Hatching with 2 broodies

[lizgarf]

Well, first attempt at integration didn't go so well. They seemed to be milling about nicely around the crate, conversing a bit, so I opened up the crate, and the first couple minutes went smoothly, but something happened and the Brady sisters each jumped one of their hosts! Poor Rousseau got the worst of it, with a little cut on her comb. She was probably picked on because she is being such an incredible loud-mouth at the moment, and this hasn't helped. Poor thing is trying to lay her first egg in 3.5 months and there are strangers in the coop messing with her! But, **** she's loud! Bettina doesn't seem any worse for the wear after her little battle with Marsha. But, anyway, the Bradies are back in the crate and we'll try again a bit later. Maybe I'll wait until I can get the regular flock foraging and let the Brady girls have some time in the coop, and try again after that. They might have to stay in the crate longer than expected.
Maybe two wasn't such a good idea? They seemed so sweet!

MM, pretty birds (especially Brownie!)! Yes, your beardless one looks a lot like Marsha, so maybe I'll get a double dose of blue eggs if they lay. Their former parents didn't seem to know much about who did what in the flock (except the one they rescued from a hawk, similar to Lucky, who would have been Cindy if I had room for 3 more), and they said that most of their eggs were blue, but a few were light brown, which they thought came from Marsha and another non-Ameraucana they got rid of recently.

 

[MistyMountain]

Well, first attempt at integration didn't go so well. They seemed to be milling about nicely around the crate, conversing a bit, so I opened up the crate, and the first couple minutes went smoothly, but something happened and the Brady sisters each jumped one of their hosts! Poor Rousseau got the worst of it, with a little cut on her comb. She was probably picked on because she is being such an incredible loud-mouth at the moment, and this hasn't helped. Poor thing is trying to lay her first egg in 3.5 months and there are strangers in the coop messing with her! But, **** she's loud! Bettina doesn't seem any worse for the wear after her little battle with Marsha. But, anyway, the Bradies are back in the crate and we'll try again a bit later. Maybe I'll wait until I can get the regular flock foraging and let the Brady girls have some time in the coop, and try again after that. They might have to stay in the crate longer than expected.
Maybe two wasn't such a good idea? They seemed so sweet!

MM, pretty birds (especially Brownie!)! Yes, your beardless one looks a lot like Marsha, so maybe I'll get a double dose of blue eggs if they lay. Their former parents didn't seem to know much about who did what in the flock (except the one they rescued from a hawk, similar to Lucky, who would have been Cindy if I had room for 3 more), and they said that most of their eggs were blue, but a few were light brown, which they thought came from Marsha and another non-Ameraucana they got rid of recently.

Oh no! I guess you just can't trust those Brady girls! I hope things smooth out for you soon! It's always the nice ones that get you. I would have never thought Chica could be so brutal! Keep us posted on how it goes!

Little (giant) Brownie. Yup, she is one of my favorites of the favorites. I have high hopes for a blue egg from her. She used to look like a little hawk before she got all bearded and poofy. MJ (formerly spiderman because of some aggressive rooish behavior as a youngster) is also a favorite. Where Brownie growls at me, MJ will follow me around and talk quietly baaaaaaaaaawk baaaaawk. Fingers crossed that you get some colorful eggs!!

 

[MistyMountain]

Liz, after some thought, and some awkward laughing by my self, I believe that Rousseau may have been mocking Jan in chicken language... Can you imagine all that noise being translated into "MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA!"? Maybe it was a one time thing and Jan just needed some time to get ahold of herself!!

 

[lizgarf]

Liz, after some thought, and some awkward laughing by my self, I believe that Rousseau may have been mocking Jan in chicken language... Can you imagine all that noise being translated into "MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA!"? Maybe it was a one time thing and Jan just needed some time to get ahold of herself!!

Hahaha! Maybe you're right! Maybe rah-rah-rah-rah-rah-rah-rah translates into Marsha Marsha Marsha or something equally insulting!

I know I'm lucky that everyone here is still alive, but my critters are definitely pushing the envelope today. I tried to take my dog to our usual park where I do some running intervals, while she chases the ball, and after just one chase, she suddenly high-tailed it back to the car! I was so freaked out she'd run into the street or charge someone, but I caught her at the car and took her back to the park and tied her up while I did a shorter-than-usual routine. She's been really weird lately - I don't know what's going on in her puppy brain, but she hasn't been wanting to leave the house, though when we do, she's usually her normal self. Sigh. I don't know how you folks raise human babies - my critters are challenging enough!

 

[Teila]

Lolz, you gals are funny!

Hey Liz, typing as I think so this could turn out to be a bad idea but I wonder if it may be worth only letting Jan or Marsha out of the crate at one time?

Never tried it, got no idea if it will help but my line of thinking is that whoever is outside the crate is going to want to stay close to the other Brady sister and as she is kind of on her own, may not be game to start a fight? The sister in the crate may carry on a bit but I wonder if it is worth a try?

 

[lizgarf]

That's a good suggestion, Teila, but I'm not sure it would help, as the fights occurred simultaneously at opposite ends of the coop. It was really weird.
I figured out, though, that I could move the crate so that its door opens up to the door to the run. So, now the Brady girls have been in the run all day, but can still access the food/water in their crate, and the others have been foraging in the backyard or in the rest of the coop. I think I'll do this for a couple days and then try again at integration. The blood scared me - I don't think any of my hens have ever been pecked that hard! I do hope they work it out - the Brady girls are so very lovely to look at.

