MarlaMac
Songster
6/4 got 6 Blue Australorps to add to my flock of Black Australorps. The plan was to put them under a 28 day broody hen. That did not work out. Whether it was the broody, the chicks or the inexperienced adoption provider (me) who knows, but I have my suspicions.
Thanks to @Ridgerunner I had a brooder set up when I got home with the babies, albeit a crude one. Now I am their surrogate momma and they are in the extension to our large coop. The days have been hot and the nights lukewarm and they are doing well. They love when I visit and come running to see what I might give them. Today, it was dirt from our property. I sprinkled a little of their crumbles on and let them start scratching around.
They have become a non-novelty to the others now and get to experience the sights and sounds of the coop and peep out the windows to watch the flock scratch around as the come in from free ranging and settle in for the night. Rooster will check up on them throughout the day.
Our dog, Lucy, is a little upset that we did not keep them in the house. She adores baby chicks. She will follow a broody and her chicks around for hours, keeping a watchful distance. If the chicks stray to far from momma, Lucy herds them back to her.
Praying they all stay healthy and make an easy transition to our flock in the coming weeks.
In the coming days, we will build the a makeshift run in the bigger run so they can get out of the coop soon.
Thanks to @Ridgerunner I had a brooder set up when I got home with the babies, albeit a crude one. Now I am their surrogate momma and they are in the extension to our large coop. The days have been hot and the nights lukewarm and they are doing well. They love when I visit and come running to see what I might give them. Today, it was dirt from our property. I sprinkled a little of their crumbles on and let them start scratching around.
They have become a non-novelty to the others now and get to experience the sights and sounds of the coop and peep out the windows to watch the flock scratch around as the come in from free ranging and settle in for the night. Rooster will check up on them throughout the day.
Our dog, Lucy, is a little upset that we did not keep them in the house. She adores baby chicks. She will follow a broody and her chicks around for hours, keeping a watchful distance. If the chicks stray to far from momma, Lucy herds them back to her.
Praying they all stay healthy and make an easy transition to our flock in the coming weeks.
In the coming days, we will build the a makeshift run in the bigger run so they can get out of the coop soon.
