Broody Pullet(s)

[Rillowen]

I think the pullets have their "hands" full, honestly.
I've seen two of the chicks pecking at her face and eyes.
... terrifying.

I have been told as long as you have good bedding down dont worry too much about chicks falling, chicks are so light they kind of just bounce. They were made to be able to handle that afterall. Being stuck away from mom is another issue though. They can get too cold quickly, maybe have a brooder plate nearby at ground level They can huddle under if they are too cold before you find them?

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

I have been told as long as you have good bedding down dont worry too much about chicks falling, chicks are so light they kind of just bounce. They were made to be able to handle that afterall. Being stuck away from mom is another issue though. They can get too cold quickly, maybe have a brooder plate nearby at ground level They can huddle under if they are too cold before you find them?

Tried to make it work with what I had, but the nests (I didn't design it) weren't built for brooding. The last clutch were picked up by me and placed on the ground so the second-time-mom could go to them instead of stressing about anybody getting separated.

The chicks are around 6 months now.

I do have heat plates and backup heat lamps, but that's only for chicks that can't be hen raised.
The broodies I have ended up being good moms.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Tried to make it work with what I had, but the nests (I didn't design it) weren't built for brooding. The last clutch were picked up by me and placed on the ground so the second-time-mom could go to them instead of stressing about anybody getting separated.

The chicks are around 6 months now.

I do have heat plates and backup heat lamps, but that's only for chicks that can't be hen raised.
The broodies I have ended up being good moms.

Wait, six months? Not six weeks? Are they not completely independent of the broody by now?

Edit to add: I apologize, I think I’ve gotten confused by the late response to the thread from the previous poster.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Wait, six months? Not six weeks? Are they not completely independent of the broody by now?

Edit to add: I apologize, I think I’ve gotten confused by the late response to the thread from the previous poster.

Yeah, it gets confusing. I try to double check when a thread was posted. The "similar threads" thing (below comment box) has tripped me up a few times

Anyway, they're doing fairly well. Yes, independent from the mom for quite some time.
3 laying pullets
1 cockerel (different clutch, same broody)

At this point, I'm looking to add some new genetics in, and downsize a few of the existing flock.
I'm waiting to see how a few hens come back from moult, but some of them might end up being "pets" since I've gotten attached...

The broodies will be sticking around.

Really like this rooster, he's great for his flock (including the chicks and the cockerel. Not aggressive, very attentive.) But... he has genetic wry tail! Which I only noticed after his pullets were a few months old, as it's very noticeable on them.

 

[Rillowen]

Yeah, it gets confusing. I try to double check when a thread was posted. The "similar threads" thing (below comment box) has tripped me up a few times

Anyway, they're doing fairly well. Yes, independent from the mom for quite some time.
3 laying pullets
1 cockerel (different clutch, same broody)

At this point, I'm looking to add some new genetics in, and downsize a few of the existing flock.
I'm waiting to see how a few hens come back from moult, but some of them might end up being "pets" since I've gotten attached...

The broodies will be sticking around.

Really like this rooster, he's great for his flock (including the chicks and the cockerel. Not aggressive, very attentive.) But... he has genetic wry tail! Which I only noticed after his pullets were a few months old, as it's very noticeable on them.

That's the way we are, best roo I have ever seen! Super attentive, even doting to chicks, polite gentleman never mounting uninvited and protecting the hens from the rude teens, brave and alert against threats, super loyal and attentive to me... but he was born with a crooked toe. I'm stuck wondering if it will pass on, and if it does if its really worth culling him out or not... he has such an amazing disposition!

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

That's the way we are, best roo I have ever seen! Super attentive, even doting to chicks, polite gentleman never mounting uninvited and protecting the hens from the rude teens, brave and alert against threats, super loyal and attentive to me... but he was born with a crooked toe. I'm stuck wondering if it will pass on, and if it does if its really worth culling him out or not... he has such an amazing disposition!

I got my flock with the idea of them hatching their own eggs, and I'd be rotating roosters regularly and some new pullets as well.
So I do need to start weeding out any birds with problems I don't want passed on.


Now, I think crooked toe can also be from poor nutrition of the chick, and/or the parents.

-if- you felt like you could put down or eat any birds that ended up with a problem, you could test hatch to see if it is genetic.

If you don't plan to hatch your own eggs, then it won't matter if the rooster has a bad toe

 

[Rillowen]

I got my flock with the idea of them hatching their own eggs, and I'd be rotating roosters regularly and some new pullets as well.
So I do need to start weeding out any birds with problems I don't want passed on.


Now, I think crooked toe can also be from poor nutrition of the chick, and/or the parents.

-if- you felt like you could put down or eat any birds that ended up with a problem, you could test hatch to see if it is genetic.

If you don't plan to hatch your own eggs, then it won't matter if the rooster has a bad toe

Yes, we wanted to breed them to hatch our own. We are planning on hatching as many as we can this year and culling hard (it will be hard on my ) to try to get a good start.
We got him at 8 months old, so it might be from the nutrition as a chick/ the parents. I dont know, I only know we were told he always had it. I'm hoping it was nutrition!!

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Yes, we wanted to breed them to hatch our own. We are planning on hatching as many as we can this year and culling hard (it will be hard on my ) to try to get a good start.
We got him at 8 months old, so it might be from the nutrition as a chick/ the parents. I dont know, I only know we were told he always had it. I'm hoping it was nutrition!!

Fingers crossed for you

It's convenient to just be able to choose which eggs to hatch (keep a favorite hen, but not hatch her eggs, etc) but it's difficult when it's the rooster that's the potential problem as you can't pick if he fertilizes or not.

 

[Rillowen]

Fingers crossed for you

It's convenient to just be able to choose which eggs to hatch (keep a favorite hen, but not hatch her eggs, etc) but it's difficult when it's the rooster that's the potential problem as you can't pick if he fertilizes or not.

Very true, we have a single barred rock hen we arent wanting to breed, that part is easy! But the rooster gets everything....lol