Hatching with 2 broodies

[ItalyChickie]

Well I let Layla out of her broody pen yesterday to watch how she would be with her new chick around the rest of the chickens. I was surprised to see her just take off without the chick and proceed to go dirt bathe without her chick. The chick is not even big enough to get out of the pop door of the coop to get into the run.  Little Antie Emm was chirping in a scared way and Layla just ignored her and went about her business as the big chicks walked by Emm and gave her a peck or two.   So Layla is not getting the mother of the year award for sure...

I picked up Emm and put her in a little coop by herself as it was warm enough without mom for a few minutes. I watched Layla to see if the baby crying would have any reaction on her and it didnt. Acted like she didnt even hear it!
So I went over and interupted her spa treatment and put her and the baby back in the broody nest.I said you wanted to be a mom and now you are going to take care of your chick. They both seemed to be ok  for the time being.
Now I am worried for the lone little chick. What if Layla just dumps her? Pennys eggs are due to hatch on Friday but I dont know if Penny will watch out for Emm too, I doubt it because she walked by Emm and gave her a peck also.

This is Laylas first time broody. I just wonder why she didnt protect her baby. Layla has always been very laid back and kind of marches to her own drum. She doesnt pick on the others and the others dont bother her.So I really dont know where she stands in the pecking order.  She seems to just get along with everyone. She is a LF Blue Cochin about 1 1/2 years old. 
Any thoughts anyone?

Oh no, that doesn't sound promising! But I don't want to write off Layla as a mom just yet, seeing as they were doing well when isolated together, so I wonder if there is some sort of a misunderstanding at the base here? Is it possible she expected Emm to follow? I wonder what would happen if you brought the chick to her, rather than her to the chick?

That's the only thing that comes to mind at the moment, but I'll add that Cenere, being the same breed, has a similar personality and, though I love her to bits, is definitely not the brightest girl I have.... And yes, a bit selfish, too, even when she has chicks - I.e. If she feels she gotta dust bathe, then that comes first. (Notice that she didn't get mom of the year award, either) Of course, in my setup, she'd still be in the same closed off area, though the chicks might stay in the apartment at first, then follow her given enough time.

I wonder if maybe putting them both somewhere where she can scratch and dust bathe AND Emm can follow, possibly without separating much would allow them to learn to stay close to each other? Again, I don't know your setup or what could work, just thinking a quick temporary blocking off of a smallish outside area, just for a day or so? And watch them at first?

Maybe others have better ideas, though! Hope it works out!

 

[ItalyChickie]

So in my news, Pallina and her chicks finally decided to venture outside the kindergarten area, which seemed to have a calming effect on her - phew! I think she finally realizes that nobody in the flock is going to eat her chicks, or even so much as look at them, unless they're between big chickens and food.

And as far as Cenere and whether or not to give her eggs, hubby took all of 5 minutes to convince when I said I'd like to try letting her stay in the coop so there's less worrying, and they should be integrated In a matter of days (Cenere is high enough in the pecking order, and even those above - Red Stars, who else? - don't mess with her, so I feel safe trying with her as mom). The mention of freebie eggs and Marans, which is another breed the seller has, had closed the deal.

 

[Sonya9]

So in my news, Pallina and her chicks finally decided to venture outside the kindergarten area, which seemed to have a calming effect on her - phew! I think she finally realizes that nobody in the flock is going to eat her chicks, or even so much as look at them, unless they're between big chickens and food.

And as far as Cenere and whether or not to give her eggs, hubby took all of 5 minutes to convince when I said I'd like to try letting her stay in the coop so there's less worrying, and they should be integrated In a matter of days (Cenere is high enough in the pecking order, and even those above - Red Stars, who else? - don't mess with her, so I feel safe trying with her as mom). The mention of freebie eggs and Marans, which is another breed the seller has, had closed the deal.

Wow, our bantams really are on the same schedule and I don't think it is coincidence! After a week of not leaving the small coop the mama's took the babies out briefly friday, and then spent most of yesterday in the big run under a small shade tree away from the rest of the flock. So funny while the two broodies have been squabbling for a week in the coop, now that they are outside they all stay together constantly (and stopped fighting, thank god).

I have noticed the babies have gotten MUCH faster the last 2-3 days and even saw a couple of them fly a couple of feet while catching up to mama. I think that is the reason the broodies waited a week, so the babies would be faster and a bit smarter when they went outside.

Yesterday Zilla took a long dust bath in the afternoon sun and her babies threw themselves into the dirt next to her and dust bathed with her! It was soooo cute, they are just like tiny carbon copies of the hens!

Glad to hear hubby didn't put up a fight regarding more eggs! I have wanted to ask, are you an American or a Brit that moved to Italy?

 

[Sonya9]

I said you wanted to be a mom and now you are going to take care of your chick. They both seemed to be ok for the time being.

That is what Casey Anthony's mother said to her when Casey didn't want to be a mother; we all know how that worked out.

I would take ItalyChickie's advice and separate the two of them so Layla and Emm stay together either way without temptation or threats from other flock members.

 

[ShelbyCoral]

So in my news, Pallina and her chicks finally decided to venture outside the kindergarten area, which seemed to have a calming effect on her - phew! I think she finally realizes that nobody in the flock is going to eat her chicks, or even so much as look at them, unless they're between big chickens and food.

And as far as Cenere and whether or not to give her eggs, hubby took all of 5 minutes to convince when I said I'd like to try letting her stay in the coop so there's less worrying, and they should be integrated In a matter of days (Cenere is high enough in the pecking order, and even those above - Red Stars, who else? - don't mess with her, so I feel safe trying with her as mom). The mention of freebie eggs and Marans, which is another breed the seller has, had closed the deal.

