I have free range chickens on my property. No one lives there, it is all fenced, but do get critters in at night--so can't let the hens sit on eggs on the ground. All the adult chickens roost in the trees at night.
The hens are always looking for places to lay eggs. I mounted nest boxes in the carport, safe places and two hens sat on eggs the same time. On Apr 20 a black hen hatched out 8 babies. The other, a barred rock hatched out 4. I put each mom+kids+nest box into screened in "jails", that are built side by side. The mom w/ 8 is in an 8'x8', the mom w/ 4 is in an 8'x4'. Outside, some sun, but always have shade. Both plenty of water, food, etc.
The chicks are growing, and all was well, until today. I found the barred rock dead in her nest box. The 4 chicks were OK. No sign of trauma, no discharge, just dead. Her head seemed bent around funny??? I know this hen is 2 years old. Up until now, she didn't like me looking at her/babies, seemed agitated, but would calm down when no one was around them.
When I was getting her body out, the babies escaped. They stayed right by the jails, trying to get back inside with the other momma. I caught one and I tried placing it in w/ the black hen+chicks next door. OH that wasn't good. At first momma was OK, but the chicks went after the new-comer. I thought it'd be OK, since they're the same age and have shared a common wire wall, for the 17 days of their life.
So I placed the four orphans back in their jail. They hang together and stare at the black momma + kids. They are eating, but seem abit lost. I plan on letting them grow up in there, and when they start climbing up on perches, roosts, etc, it'll be time to see if they can get themselves into the trees. (3 months??)
Any one have any idea what happened to the momma hen?
Any suggestions about helping these babies?
It just made me sick when I found her today.
Thanks
The hens are always looking for places to lay eggs. I mounted nest boxes in the carport, safe places and two hens sat on eggs the same time. On Apr 20 a black hen hatched out 8 babies. The other, a barred rock hatched out 4. I put each mom+kids+nest box into screened in "jails", that are built side by side. The mom w/ 8 is in an 8'x8', the mom w/ 4 is in an 8'x4'. Outside, some sun, but always have shade. Both plenty of water, food, etc.
The chicks are growing, and all was well, until today. I found the barred rock dead in her nest box. The 4 chicks were OK. No sign of trauma, no discharge, just dead. Her head seemed bent around funny??? I know this hen is 2 years old. Up until now, she didn't like me looking at her/babies, seemed agitated, but would calm down when no one was around them.
When I was getting her body out, the babies escaped. They stayed right by the jails, trying to get back inside with the other momma. I caught one and I tried placing it in w/ the black hen+chicks next door. OH that wasn't good. At first momma was OK, but the chicks went after the new-comer. I thought it'd be OK, since they're the same age and have shared a common wire wall, for the 17 days of their life.
So I placed the four orphans back in their jail. They hang together and stare at the black momma + kids. They are eating, but seem abit lost. I plan on letting them grow up in there, and when they start climbing up on perches, roosts, etc, it'll be time to see if they can get themselves into the trees. (3 months??)
Any one have any idea what happened to the momma hen?
Any suggestions about helping these babies?
It just made me sick when I found her today.
Thanks
