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

Hatch to integration.
Saturday 25th Jan was week 7!! .....and decision day.
Ten weeks prior my blue laced wyabdotte went broody so I transfered her to a repurposed dog house I'd erected, drove to Maryborough and bought a mixed dozen gold lace and blue splash eggs.
The eggs were accepted, sadly tho next day 2 had rolled out and were stone cold!! Still took the chance and put them back.
21 days later the eggs began hatching, one chick had splay leg real bad so sad, culled it cos I simply do not have the skills to deal with that. Four days later two eggs were not hatched, candled and they were clear, zero development!!

Fast forward to 25th Jan

Chicks are dispersing more and more, hen is not quite as attentive to their needs but not chasing them away.....so ........what to do?

My integration strategy was 1 swap the 5 mature hens into the nursery pen and put the chicks and mum into the 'coop' to get them aquainted with the geography and feed/water location.
2. Give them a day to explore the coop and surounding pen ......
3. Midday introduced the 3 silver lace wyandottes leaving behind two very old retirees to enjoy the space and quiet of the nursery.

Here we are on the 27th and they had a morning feed of soaked free range seed mix, with no scuffles or agro from either side.

Mother has begun chasing the chicks away, but roosted last night with the brood around her.

Guess I timed it just right...a fluke but based on advice I picked up from BYC threads on the subject.

Advice much appreciated.
 
Hey everyone, I am located in Victoria, Australia and I am selling 3 cockerels:
Australorp
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Light Sussex
If interested please message me or you can view my other thread I made.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/victoria-australia-selling-3-cockerels.1342501/

How did you go selling your cockerels?
Think I may be going down that road soon, of a 9 hatched as many as 5 are males for sure..
Peter is reporting higher than average are males:he...........!!!
 
I'm glad this thread is still alive. I live with my partner in the middle of that funny little island. We raise Australorps, ISA Browns, Indian Runner and Muscovy ducks, and Toggenberg and Boer goats. We started with Khaki Campbell's, which we kept in our vegetable greenhouse, but unfortunately a quoll got in and killed all six. We now house our chickens and ducks together in a very secure shed but they free range during the day and spend a lot of time on the dam. One Muscovy refuses to be locked up at night but sleeps on the dam! Life is exciting here with our feathered and furry family. As I type this I am sitting with a newly hatched chick 🐣 wrapped in a cloth and shoved down the front of my t-shirt! We found it apparently lifeless this morning but it has now perked up and is making happy peeps.
 
I'm glad this thread is still alive. I live with my partner in the middle of that funny little island. We raise Australorps, ISA Browns, Indian Runner and Muscovy ducks, and Toggenberg and Boer goats. We started with Khaki Campbell's, which we kept in our vegetable greenhouse, but unfortunately a quoll got in and killed all six. We now house our chickens and ducks together in a very secure shed but they free range during the day and spend a lot of time on the dam. One Muscovy refuses to be locked up at night but sleeps on the dam! Life is exciting here with our feathered and furry family. As I type this I am sitting with a newly hatched chick 🐣 wrapped in a cloth and shoved down the front of my t-shirt! We found it apparently lifeless this morning but it has now perked up and is making happy peeps.
:welcome glad you found us! I too have australorps, runners and muscovies. I'm somewhere in the middle of NSW. Feel free to share pictures. Esspecially of cute little chicks
 
I'm glad this thread is still alive. I live with my partner in the middle of that funny little island. We raise Australorps, ISA Browns, Indian Runner and Muscovy ducks, and Toggenberg and Boer goats. We started with Khaki Campbell's, which we kept in our vegetable greenhouse, but unfortunately a quoll got in and killed all six. We now house our chickens and ducks together in a very secure shed but they free range during the day and spend a lot of time on the dam. One Muscovy refuses to be locked up at night but sleeps on the dam! Life is exciting here with our feathered and furry family. As I type this I am sitting with a newly hatched chick 🐣 wrapped in a cloth and shoved down the front of my t-shirt! We found it apparently lifeless this morning but it has now perked up and is making happy peeps.

Welcome @TassieSheDevil ! :frow
 

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