Hatching with 2 broodies

[ItalyChickie]

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

I'm really glad it's working out! Phew!

And now that I think about it, it's quite possible that she really did need that dust bath badly, after the ants in the nest experience.

 

[Sonya9]

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

I use frontline spray (for puppies and kittens) a few days before the chicks hatched, I don't know what Scalex is. I would be careful using any sort of spray around tiny chicks though, their lungs are very sensitive.

 

[ItalyChickie]

I just have to share the Cenere and Ombretta teamworking, again... no, Ombretta isn't broody - yet, anyway. She just felt Cenere didn't have enough eggs so she is contributing.

Oh, and how about this 1-week old attempting to jump/fight the 4-week old, who tried to teach the youngster some manners by holding his wing for a few minutes, but to no avail, as his next target was the 8-week old buff Orp, about 5x his size.

I think I can be fairly certain I got myself one feisty blue Araucana rooster in the making.

 

[MistyMountain]

Hi Friends! Remember me?

Sooo… there is no way I could possibly catch up on everything. I wasn't kidding when I said (LOOOONG AGO) that it was a bad time for me to let MJ hatch eggs because of vacation. 3 weeks, 5,400 some miles and nine states later we are BACK!

A few ups and downs here on the homestead…

We lost a white leghorn hen, Clarabelle, while we were gone. No reason.. but I guess it happens. The original flock and the easter youngsters are getting along super well in the big coop. 4 of the white leghorn cockerels have decided roosting in the pine tree is a good idea. They sit about 15-20 feet up. I wave and wish them good luck each night. Their branch of choice is wrapped in poison ivy and if I look at poison ivy longer than two seconds I end up with a rash.

Cielo is turning out to be a stunning young man. SO many colors!! I will try to get a pic. He is quite submissive to all of the roosters, so I think teaming him up with Willie might work out well!

MJ and the chickies are doing well. One definite Roo in the bunch, but I have my suspicions about almost all of them. MJ has resumed laying, but still cares for the littles in the School House. Pics to come!

Hope everyone is well!!!

 

[MistyMountain]

Here are the big babies! One obvious Roo, but it is a leghorn/slw mix so I expected to know early with that one. The rest have me confused. Everyone ended up with Willie's rose comb. LOVE the one with the black head with a little brown. It is small, so hopefully it is a pullet! Any guesses?

Here is Anna… looking all grown up!!

Shy Cielo. Love all those colors! Blue and green sheen on his tail and wings, fiery orange and red on his back, and his saddle feathers are coming in almost golden!!

 

[16 paws]

I just have to share the Cenere and Ombretta teamworking, again... no, Ombretta isn't broody - yet, anyway. She just felt Cenere didn't have enough eggs so she is contributing.

Oh, and how about this 1-week old attempting to jump/fight the 4-week old, who tried to teach the youngster some manners by holding his wing for a few minutes, but to no avail, as his next target was the 8-week old buff Orp, about 5x his size.

I think I can be fairly certain I got myself one feisty blue Araucana rooster in the making.

Wow, sounds like he is a little bully, a cute little bully for sure. That cracks me up, he is taking everyone on! Slow down there boy....you need to grow up a bit first. hehe

 

[16 paws]

Here are the big babies! One obvious Roo, but it is a leghorn/slw mix so I expected to know early with that one. The rest have me confused. Everyone ended up with Willie's rose comb. LOVE the one with the black head with a little brown. It is small, so hopefully it is a pullet! Any guesses?



Here is Anna… looking all grown up!!

Shy Cielo. Love all those colors! Blue and green sheen on his tail and wings, fiery orange and red on his back, and his saddle feathers are coming in almost golden!!

Anna looks like a little girl to me, beautiful pictures, the roo is very handsome I must say. Glad you made it back safe. That sounds like a lot of traveling, now you are going to need a vacation from your vacation.
Sorry about your loss.
Marie
Sorry, I meant the little one next to the watermelon looks like a little girl,LOL

 

[MistyMountain]

Anna looks like a little girl to me, beautiful pictures, the roo is very handsome I must say. Glad you made it back safe. That sounds like a lot of traveling, now you are going to need a vacation from your vacation.
Sorry about your loss.
Marie
Sorry, I meant the little one next to the watermelon looks like a little girl,LOL

Thanks Marie!! I need all the girl votes I can get… too much testosterone around here these days! I kinda like that one too. I know the colors will change still, but I like different and different from the others she is! I didn't realize how terrible that watermelon looks… I think they topped it with a pound of dirt before snacking on it!

I do need a vacation from our vacation!! The night we got home, some time between 9:30pm when our neighbor checked the dog and filled her water bucket and midnight when we pulled up, our well pump died. We've been without water since Saturday night. Bleh. So thankful for wonderful neighbors who open up their home to us for whatever we need. My DH, who is Mr. Fix-it himself, is working on the problem, but we have someone coming out to pull up the dead pump tomorrow (hopefully). Things got tricky when we realized the last owners did not pull up the old pump and simply put a replacement over the top of that. Neat.

The windows are open, the breeze is cool, and we're HOME!!

 

[Sonya9]

He is quite a looker!

 

[Sonya9]

Main update around here is that the little assisted hatch roo (the smallest chick) got injured yesterday.

Looks like someone tore a chunk of skin off his little wing where it meets his back yesterday, fortunately no one else picked on him and he seems good as new this morning with the wound less obvious, he is very busy etc... I took him in the house to clean him up with some qtips, so glad I didn't have to remove him as he would have been VERY upset isolated from his family and that stress would probably do way more harm.

I suspect the younger broody Bella did it though, she is becoming very nasty with the other chicks and they are all afraid of her YET the broodies and chicks stay together. I really hope I don't have to separate them but I am thinking I may have to, that little roo is the one I can easily identify and yes, he is special to me, I was very worried yesterday and was terrified the others would gang up on him and eat him alive. I kept running out there to check on him until they finally settled down for the night.

I have to wonder if the constant business of chicks with a broody keeps chicks from pecking each other much though, they are ALWAYS busy as the mama's show them one thing after another to peck at, they don't seem to have much time to get bored and start picking on each other.