BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[Molpet]

I did leave a rating, but fear I didn't do it right. It seems I posted my comments on your review under the wrong section

I did the same. Seems like it was supposed to be someone who bought it since it asked for price paid. But I didn't see anywhere else

 

[BDutch]

I did leave a rating, but fear I didn't do it right. It seems I posted my comments on your review under the wrong section

I don’t know how you did this. I got a message you rated the article but I don’t see it.

@Molpet did it right.

Thank you’ll

 

[fluffycrow]

I don’t know how you did this. I got a message you rated the article but I don’t see it.

@Molpet did it right.

Thank you’ll

I really don't know how I F'ed it up so bad . I tried rating again, but was unsuccessful

 

[NanaK]

I had to go back and look!

I think I did it right.
I did not see @fluffycrow either.

 

[MaryJanet]

I really don't know how I F'ed it up so bad . I tried rating again, but was unsuccessful

I also found it very confusing and gave up

 

[BDutch]

I also found it very confusing and gave up

I found it works different than with the coops.
The idea is that you have bought this item too and share your opinion on the product. Not meant to give a review on the writer.

 

[BDutch]

In the meanwhile I candled all the eggs. All 10 were fertile and started to grow.

Even the embryo in the egg that rolled out from under the broodies and was getting cold (#1), developed normally. The other 3 eggs in the incubator are visibly a bit behind. I put the eggs in 1.5 days after I put the eggs under the broodies.

I want to check again in 2 days to see if they have all grown.

Maybe a ‘neighbour’ wants my incubator eggs if all developed well and she has another broody. Otherwise it’s wiser to abort the 3 incubator eggs and a poopy egg. Nice to change the poopy egg for the (#1) added incubator egg with the right hatch day.

 

[BDutch]

Duplicate from Shads thread:.

Tintin is bigger now as his momma.
The photo doesn’t show but trust me he really is bigger. 9 weeks and still sleeping with mamma Pearl in a nest box, next to the 2 broodies. Eggs are all growing

Black an Ini mini both came off to eat, drink and poop. Black gobbled some layer feed too.

 

[BDutch]

No update.
In this post I’m sharing my experience and solution with broodies who prefer to sit in a prefab where the hens usually lay their eggs.

The nestbox/upstairs area in the prefab is a spot thats not safe without a few adjustments because 2 day old chicks can go down but not up a ladder/steep board.

The prefab coop, how it was new 12 years ago. The entrance to this small coop is about 2’ (55 cm) from the ground.

In front are the 2 nest-boxes where my broodies prefer to sit and an area of about 0.5 m2 (2 x 3 ft) to give the chicks and momma(s) some space to walk around. And where I can put the chick feed and water.

I tried several things over the years and found this solution works best:
I leave the momma with the chicks to figure out when it’s time to come down. I do block the opening a bit for the newly hatched chicks (2” or 6 cm high) but the broody can still go outside to poop and return before the chicks get cold.

The steep ladder is replaced with a wider board of that makes about a 25 degree angle. I staple an old bath towel on it so the board is not slippery.

After a couple of days the chicks come out of their ‘cave’ with mamma. To search for other feed than the chick feed and to get fresh air and sunlight. When the chicks are getting cold mamma is there to keep them warm.

I take away the block from the pop door entrance, so mamma and chicks can easily go back in for the night. The first days after they left the nestbox/coop I make sure to take watch at sunset to be sure all chicks make it upstairs.

I leave the prefab coop/run area open for all other hens as long as I see no problems. But as soon as there is too much fuzz or trouble I can close the opening to the roost area and the main run. I always have a another nestbox available for hens who like to lay their egg. But of course they do as they please. Now the other hens prefer to lay their eggs in a clean corner with hay under the roost bars.

 

[BDutch]

I wonder if I should interfere in Tintins upbringing by Pearl. He is stil nurtured, sleeps in a nest-box and doesn’t roost at all. It’s about time he starts to poop from the roost.

On the other hand it’s not inconvenient if he doesn’t roost when his mother leaves him. That way it’s easier to pick him up and put him in his ‘mumbled crow’ cage .

The mumble cage.

I need to adjust the opening /closing setting from lumen to a convenient time schedule when he is getting loud.

And probably need to add some sound isolation under the glass roof. Or make the cage real dark which is difficult in combination with good ventilation.

Now I have a piece of epdm on top of the glass roof to make it darker inside. But because there is a small opening between the wooden cage (1 cm) and the glass roof its not completely dark inside.

Tips for isolation under a glass roof
or tips to make another roof with a hinge and ideas for a dark cage with ventilation are all welcome.