California - Northern

[chrissyr]

Yea!!!! I have 3 out in the incubator.....1 Marans, 1 OE, and 1 Mottled AM. 2 more pipped in there...1 Marans and 1 Mottled. 5 hatched under the broody...2 Marans and 3 Mottled. I pulled one Marans egg from under her that had a big crack. It was sloshy and looked like an early death (Probably due to the crack). She has 3 Marans eggs left under her. The 'bator has 4 Marans, 4 Mottled and 3 OE's left (including the pipped ones). Today is day 21.

Question....I still have the broody cochin banty in the broody coop with the Wyandotte that has hatched the chicks. They each have their own nest box next to each other and they can see each other. The banty only had fake eggs. I am wondering if it would be best to give her some chicks or give them all to they Wyandotte. The banty tried to move into the Wyandotte's nest when I was counting chicks and the Wyandotte was not going after her. Any ideas on whether they are more likely to co-raise if they both have some chicks they consider 'theirs" or would it be better for the chicks for them all to "belong" to the Wyandotte?

Yay!! you have LOTS of babies!!

 

[chrissyr]

I would give each hen chicks. If they want to co brood them they will, but this way there are less sad hens. Also make sure you do not have a chick stealer ! many of my silkies are notorious for this.

how much room to co-brooders need in case they fight? i've never attempted to do 2 moms at a time.

 

[Audio51]

They have a 3 day guarantee and i messaged them last night so they are aware of it

But you have had more losses now, so that will hopefully make a difference. Plus...a telephone call would have more impact than a message I would think...

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
Oh...good! I was hoping that would be the answer. I have the 3 already hatched that she will be happy to get. One hatched yesterday and the other 2 over night. When would be a good time to give them to her?

 

[Audio51]

I i have one qho is on his way out and i hope thats the last one

Me too!

Can you get the vitamins to try? I think it was Poly-Vi-Sol without iron if I remember. It is commonly available at most drug stores. It certainly wouldn't hurt at this stage.

 

[chiqita]

Ok, seriously?? WHAT THE THING YOU CANNOT SAY ON FAMILY FRIENDLY WEBSITES SILKIES????

AAARGGGG.. Just spent another 1/2 hr is the downpour rescuing chickens RUNNING fro me in the rain. Danny Boy refused to go in the coop I had to bring him inside. The shy new hens at least ran TO me to get picked up this time. Pick up wet silkie.. carry to coop.. See her shocked and happily suprised it is warm, dry and has food! how exciting!
Pick up the next sopping silkie.... At least my little frizzle showgirl pullet has made friends! she has adopted to 2 new shy ones and was very upset when her friends were warm and dry and came running after me.

It is times like today crawling around in the mud and rain I regret having so much hawk covering in rose bushes,

who says turkeys are the stupid ones??

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
Me too! That is why I could't resist them when I saw the auction. I hope the rest hatch. The auction pages said not all would be mottled so the more that hatch the better the chance I will get some mottled pullets and can keep them. 2 of the ones under the hen are mostly yellows and have kind of striping down the back sort of like a chipmunk. The other one looks more spotted. The one inside is yellow underneath and up onto the sides with a more solid black back, The head is somewhat spotted. It's a good thing I saw it hatch because it might be mistaken for a Marans. I put the colored zipties on them......blue for AM due to the blue eggs, red for Marans because it is close to brown and green for the OE for the green eggs.

 

[EZFarms]

Okay i emaed cackle and tge owner asked if i could start them on amprol? isnt that a cocci medication? Why would he want mt to try that

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
They are in the broody coop from Costco. Floor space is 78" x 30". I have a covered cat carrier with the entrance cut down that I put in under the upstairs coop area. Once all the eggs are done I will take the ramp out so they won't try to take the chicks up it. I can add another enclosed something for the banty to keep her chicks in downstairs that will be seprated from the Wyandotte.

 

[chiqita]

how much room to co-brooders need in case they fight? i've never attempted to do 2 moms at a time.

it depends on the chickens. If they are sitting ON eggs together happily, you can give them 1 batch of chicks. If you want to give them chicks at different times, I move the one you give chicks into a seperate area. Last year Pumpkins ( RP turkey) decided to co brood with Lucy 1 ( now all chcickens that vaugly look like this are called Lucy by mario, so it gets confusing. I have 4 lucys in the yard right now, including the boy luck, lol) and fairly small icelandic. Pupkins just sat on her AND the eggs. I had to put the eggs in the incubator and give them chicks. They were fine together until I relocated all the icelandics to someone who wanted to breed icelandics. They were sitting on the floor of the coop under a pallet I turned into a roost. No extra room required.

When a more agressive hen broods, I make sure she has her own sleeping place to retreat to. They seem less territorial if they have their own place to retreat to. When the weatehr cooperates, I leave the broodies in the main coop or silkieland, and don't move them unless I want to watch the chicks. Right now roxi is on the porch since her chicks were all dying and I want to keep an eye on them, plus the ground is too wet to sit on chicks in silkieland.