- Apr 24, 2011
- 6
- 7
- 67
I have two questions/issues I need help with..... This is the second time now that our hen (Buff orpington) has now accepted chicks during a brood cycle. Of course we're thrilled that she took to these three adorable chicks. This is our third day.I had locked them into the nesting box area of our coop so our other two hens couldnt bother her...then today I let her into the rest of the coop with the babies, but I've barred the other chickens from coming in. Here's concern #1)As mama struts about with her babies in this locked coop, she seems to be almost frantically scratching, as if she's in search of food.Our bedding is hay.We have special food in there, but she keeps kicking big mounds of hay on top of both the food and water, even when I've tried putting food and water into bigger, heavier containers;its like she's determined to bury the food! Sometimes she'll eat with babies, but most often she kicks it all over, buries it, and searches incessantly around the rest of the coop, scratching and scratching, the babies following her around. Sometimes I check out there and they're all settled under her quietly. But often I go out and she's restlessly kicking everything around. She didn't do this before. Any ideas? #2) My other concern is that the start and grow food with the medication in it is getting scattered everywhere so when I do eventually let the other chickens in later tonight (I will lock up babies/mama again at night) they could essentially eat this food and then we couldn't have their eggs for another three months. I was hoping to keep their food separate, and I could have had my mama not repeatedly spilled and scattered all this food! Does anyone know if my other hens eat only minimal start and grow, a few grains here and there, must we also not eat their eggs too?