Wow if I did that, she would try and kill my other chickens. Not the older chickens eat the younger ones... but that's nice.

 

[ItalyChickie]

Wow, our bantams really are on the same schedule and I don't think it is coincidence! After a week of not leaving the small coop the mama's took the babies out briefly friday, and then spent most of yesterday in the big run under a small shade tree away from the rest of the flock.  So funny while the two broodies have been squabbling for a week in the coop, now that they are outside they all stay together constantly (and stopped fighting, thank god).

I have noticed the babies have gotten MUCH faster the last 2-3 days and even saw a couple of them fly a couple of feet while catching up to mama. I think that is the reason the broodies waited a week, so the babies would be faster and a bit smarter when they went outside.

Yesterday Zilla took a long dust bath in the afternoon sun and her babies threw themselves into the dirt next to her and dust bathed with her! It was soooo cute, they are just like tiny carbon copies of the hens!

Glad to hear hubby didn't put up a fight regarding more eggs! I have wanted to ask, are you an American or a Brit that moved to Italy?

Yes, it really sounds like they are on the same schedule, and Pallina is less aggressive with Chiocciola and Araucana chicks as well, even when they are nearby. Phew!

I have to wonder why the standard size broodies feel the babies are ready to go out earlier, is it because the hen is bigger, or because the babies are bigger..? Hmm might be a bit of both.

And mine have been dust bathing too, they're absolutely adorable to watch copying mama's move!

I was sure I could convince hubby... It was really mostly empty threats, he's super easy to convince with anything that "his" hens want, Cenere being a favorite and since Cenere wants chicks that's what she gets.

I'm actually Russian. I get that a lot though, as my English is US-learned, and probably better than my Russian (not in terms of accent, but in terms of vocabulary). Long story short, I started out as a foreign exchange student when I was 15, decided I wanted to go to college in the US, spent a couple of semesters in Europe, met my future husband during that time, went back to the US and he followed, we both stayed there for a few years after I graduated, but then work visas got more difficult to renew, plus his mom had some health issues, and we decided to go back to Europe... Still here today.

 

[ItalyChickie]

Wow if I did that, she would try and kill my other chickens. Not the older chickens eat the younger ones... but that's nice.

Sorry, confused - who would kill who and why? Do you mean your broodies are separated from the flock for a longer period of time? Or just that broodies are automatically top hens? Pallina tries acting like one, but she isn't... And knows it only too well.

I'm trying to integrate as early as possible this year, so it's a bit of an experiment for me, I kept them separate longer before, but it seems to be working so much better with the growing chicks to already be familiar with the rest of the flock when mom abandons them. Pallina has been more difficult than others, because she trusts them less (she hasn't been with us very long), and she's bottom of pecking order... She is very protective, but also terrified of top hens, so while she will make attack moves, she escapes in the end if they come nearer... Like I said, a bit of an adjustment, they're all getting used to each other now.

I'm sure each flock has its own dynamics... This particular girl just never took the time to figure them out before she went broody, and is only learning now. Glad she's finally trusting the roo though, he's great with chicks!

Edited to add: unless you misinterpreted my figure of speech, "finally realizes nobody is going to eat her chicks" was to say Pallina is acting AS IF others might eat her chicks, which of course they don't...

 

[16 paws]

Oh no, that doesn't sound promising! But I don't want to write off Layla as a mom just yet, seeing as they were doing well when isolated together, so I wonder if there is some sort of a misunderstanding at the base here? Is it possible she expected Emm to follow? I wonder what would happen if you brought the chick to her, rather than her to the chick?

That's the only thing that comes to mind at the moment, but I'll add that Cenere, being the same breed, has a similar personality and, though I love her to bits, is definitely not the brightest girl I have.... And yes, a bit selfish, too, even when she has chicks - I.e. If she feels she gotta dust bathe, then that comes first. (Notice that she didn't get mom of the year award, either) Of course, in my setup, she'd still be in the same closed off area, though the chicks might stay in the apartment at first, then follow her given enough time.

I wonder if maybe putting them both somewhere where she can scratch and dust bathe AND Emm can follow, possibly without separating much would allow them to learn to stay close to each other? Again, I don't know your setup or what could work, just thinking a quick temporary blocking off of a smallish outside area, just for a day or so? And watch them at first?

Maybe others have better ideas, though! Hope it works out!

Yes, I think you are right on about everything, I just made her a space where she can take the chick out a bit and dust bathe. She is actually redeeming herself a bit as I watched her go after another hen that got too close. Maybe she just needs a little more time. Thanks for the help.
Marie

 

[16 paws]

That is what Casey Anthony's mother said to her when Casey didn't want to be a mother; we all know how that worked out.

I would take ItalyChickie's advice and separate the two of them so Layla and Emm stay together either way without temptation or threats from other flock members.

Hi Sonya,
At first I didnt know who you were talking about, but then it dawned on me, Yes that did not turn out well. I am taking your and ItalyChickies advice and giving her some space out in the run but sectioned off from the others. She is doing much better as a mama. I think the dust bath was so important to her that she just HAD to get out there and do it. I sprayed her with scalex for mites today just in case she had a little bug thing going on after sitting so long on the nest. Arent you the one that does that for your broodys just in case?
Marie

 

[ShelbyCoral]

The emergencies never end! I have another chick sick! But may be Gapeworm! She is constantly trying to breath and makes noise. What can I give her? Can she recover? She is very skinny to!