TGG, I keep thinking about your poor little chick. Such a hard time you're having over there! I do hope he makes it through. I had the same idea as Teila about the stuffed animal. I hope you can keep him inside and snuggled until he gets a little bigger, and that the others back off eventually! Maybe keep an eye out for a dog crate on the street? Such a random, timely, find!

 

[texgardengal]

Hey ya'll. Thanks Liz. It has been super stressful. The poor little thing... I kind of threw in the towell with the whole idea of Miss Mollie taking back over. I had the chick inside with me today and I saw that it had a big open area on the back of his neck. From Sassy's pecking im sure. From what I've read the chickens will pick on a sick or hurt one in the group and they had already been picking on it.... I just couldnt do it. I didnt have the heart to watch the poor little thing in the cold, alone, getting harassed another day. I brought it inside with me all day. It was pretty comfortable It's been sitting in my lap or on my shoulder when I'm sitting on the couch and was a nice little companion today. I figure until I get it healed up and until the weather warms up it is just going to have to be a "house chick". I love ya'lls idea about the other chick, Hubby had the same idea too! I plan to try and find it a friend (or two) but until then he is going to heal up and hang out with me.
So sorry you had trouble getting your girls together Liz. Wow, both of them. They might have been feeling threatened? A new place, all these new chickens. I hope after they are given a day or two to get established in their new home they will be more comfortable making friends. I'm sure it will be ok. I do like Teila's idea about letting one out at a time though. Makes sense?
MM LOVED your pics!!!! your birds are beautiful. MJ? the white one. has an adorable mischievious grin. Had me laughing. "what about MY picture!". And you are so right about the "sweet hens". they are so quick to be the bullies when they get a chance.

 

[lizgarf]

Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed having the little chick inside! I've never done it (cats, dog, broodies, it just wouldn't work!), but it sounds fun. This is totally going to be your special sweet chicken.

Yeah, the two fights at once was practically synchronized! I wonder if they planned it: "You get the loud one, I'll get the big one." But, everyone was fine after they were separated again. The Bradies seemed to enjoy scratching in the run and the home flock was happy in the backyard, though Grace and Bettina kept wanting to go back and forth for some reason. Getting the Bradies back into the coop and crate was a bit complicated - I had to squeeze into that tiny space by the door, under the electrical panel, in order to close their crate door behind them (after herding them into the crate). Luckily I'm little! I barely fit as it was. And then, by the time I got outside again to close the run door, Grace had already made her way into the run. But, we worked it out.

Tomorrow should be another interesting day!

 

[MistyMountain]

texgardengal, Thank you! I sure like 'em. MJ, the white ameraucana or easter egger or mutt or whatever she is, started out as Spiderman due to her somewhat aggressive nature when she was younger. I thought she would turn out to be my roo of the bunch. I was wrong, so she got a name change. She is good at photobombing, and likes to talk to me a lot. She is my second favorite, but closing in on first after seeing how mean Chica is to poor Lucky! She didn't make it back to the coop one night last month, the night before I had knee surgery to top it off. If it were one of the leghorns, I wouldn't have minded, but MJ? My husband searched high and low for her. Being white, you would think she would show up somewhere near the coop. Nothing. I got home from surgery and there she was, circling the coop. I try to prepare myself for these occurrences, but it is hard when you really like one!

I did a bad thing last night. I ordered more chicks for April 23rd delivery. Let me explain my craziness before you all laugh at me. I sat here day dreaming about this summer and getting some dark brown eggs to hatch when it really sank in that my chances are probably super low in getting a broody. I had planned on hatching some silkies in there to play the yearly Momma role. I do not want to mess with an incubator. I need to get silkies! So I check out Ideal's website. Whoa, no minimums. Great. I brooded 17 in the laundry room this last fall. I can only get a few and do it much easier. Well, silkies are sold straight run. I want 1-2 pullets. I need to order 5 silkies then, right? Right. 5 partridge silkies, check. Well, I might as well get some dark egg layers while I am at it. Two Cuckoo Maran pullets and two Welsummer pullets, check. Oh, I don't want to lose the possibility of blue or green eggs, so I better get an Ameraucana Roo too. Oh wait, what if he is mean? I better get a Welsummer Roo too. Oh no, now I am up to 11. Now, if any of those silkies are boys they will find new homes. Same goes for potential packing peanut roos. There, done. I can now chill out and operate on a closed flock system. Until I get some guinea eggs for silkies to hatch. But shhh, I promised my husband I was done.

These chickens are just pets and part of our way of becoming more self sufficient. I don't need anything fancy or with a pedigree. I sure will have a random mix of chickens once I hatch some out! The artist in me just wants to see a lot of color

 

[lizgarf]

Day 2 of separate and not-equal is going fine. The Brady girls are in the run and the home flock is in the backyard, as close to the run as they can be while trying to look subtle. But, I have a new worry. I just noticed a bump on Marsha's beak, next to her nostril, along with a little cut from her scuffle with Bettina. I don't think the bump is from the scuffle, as it looks like it may have been present in the first pictures I took of her, though it's hard to tell. The bump is hard to the touch and doesn't look infected. I put some antibiotic ointment on the bump and on her comb, to be on the safe side, but this has me worried. It's also ironic, as it looks a bit like a broken nose. Poor Marsha. The big man on campus would not like it!

What do you think? Have I brought disease into my flock? Jan looks fine. I'm scared to post on the illness forum.


Ooh my nose!