Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[satay]

Congrats everyone on their hatches - I love seeing babies!

So yesterday I nearly bought a lovely Dorking hen.  Only reason I didn't is hubby was there with me.  Must learn to hunt for new chickens by myself as I don't think he'd even know if I put an extra one in the coop.

I also have a question on hatching eggs.  When using a broody hen, is it a good idea to remove her and the chicks to a separate cage while they grow, or can you just leave them in with the rest of the flock?

Never take hubby chicken shopping . Though mine is the other way around. When I first went to buy my araucanas the guy had eggs for sale in sussex. I was like no I don't have a broody. Hubby goes buy an incubator, I wasn't sure as I thought it would be to hard to do but we end up leaving with 2 dozen eggs and a buy an incubator the next day. He is an enabler I think lol.
Hatching eggs I have done both. Some I leave in the main house and some I separate. Depends on how protective the mum is . Most of my mumma hens would tare the head off another hen if it went near her babies, some share nicely with the other hens and the odd one freaks out and leaves her babies.

 

[K Spot]

Haha I know now for next time.

Does anyone have any experience with Dorkings?

I think if my Sussex goes broody again, I'll put some eggs under her. The SS has only just been broken, but while she was broody, gosh she was an avid sitter!

 

[Fancychooklady]

I agree with satay , depends on the the hen and your situation K spot. I usually keep momma and chicks inside the big pen, but in a little rabbit hutch.for the first few weeks. I find it safer for them not to have access to the general water supply, and I can't be bothered checking the water all day. I lost 2 x chicks in to drowning before I came up with this system.

. Live and learn!

 

[K Spot]

I think if I did it, I'd put them in a dog crate in the coop. Parts of the mesh around my coop are just the right size to fit a curious little chick through.

Thanks Satay and Fancy

 

[GriggerMcGrigg]

I think if I did it, I'd put them in a dog crate in the coop.  Parts of the mesh around my coop are just the right size to fit a curious little chick through.

Thanks Satay and Fancy   

My hen is with the other two and she makes noises at the but doesn't snap at them.

 

[GriggerMcGrigg]

I feed my girls 'lucky layer' it's a vegetarian pellet with a mix of vegetarian layer grain mix. I just fill up a feeder and let them go for it. Is this the right thing to do? Also is there any point get pellets for the chicks as the others would just eat it and the 'lucky layer' breaks up quite easily.

 

[ruby66]

FREAKING OUT! Smelly nasal discharge is apparently coryza! Two of them have that! One has had it for a while now even on the meds! She's growing and acting normal but the discharge and spluttering cough have never gotten better or worse, eyes are clear and she's active.. Now another silkie has the smelly discharge - I'M GOING TO LOOSE MY FLOCK I KNOW IT! THIS IS MY LUCK..

Two of mine were like that, I cleaned them everyday with a baby wipe then put savlon cream on theirs beaks, they were better in a few days

 

[ruby66]

Oh I didn't get a diagnosis, they just had smelly nasal discharge. Works for budgies so I thought I'd give it a go

 

[megacakes]

So yesterday I nearly bought a lovely Dorking hen.  

Please tell me I'm not the only one who giggled like a schoolgirl when reading this??

 

[ruby66]

I think I'm going to have babies, the araucana is defiantly a rooster. The two langshan's have been sitting on eggs for a few days, I candled them yesterday and today and there is a definite difference, so fingers crossed. Is there anything I should know about having chicks, the youngest I've had is 6 weeks.
And I think Harold as he's now know has made it to the top of the pecking order, had a few fights yesterday with the leghorns, they were top dog, and now him and his frizzle girlfriend are allowed to sleep on the perch, they weren't before yesterday