Luna is a fine mother, watching, teaching, guarding, etc.
The 4 chicks are happy and Luna seems to be happy managing them and beating the feathers off of anyone who comes near them...except me. She doesn't seem to be eating any more than she did while sitting on the eggs, however, and she's really lost a lot of weight.
I am feeding a 17% mix from the feed mill (lovely fresh stuff grown locally) and she gets treats and a bit of scratch, plus all the chick feed and yard stuff she can eat- they range my backyard all day, and there are buckets of things to dig up.
When observed, she is still really not consuming much when at the feeder or food found about, but giving it to the chicks, which vary in age from a week to a week and a half old.
She seems to be energetic enough, but her comb is pale and there isn't much left of her under her feathers- she's a BR, so looks are quite deceiving. I've given her yogurt and tofu and other stuff when I think about it, but she seems more concerned with the chicks eating.
There aren't any parasites- no mites, no worms, etc. very clean and tidy; feed contains food grade DE.
Is this normal? Do mommas remain selfless for some time? The whole 4 weeks of being broody prior to hatch (had to get her some eggs- took a week) she rarely ate, as is described as normal- we pushed the food and kept stuff handy, nonetheless.
Should I worry? Is there anything else I can do? How the heck do people keep chronic broodies healthy?
The 4 chicks are happy and Luna seems to be happy managing them and beating the feathers off of anyone who comes near them...except me. She doesn't seem to be eating any more than she did while sitting on the eggs, however, and she's really lost a lot of weight.
I am feeding a 17% mix from the feed mill (lovely fresh stuff grown locally) and she gets treats and a bit of scratch, plus all the chick feed and yard stuff she can eat- they range my backyard all day, and there are buckets of things to dig up.
When observed, she is still really not consuming much when at the feeder or food found about, but giving it to the chicks, which vary in age from a week to a week and a half old.
She seems to be energetic enough, but her comb is pale and there isn't much left of her under her feathers- she's a BR, so looks are quite deceiving. I've given her yogurt and tofu and other stuff when I think about it, but she seems more concerned with the chicks eating.
There aren't any parasites- no mites, no worms, etc. very clean and tidy; feed contains food grade DE.
Is this normal? Do mommas remain selfless for some time? The whole 4 weeks of being broody prior to hatch (had to get her some eggs- took a week) she rarely ate, as is described as normal- we pushed the food and kept stuff handy, nonetheless.
Should I worry? Is there anything else I can do? How the heck do people keep chronic broodies healthy?
