- Mar 29, 2014
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This isn't my first time letting a broody hen hatch peacock eggs, but this time her 'house' is smaller and I'm worried if I should take the chicks or not.
The last time, it was with a different hen and the house/run was all contained so I wasn't worried. This time, mom is in a 4 x 8 house I had built for my goose. It's all on ground level and made of wooden pallets, with a roof and a little screen door, but plenty of gaps (that I CAN cover with chicken wire....ugh). She's been so broody that I swear she hasn't touched her food or water for 2 weeks. I couldn't open the door to let her out because every time I did that, the 5 free-range hens would come in, chase her off the nest and one time they destroyed an egg.
So, I don't know if I should leave her be or what? As of last night, one peachick had hatched (THE cutest thing ever seeing the contrast of what will be a white peacock, peeking out from a very black Jersey Giant hen...photo below). There are 2 more eggs to go and I will be going out soon to see if any more hatched last night. I really do NOT want the worry/responsibility of putting the chicks in the bin with the red light, thermometer and worrying all the time... I need a break. But I also want more peacocks. My other option is to move her and the chicks to another hen house I have and play musical hen-houses with the transitional birds I have in there.
Thanks in advance for any tips. After a horrible winter and the tragic loss of our beloved Silly Goose 6 weeks ago, I just don't need any more stress for a while....worrying about animals has gotten to be the norm around here and I really need a break. Farming is NOT what you learn about as a kid....death and illness is the 'norm' from time to time.
The last time, it was with a different hen and the house/run was all contained so I wasn't worried. This time, mom is in a 4 x 8 house I had built for my goose. It's all on ground level and made of wooden pallets, with a roof and a little screen door, but plenty of gaps (that I CAN cover with chicken wire....ugh). She's been so broody that I swear she hasn't touched her food or water for 2 weeks. I couldn't open the door to let her out because every time I did that, the 5 free-range hens would come in, chase her off the nest and one time they destroyed an egg.
So, I don't know if I should leave her be or what? As of last night, one peachick had hatched (THE cutest thing ever seeing the contrast of what will be a white peacock, peeking out from a very black Jersey Giant hen...photo below). There are 2 more eggs to go and I will be going out soon to see if any more hatched last night. I really do NOT want the worry/responsibility of putting the chicks in the bin with the red light, thermometer and worrying all the time... I need a break. But I also want more peacocks. My other option is to move her and the chicks to another hen house I have and play musical hen-houses with the transitional birds I have in there.
Thanks in advance for any tips. After a horrible winter and the tragic loss of our beloved Silly Goose 6 weeks ago, I just don't need any more stress for a while....worrying about animals has gotten to be the norm around here and I really need a break. Farming is NOT what you learn about as a kid....death and illness is the 'norm' from time to time.
