broodiness. BUT the noises and posture concern me.
Thank you!
My Easter Egger has been staying in the nesting box for a few days, and is acting strange. She seems uncomfortable and has her tail feathers all raised in the air. She often makes a chortling sort of noise-- it's quiet, but throaty sounding. She has been doing this for a few days. She is...
My chicks arrived today from MPC (5 total) and we got one EE and one Brown leghorn, and they look a lot alike. Could be some of those that look like Brown Leghorns are actually EE's? The baby chick photos on the MPC site show them looking a lot alike, too. I'm not sure how to tell which is...
Post office called at 5:45 this morning and my 5 chicks arrived safely. They shipped Tuesday and arrived Thursday. The heating element was cold and the green grow gel was gone, but the chicks were alive and well and are eating and drinking and doing very well so far.
Mine didn't come either and I thought surely they would as we're not too far from Ohio and in a major city. I guess it's 2 day rather than overnight. A little disappointed because I was sure they'd come today.
I did some sleuthing around on the Meyer's website and the US Mail site (looking at the time frame for Express Mail) and it looks like they typically arrive next day. So for those shipping today (the 8th) they should arrive at most locations by tomorrow the 9th.
I respect your opinion, too. I'm totally new at this and just want to do what's best. So for the dust bath, what bedding allows that? Is that with the pine pellets? I'm thinking about doing a cardboard floor and bedding for at least part of the brooder to see what they prefer.
I know I should use paper towels over the floor the first few days, but after that, can the chicks walk on the metal wire floor? Or should I put cardboard down and then use the pine pellets? I like the idea of the metal since there's a sliding tray underneath to catch droppings, but want to do...