Hatching with 2 broodies

[lizgarf]

Update, everyone has successfully navigated the run today, and they are all now enjoying themselves by their favorite lemon tree in the backyard. All it took was some scratch. Where would we urban farmers be without scratch?
Let's see how it goes getting them back to the coop!

 

[Teila]

Update, everyone has successfully navigated the run today, and they are all now enjoying themselves by their favorite lemon tree in the backyard. All it took was some scratch. Where would we urban farmers be without scratch?
Let's see how it goes getting them back to the coop!

Woo hoo .. excellent stuff!

 

[MistyMountain]

Thanks Liz and Teila! Good news is... I have 15 options in the potential broody department, 7 of which are leghorns and probably have no clue on what broody means! 21 weeks old today!! A couple are close to laying!!

Love the run, Liz! Glad to hear they got it figured out!

 

[lizgarf]

Well, they didn't actually use the run to go back to the coop. I put lots of scratch in the passageway leading to the run (it's complicated), but that was scary to them, for some reason. The good news is that it was so late that they hurried straight back to the coop when I gave up and just opened the back gate for them. The bad news will be when the rats find the scratch right next to my bedroom.

In other good news, another neighbor gave her support to having a rooster in the 'hood. I still have too many neighbors to imagine it won't be a problem for someone, but any support is promising. Desi is just going to have to work on his Latin charm or get ready for a collar if he starts singing.

 

[Teila]

MistyMoutain you are probably spot on with the Leghorns not knowing what broody is; I have read that some breeds have the broodiness totally bred out of them. I had a Bantam Leghorn who passed away recently; she never got the broody bug and I have a Bantam Langshan who is also giving broodiness a big avoid but my Bantam Black Cochin is broody more often than not.

Her chicks are only 3 months old and I recently had to break her latest broodiness. I have recently met up with a chap who is looking to breed OEG's. If Cilla gets broody again he is going to give me some eggs to hatch out for him and then I can give him the chicks - suits me because I only have 4 at the moment and I am only allowed 6 maximum by Council Law. Two of my little family are 3 month old Silkies so the chances of them becoming broody are high so it could be start of a beautiful beneficial friendship

Liz, that does sound promising, fingers crossed that you can get more on Team Desi; if it helps, I am definitely on Team Desi!!

5 o'clock this morning I heard these 'strange' noise coming from the run which sounded like someone trying to crow. With my heart in my stomach I raced out to see which of my bubbies was going to be a rooster to find them both hunkered down in their coop, looking a little worried; they were not the culprits! Dusty was standing in the middle of the run making the strangest noise, I do believe she was trying to have a crow, silly girl. Phew, don't have to part with Tina or Suzi just yet (maybe, hopefully, time will tell, fingers crossed) !

 

[MistyMountain]

Yup. They sort of... Came with the package. We moved to 11 acres and my first purchase was chicks. I had to order 15, which after some research, I thought would be no problem. I expected losses, they are fragile creature. Well, my 15 could consist of any breed to make up my "rainbow layers" package. I thought, oh, I better add on two more ee to make sure I get ee. Then it also came with a free exotic chick. Fun. My exotic was probably Willie, the slw roo. The remainer are pullets, and more heavy one the no color (white) egg layers than the rainbow layers. Lesson learned! I will pay extra to get what I want next time!!
I would love to have at least one silkie to play designated "mommy" in my flock. Maybe this summer! I already have a line on bcm and welsummer hatching eggs in the next county. Summer really can't get here fast enough! I also say that as I look outside at the cold, windy, -2/-16 windchill weather!

 

[lizgarf]

I might adopt a 2 year-old Ameraucauna (or 2) today! The usual homesteading-list post about someone not wanting their 6 hens anymore. . . I'm going to check them out and maybe bring one or two home.
Any thoughts on integration? I was thinking I'd get her late in the day and put her on the roost with them at night, but maybe I need to keep her in a crate near the others first? I just found a new crate on the street the other day - I knew I needed it for something!
(PS, Rousseau squatted yesterday! Maybe she's finally a broody-mama no more!)

 

[MistyMountain]

I am so afraid that if I adopt one it might bring something icky with it! I stalk the farm advertisements for chicken stuff too. This cold weather is about all that is holding me back! I really want to get some guinea hens though. I wonder if a broody would hatch and raise guinea keats?

 

[Teila]

I might adopt a 2 year-old Ameraucauna (or 2) today! The usual homesteading-list post about someone not wanting their 6 hens anymore. . . I'm going to check them out and maybe bring one or two home.
Any thoughts on integration? I was thinking I'd get her late in the day and put her on the roost with them at night, but maybe I need to keep her in a crate near the others first? I just found a new crate on the street the other day - I knew I needed it for something!
(PS, Rousseau squatted yesterday! Maybe she's finally a broody-mama no more!)

Oooh liz, how exciting!!
I have read heaps of posts about quarantine and how you must quarantine new chickens .. I have introduced 3 new chickens over time and all I have done is as you suggested, I locked the newbie in the coop and let the others say hello through the wire for the day...then, just before bed time I let the oldies into the coop with the newbie. There has always been some pecking and establishment of position on the ladder but nothing too serious and within a few days they are all getting along famously. I have always found the newbie to be submissive and because of a need for company, happy to join in at the bottom of the ladder, but then I only introduced one; introducing two who already have a bond may make for a little more drama? They may not be so keen to bond with the existing group because they have existing company and maybe would then not be submissive?

Quarantine is a personal choice ... I took the chance but others separate them for 2-3 weeks just to make sure the newbie is not ill.

 

[lizgarf]

Thanks for the tips, Teila! It's comforting to know you've had success. Quarantine isn't practical for me, and I'll check things out with the current owners and see how I feel. Just from our email exchanges, they seem like good chicken-parents - not sure why they're giving them up. From everything I've read just now, it sounds like 2 hens should fare better than one, but it's hard to know. I'm leaning toward getting two to make it easier, but that could backfire. I don't think any of my hens would be truly vicious - the banties are too small and Bettina is too docile. My current plan is to set up the crate in the coop now and put them in it tonight and through the day, and then let the others out to forage in the afternoon and let the newbies out in the coop then and then reintroduce them all together or on the roost tomorrow night. Whaddaya think? Am I crazy?!? I just have this new run and tons of space and my little blue eggs never hatched . . .