California - Northern

[ronott1]

Oh, and surprise chicks.

DH does all the feeding and chores (I know, I'm spoiled) so I don't necessarily look in all the coops. I was out at the chickens this morning and heard the chick distress call. I started looking around to narrow down the sound and standing at the top of the ladder in the Icelandic coop were two chicks calling "Mommy, come and save us!" I went into the coop to be the surrogate mommy and they ran down the ladder. That would have been fine until they poked through the fence next door into the Orpington pen where they got pecked. I saved them from them from there, then they ran next door in with the Cochins. Fortunately the behemoths in there ignored them. Then they ran through the next wire in with the Longcrowers, who also ignored them. They are now in a bin in the back bedroom with the call duckling that hatched a few days ago. I'll have to set something up for them with their mom.

Then I looked in the bantam BR coop, there are SIX broodies in various places on the coop floor, each with a huge pile of eggs!

The bantam black rock chicks are still happily cruising around the pen with dad, mom and aunt.

Dang chickens (or DH for not taking eggs away from broodies)!

It is amazing when chicks just show up like that!

I have one broody that I am going to work on Breaking tonight. I am giving her some chicks for a day and will then move the chicks off to a Brooder.

I hope it works!

 

[ronott1]

@TheKeeper

is coming to pick up a couple of pullets today from yesterdays hatch so I snapped a couple of pictures before they go to their new place.







I think I have more pullets this time from the Pita Pintas. That is good news!

 

[BCollie]

What causes scissor beak? My golden EE or TJ's(who knows what is) chick was fine when I left it at 3 days old. Came back from vacation today a week later and it has scissor beak.

 

[tommysgirl]

I think I have more pullets this time from the Pita Pintas. That is good news!

Super sweet! You can tell this soon that you have more pullets??

 

[casportpony]

@TheKeeper

is coming to pick up a couple of pullets today from yesterdays hatch so I snapped a couple of pictures before they go to their new place.







I think I have more pullets this time from the Pita Pintas. That is good news!

Very cute! Gotta love the ones that hatch white and not yellow, those are cool looking.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Congrats to everyone and all of their cute chicks!

-Kathy

 

[ronott1]

Super sweet! You can tell this soon that you have more pullets??

The Partridrige Penedesencas are 85% or so color sexable at hatch. The Pita Pintas not so much but I am hoping.

I can tell more at 3 weeks or so with them. The three from my last hatch are 1 pullet and 2 cockerels.

I just hat the best time talking chicken with Lisa. She wound up with a pair of Partridge Penes and a couple of Amelias crossed back to parent one. They are a lot of Crele pene x Cream Legbar.

 

[ronott1]

What causes scissor beak? My golden EE or TJ's(who knows what is) chick was fine when I left it at 3 days old. Came back from vacation today a week later and it has scissor beak.

Cross beak is genetic. The chick is born with it and it gets worse with age. You did not see it at first because it was not as noticeable then.

It is possible to keep them. You will have to trim the upper beak though. I have a cross beak Delaware and it took care of the problem by snapping off the top beak. It has grown back now so I should trim it soon.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Congrats to everyone and all of their cute chicks!

-Kathy

Ditto!



Speaking of broodies, my newest broody Barnevelder (#9 Broody this year), keeps trying to steal the other broody Barnevelder's eggs that are due to hatch Wed. I guess she doesn't want to do the work to sit for 3 weeks first. I've got to give her the eggs I've collected tonight to hopefully keep her off the other broodies nest! Nothing but DRAMA in the chicken coop.

 

[ronott1]

Ditto!



Speaking of broodies, my newest broody Barnevelder (#9 Broody this year), keeps trying to steal the other broody Barnevelder's eggs that are due to hatch Wed. I guess she doesn't want to do the work to sit for 3 weeks first. I've got to give her the eggs I've collected tonight to hopefully keep her off the other broodies nest! Nothing but DRAMA in the chicken coop.

Silly Broodies!