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

[BDutch]

Oh sorry it's not going along as smoothly as we'd like . I hope you found Tintin this morning?

How many days left to the hatch ? Would it not be better at this stage to protect just the nest, and let him in the coop ?

Yes, Tintin was in the run with the 4 non-broodies.

Tintin is allowed to go everywhere the other non-broodies can go too. I only blocked the part of my set-up where the broods are + a small run. The roost area of the other hens closes after sun set and opens after sunrise. Tintin doesn't want to roost with the 4 non-broodies. So he has himself locked out from the coop area. The run is spacious enough for the 5 of them. The tiny coop in the run area, is a good place to sleep for Tintin. But he doesn't want to sleep in it.

Probably 3-4 days till hatch. Monday or Tuesday

The broodies tossed out another egg today. I was cold a because the previous tosses where not good, I suspected this one to be a no go too. I opened it. Inside I could clearly sea the embryo, a small chick was dead. Probably 15-16 days old.

7 eggs left. Still hoping 2 pullet will hatch.

 

[BDutch]

The broodies tossed out another egg today. I was cold a because the previous tosses where not good, I suspected this one to be a no go too. I opened it. Inside I could clearly sea the embryo, a small chick was dead. Probably 15-16 days old.

7 eggs left. Still hoping 2 pullets will hatch.

Guess what!

The broodies tossed out another egg this afternoon. This one was cold too. I opened it. Inside I could clearly sea the embryo, the small chick was dead too. Probably 15-16 days old.

Probably these 2 are the chicks from last night. So now I am waiting for the other two the broodies abandoned last night

6 eggs left. Still hoping 2 pullets will hatch.

Reminds me of the childish song of 5 little ducks. Only these cold eggs have no happy ending.

 

[BDutch]

Another cold egg. 5 eggs left and Black pooped in the nest.

I think Black is not feeling well. That would explain why she left her nest a few days ago.
The chicks in the hatching eggs that are kicked out now probably didn’t survive the cold so late in the proces.

Its Ini mini who sits on the eggs now. Black is sitting next to her.
I don’t really understand their odd behaviour.

 

[ManueB]

Another cold egg. 5 eggs left and Black pooped in the nest.

I think Black is not feeling well. That would explain why she left her nest a few days ago.
The chicks in the hatching eggs that are kicked out now probably didn’t survive the cold so late in the proces.

Its Ini mini who sits on the eggs now. Black is sitting next to her.
I don’t really understand their odd behaviour.

I hope Black is all right. Maybe there are reasons for their behaviour, that we don't know, or understand.
One of those times when it could actually be nice to have a camera in the coop, even if that's not something I like !
Only two or three days left to know how it turns out. Most of all I hope Black is ok

 

[BDutch]

The broodies seem okay now. Didnt find more cold eggs.

This afternoon Kraai and Katrientje were harassing Tintin when he comes near. Poor chap. It must be lonely for him without any brothers or sisters.

Tintin is sleeping in the red berry bush in the second run. Not far from the tiny coop. Maybe it helps if I put the tiny coop higher up. He might prefer a higher spot to sleep.

 

[fuzzi]

The broodies seem okay now. Didnt find more cold eggs.

This afternoon Kraai and Katrientje were harassing Tintin when he comes near. Poor chap. It must be lonely for him without any brothers or sisters.

Tintin is sleeping in the red berry bush in the second run. Not far from the tiny coop. Maybe it helps if I put the tiny coop higher up. He might prefer a higher spot to sleep.

My Zacchaeus doesn't have any siblings, either. All his brothers went to the auction.

 

[Yard Farmer]

My Zacchaeus doesn't have any siblings, either. All his brothers went to the auction.
View attachment 3863889

He's so cute!

 

[BDutch]

My Zacchaeus doesn't have any siblings, either. All his brothers went to the auction.
View attachment 3863889

A couple of years ago I had a hatch with 4 cockerels and one pullet. When the pullet (Janice) was left alone she got harassed by a few hens and started to sleep in the nestbox again. I didn’t like that and for many weeks I put her on the roost with the others after dark.

Looking back I think it traumatised her. She didn't feel safe. And I must have made it worse. She got more confident after the next hatch, but still prefers to sleep alone in the small coop.

I wonder if our lonely cockerels will have a hard time too. I know I made it worse for Tintin to expel him from the nestboxes after his mother left him on his own. But I had to, because he was disturbing the broodies and I don’t trust him if any chicks hatch. I was concerned he might get aggressive to any new tiny invaders (?).

 

[fuzzi]

A couple of years ago I had a hatch with 4 cockerels and one pullet. When the pullet (Janice) was left alone she got harassed by a few hens and started to sleep in the nestbox again. I didn’t like that and for many weeks I put her on the roost with the others after dark.

Looking back I think it traumatised her. She didn't feel safe. And I must have made it worse. She got more confident after the next hatch, but still prefers to sleep alone in the small coop.

I wonder if our lonely cockerels will have a hard time too. I know I made it worse for Tintin to expel him from the nestboxes after his mother left him on his own. But I had to, because he was disturbing the broodies and I don’t trust him if any chicks hatch. I was concerned he might get aggressive to any new tiny invaders (?).

Yes, he's been hiding a lot, but the chaos that the cockerels were instigating had to be stopped, and so the others were rehomed. The hens are much calmer now.

The good news, of sorts, is there's a second hatch about 6 weeks younger, and I will probably keep one of the boys as a back up rooster. Once those chicks are rejected by the broodies Zack won't be on the bottom of the pecking order.

It's interesting to observe the flock's social interactions, and try to figure out the hierarchy.

 

[ManueB]

Any news @BDutch ?