Chicks Hatched!

[Goldmama]

From the cold or from the other birds?
What are your temps these days?

Kinda both. The last week it's been 44 to -4. we have a small barn but we leave the door open all day so everyone can come in & out. Ducks, geese, goats, chickens, kitten. We recently got other1/2 feathered baby chicks w/ their daddy rooster. The 2 roosters we have are EXTREMELY friendly to all & ea/other. I just worry about all the dynamics together & I'm home 'almost' always, but not always.

 

[Goldmama]

@Goldmama without pictures it's like it never even happened.

Haha. It happened. I don't use a cell phone, so I don't get many pics of things. View attachment 1638839 View attachment 1638840 View attachment 1638839 View attachment 1638840

 

[Goldmama]

Haha. It happened. I don't use a cell phone, so I don't get many pics of things. View attachment 1638839 View attachment 1638840 View attachment 1638839 View attachment 1638840

 

[Rose Quartz]

that's amazing! what is your coldest temp in winter? Also how many does she have? My one hen has 4 & my other hen has 9.

So far since they've been hatched -22C(-8F) normal coldest for NS is -30C(-22F) she only has the 2 chicks.

She did have a hen hatch one in feb. Before and it was getting down to -30c but for that hen she had a smaller coop just for momma and the chick and had a light she'd turn on on the really cold nights. Just a normal incandescent though.

 

[aart]

Kinda both. The last week it's been 44 to -4. we have a small barn but we leave the door open all day so everyone can come in & out. Ducks, geese, goats, chickens, kitten. We recently got other1/2 feathered baby chicks w/ their daddy rooster. The 2 roosters we have are EXTREMELY friendly to all & ea/other. I just worry about all the dynamics together & I'm home 'almost' always, but not always.

Yikes...2 broodies hatching in middle of winter and adding other new birds too?!!? You're brave!

Great pics...love the big roof on that building!

 

[Goldmama]

Yikes...2 broodies hatching in middle of winter and adding other new birds too?!!? You're brave!

Great pics...love the big roof on that building!

Haha! okay, maybe Brave. Just never afraid to try something. I figure if it didn't work, lesson learned. Also, 2 went broody & no lazy layers around here, unless you're old. 1 hen isn't a yr yet & the other is 1 1/2. I'll take some pics today w/ my comp of their chicks

 

[aart]

Also, 2 went broody & no lazy layers around here, unless you're old. 1 hen isn't a yr yet & the other is 1 1/2.

Are you using supplemental lighting?
Even so, there will still be times when they won't/can't lay.
There are ways to 'break' broody.

 

[Goldmama]

yes. We have light in the barn & coop. We really have to in AK it stays so dark in the winter. I tried keeping her locked out & just kept putting her out. But she just kept going back to sitting when she'd get back in. I don't mind. It's been a really
fun experience. Plus I home school. So now the boys can tell you the life cycle of chickens What r your other ways?

 

[aart]

I let a broody hatch in the middle of winter once, never again.

My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.
Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[Goldmama]

Thank you all for the advice. They are all hatched out & everyone is doing awesome & cute!. 9 (2 black w/ rust heads, 2 black w/ yellow heads, 5 yellow) & 4 yellows for the other hen