You need to check, but MI may not allow shipping of birds right now due to the Avian Influenza outbreak. Some states are not allowing the movements of birds.
Walt
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California - Northern
- Thread starter Nifty-Chicken
- Start date
You need to check, but MI may not allow shipping of birds right now due to the Avian Influenza outbreak. Some states are not allowing the movements of birds.
Walt
That is the problem with collars. If you leave enough room for a finger to fit in between the collar and the neck the crowing is hardly influenced at all. I kept tightening the collar and checking to make sure the cockerel could breath and eat comfortably and it got to the point where I didn't feel good about how tight the collar was, even though the bird didn't show any problems. I finally gave up on the collar because I had a fear that eventually the bird might get something stuck in his throat while trying to eat. Kern
Ok, so the dang bird is officially a DETERMINED broody. *sigh* Do I get her some eggs or order a wire kennel from Amazon? I don't want any more chickens (don't have room for them!), so I'd have to rehome any chicks. And is she is a perpetual broody, somebody who wants one will be welcome to her! (yes, I'm looking at YOU @TheKeeper ).
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Im thinking you need the broody breaker but if she is perpetual I know someone who probably wants one. Neal @1zooman12
If you don't want more chickens then either break her or you could let her sit on fake eggs for a few weeks and then give her some feed store pullets. That way you're not stuck with roos to get rid of - pullets are easy to find homes for. Some hens will never go broody again; or will only brood 1 or 2 times a year. And some are just brooding machines - there is really no way to know which she will be right now.
And no, I don't need any more broodies - I currently have 9 raising chicks.
- Mar 15, 2015
- 68
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Hi guys I have a question.
I have my original flock of 10 hens that are about 15 weeks old (production reds barred rocks and white leghorns)
Awhile back I was given 2 EE and did the normal brooder thing and at 5 weeks old I did a play pen in the big girls run and they have been in there for 4 weeks like this. The EE have an adapted cat carrier for a mini coop in the play pen.
There have been no problems this way. But when I tried to take away the play pen my poor EE get picked on and just hide in a corner. It wasn't tonthe point blood was drawn but enough to scare them.
So for clarification my EE are currently 9 weeks and the rest are 15 weeks
They are out growing the play pen, but what do I do? Just let them hide in the corner? Yesterday I occasionally went out to scatter the older girls to make sure the EE could eat/drink. Do I keep them in the pay pen? Do I need to make another coop and run for my EE?
I have my original flock of 10 hens that are about 15 weeks old (production reds barred rocks and white leghorns)
Awhile back I was given 2 EE and did the normal brooder thing and at 5 weeks old I did a play pen in the big girls run and they have been in there for 4 weeks like this. The EE have an adapted cat carrier for a mini coop in the play pen.
There have been no problems this way. But when I tried to take away the play pen my poor EE get picked on and just hide in a corner. It wasn't tonthe point blood was drawn but enough to scare them.
So for clarification my EE are currently 9 weeks and the rest are 15 weeks
They are out growing the play pen, but what do I do? Just let them hide in the corner? Yesterday I occasionally went out to scatter the older girls to make sure the EE could eat/drink. Do I keep them in the pay pen? Do I need to make another coop and run for my EE?
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I've only done it once. But I waited until nighttime when she was asleep on the nest and the babies had fallen asleep under the brooder plate. I cupped the chicks in my hand in case she freaked out and pecked and slipped them under her from behind and then pulled out her dummy eggs. I did this in almost complete darkness so that no one woke up. The next morning, after the rest of the chickens had left the coop I put a small dish with chick starter and meal worms just outside of the nesting box (the box she was in was on the floor of the coop) so that she had to get up to reach it. I think it took a few minutes for her to realize that there were babies instead of eggs under her but after a few bites she started "chooking" at the babies and everything was smooth sailing from there.
There is always the chance of the hen rejecting the chicks or the chicks not bonding with the hen so you'll have to keep an eye on them the first day or so to make sure that she is caring for them and they know to run under her if they need to warm up.
A few tips I've picked up: the younger the chicks the better (day olds are ideal; more then a few days old and the bonding instincts aren't as strong); chicks living under a brooder plate transition easier than those under a heat light; and make sure the hen has been sitting for at least 2 weeks (they go thru different "phases" when brooding and you want to make sure shes ready for "mama mode").
I got chicks the day they came into the feed store so they were only a day or two old (still had the egg "tooth") and had hardly spent any time under lights. They went into my brooder, under the plate until dark, and then out to mama the same night.
Hope this helps.
Also, the "Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long" thread is a great one for any questions. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-and-informational-thread/25210#post_15370116
Wait a couple of weeks and try again. The EEs are likely a lot smaller than the older chicks so the big girls think the little ones are dinner.
When you put them together, wait until it is dark and put the EEs on the roost next to the older chicks. This often times helps the new ones be accepted by the flock.
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