I have 5 adult hens, 9 ten-week old chicks, and 2 seven-week old chicks (cream legbars). The 2 little ones are FAR smaller than the rest of the chicks, even smaller than the 10-weekers were a few weeks ago. Perhaps they are just smaller chickens, or they haven't been spoiled like the bigger ones have (the little ones are new, got them last week and they've just spent a week in quarantine...I know that's not quite long enough, but it's the best I could do with my set up). Last night I integrated the little ones by tucking them in with the other chicks after everyone had gone to sleep.
This morning when I came to let them all out of their coop and small run, the little ones were hiding and one was missing feathers on her back (hen-pecked!). I put food and water in the coop and put them back in the coop, as everyone else had come out for treats and to go forage in the yard. When I came back an hour later to check on them before work, I found my broody RIR (production red, as far as I know) hen, Betty, sitting in her nesting box as she often does, with a little chick on either side of her.
I'm surprised! I didn't expect anyone to take the little ones under their wing (almost literally). She has never been a mother before, and now I have a new love for Betty because she is protecting my little baby legbars. We will see how they do today. After seeing this, if she wants to be broody, I'll let her hatch out a clutch (of mixed eggs, from my other chickens too) in late summer, when the rooster chicks are older, before we have to eat them.
Way to go, Betty.
This morning when I came to let them all out of their coop and small run, the little ones were hiding and one was missing feathers on her back (hen-pecked!). I put food and water in the coop and put them back in the coop, as everyone else had come out for treats and to go forage in the yard. When I came back an hour later to check on them before work, I found my broody RIR (production red, as far as I know) hen, Betty, sitting in her nesting box as she often does, with a little chick on either side of her.
I'm surprised! I didn't expect anyone to take the little ones under their wing (almost literally). She has never been a mother before, and now I have a new love for Betty because she is protecting my little baby legbars. We will see how they do today. After seeing this, if she wants to be broody, I'll let her hatch out a clutch (of mixed eggs, from my other chickens too) in late summer, when the rooster chicks are older, before we have to eat them.
Way to go, Betty.
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