Our two broody-raised chicks (pullets) have reached 7 weeks. Momma is starting to spurn them and, in fact, today laid her first egg since she started setting on 27 June. That's a bit over two months which goes along with what I have read. They still get scared and run to her but she no longer tidbits them and just a couple of days ago she moved back to the roost bar at night. I caught her on the nest today and the two pullets were trying hard to get in there with her. Caught that on camera, which is a fun coincidence.
Here is Chick 2. She hasn't acquired a name yet. She is most like a cross between a Black Australorpe Roo and a Buff Orpington, Bea (the chicken formerly known as Aunt Bea). Both are now just starting to make wattles and their combs are well underway. At present, you can't see much Buff in her.
Here is Lacy (for the lacy looking markings on her breast). She is the Black Australorpe/ Barred Rock mix. Both the girls have the iridescent green/black feather of their father. Lacy's markings are reminiscent of a Barred Rock. Be interesting to see how she looks grown up. I think Barred Rocks are my favorite breed at the moment. Good birds and I like their looks.
Here is Bea on the nest for the first time in over two months to lay an egg. It was a nice sized egg. Her two babes were trying real hard to get in there with her, as they had been until just a couple of days ago. She was pretty nice rebuffing them. Typically, they used the nest box to the right over her for sleeping, which is where the chicks were hatched and spent their first week. Definitely a box-o-chicken after they had grown to this size. Bea is an egg-a-day chicken when she is up to speed. She was so obnoxious when first acquired as a young hen we almost culled her. She has turned out to be a great lead hen and now, after hatching us these two bundles of fun, she can stay as long as she likes... obnoxious or not. This whole unexpected thing has really brought us a lot of joy and knowledge.
Here is Chick 2. She hasn't acquired a name yet. She is most like a cross between a Black Australorpe Roo and a Buff Orpington, Bea (the chicken formerly known as Aunt Bea). Both are now just starting to make wattles and their combs are well underway. At present, you can't see much Buff in her.
Here is Lacy (for the lacy looking markings on her breast). She is the Black Australorpe/ Barred Rock mix. Both the girls have the iridescent green/black feather of their father. Lacy's markings are reminiscent of a Barred Rock. Be interesting to see how she looks grown up. I think Barred Rocks are my favorite breed at the moment. Good birds and I like their looks.
Here is Bea on the nest for the first time in over two months to lay an egg. It was a nice sized egg. Her two babes were trying real hard to get in there with her, as they had been until just a couple of days ago. She was pretty nice rebuffing them. Typically, they used the nest box to the right over her for sleeping, which is where the chicks were hatched and spent their first week. Definitely a box-o-chicken after they had grown to this size. Bea is an egg-a-day chicken when she is up to speed. She was so obnoxious when first acquired as a young hen we almost culled her. She has turned out to be a great lead hen and now, after hatching us these two bundles of fun, she can stay as long as she likes... obnoxious or not. This whole unexpected thing has really brought us a lot of joy and knowledge.
