Hatching with 2 broodies

[lizgarf]

First day of integration went well! The chicks managed to find and conquer every dangerous spot in the coop (including jumping about 18 inches to get back to their moms after they got stuck on the other side of a 2x2 wire barrier, and they're still with us! Auntie Bettina and Grace are behaving themselves well, and this whole crazy thing just may work.
Teila, when you take your pictures today, I challenge you to get a better family portrait than this one:

 

[Teila]

First day of integration went well! The chicks managed to find and conquer every dangerous spot in the coop (including jumping about 18 inches to get back to their moms after they got stuck on the other side of a 2x2 wire barrier, and they're still with us! Auntie Bettina and Grace are behaving themselves well, and this whole crazy thing just may work.
Teila, when you take your pictures today, I challenge you to get a better family portrait than this one:

Aaaw, Liz, NO! Challenge not accepted! There is no way I can beat that ... so, so adorable.. well done!! That could easily bring one to tears! Beautiful!!

I did manage to take some pictures but I am not going to post them now!! Tee hee, kidding, I just ducked in for a news update and have to go back now to supervise. I will type up an update and post some pictures this evening when bubbies are all tucked up.

 

[lizgarf]

Aaaw, Liz, NO! Challenge not accepted! There is no way I can beat that ... so, so adorable.. well done!! That could easily bring one to tears! Beautiful!!

I just got lucky! I took so many bad pictures, and finally managed to catch them, cornered here, when they were turning in for the night, and took enough pictures of this pile-up that they had to look at the camera eventually! So, I don't think I could meet that challenge either! This may mean I can stop taking pictures for awhile now!
Enjoy your time with the girls!!

 

[Teila]

Tee hee Liz, you have to keep taking pictures, I want to see your bubbies grow too!

Pictures to come are pretty self explanatory and I threw one in of Britney .. still trying to get a good one of Dusty, she apparently does not like having her picture taken!

They are a week old today and boy, have they grown! Got little feathers on their wings .. so cute!

Two things I learnt today ... hitting your thumb with a hammer really does hurt and Crows are a threat to chicks. Luckily the big blood blister and bruising on my thumb will fix itself and no bubbies were taken by the Crow (internet research after the fact stated it was possible).

They were outside for quite a few hours today, under strict supervision. Lots of scratching and pecking and chasing tiny little bugs! Cute as! A Crow was hanging around and I was keeping my eye on him. Anyway, next thing he swoops down, Cilla makes what sounds like a chicken-scream and her and the bubbies scamper under the 'ranch'. I saw him coming also and I think my jumping up out of my chair came as a bit of a fright for him! So, play time came to an end but they had a good time I think; big sleeps tonight!

 

[lizgarf]

Oh, they are so precious, Teila!!! And what a beautiful fluffy mamma, Cilla is! Britney is very aptly named.
Is that fancy wooden structure the ranch? My goodness, what lucky Aussie chickens you have!
Yay for the fluffy butts! I suspect your silkies will stay fluffier much longer than mine.

 

[Teila]

Oh, they are so precious, Teila!!! And what a beautiful fluffy mamma, Cilla is! Britney is very aptly named.
Is that fancy wooden structure the ranch? My goodness, what lucky Aussie chickens you have!
Yay for the fluffy butts! I suspect your silkies will stay fluffier much longer than mine.

Good Morning Team!
Thank you Liz ... Cilla's nick-name is 'feather-ball'.
I'm following a theme with my girls' names; they are all female singers. Cilla after Cilla Black; Dusty after Dusty Springfield and I'm guessing you picked up who Britney was named after not only because of the obvious but she was a little dirty when I got her, tee hee.

Yeah, that is the ranch in the background and the run behind it is known as the day-spa; they have a dust bath and Dusty and Britney sleep in the chateau!

We may have a little bit of a drama today .. I think Britney may have an impacted egg :-(
She has not laid since the 19th of September which I think is due to all the upheaval and Cilla taking over the nesting box etc. Yesterday she was a little lethargic and straining. I have left her go overnight just in case but it looks like I am going to have to step in and help because still no egg. I am going to quickly get some stuff done inside and then I am going to pop her into a warm bath for 20mins to hopefully relax some muscles and help with the process. I am a little concerned but will do all I can to help her.

This is the chateau .. the ranch is now behind it backing onto the day spa. The 'domed' bit to the right is the dust-bath area:



The Day Spa:


My other two babies who are inside-only cats but have their play pen also; Syba is my big panther-wannabe boy and Chimee is my tiny little girl. He weighs 7kg (15.4lbs), she weighs 3kg (6.6lbs)



Cat house:


The girls favourite spot to forage:

 

[lizgarf]

Sorry to hear Britney is doing poorly, Teila. Grace hasn't laid in quite a long time now - I think she is going through a mild molt. Bettina's laying has also been down. It seems possible that the stress of the new babies (plus the dog situations in my case), could be affecting laying as well. They've both been comparatively low-energy, not wandering much or digging up plants. Let us know how it goes with Britney.

That is quite a set up you have! I built my coop under my front deck, with help from a friend, very inexpensively. It is extremely secure, though, and well-situated, and offers plenty of dust-bathing opportunities. The only drawback is that it's in the front yard, which isn't really fencible, so I can't protect them from harassment from the random roaming dog! I used to let them wander everywhere in the yard, but now I just lead them into the back yard, which is fenced, and they seem to know that's where they're safe. I think it'll be awhile before I'll let the babies out of the coop.


The guard-cat is Zorro. He was a youthful 18 when this shot was taken!

 

[Teila]

Howdy Liz
What a great utilisation of space under the deck .. very clever! Zorro and Chimee look a little alike, he is a little fluffier and definitely a bit older than Chimee, she is only 3.

So Britney has had her 20 min warm bath and is now enclosed in the nesting box where it is nice and quiet .. hopefully this will work. If not, I will try the trick of holding her over a steamy bowl of water. I really, don't want to go down the path of having to try and massage the egg out or break the egg inside her; the risks sound very high

Fingers crossed!! I will let you know how she goes .. it is a bit worrying.

 

[lizgarf]

Oh my - are you able to feel the egg in there? That definitely sounds nerve-wracking! Over a month does seem like a long time to go without an egg. Good luck!

 

[Teila]

Oh my - are you able to feel the egg in there? That definitely sounds nerve-wracking! Over a month does seem like a long time to go without an egg. Good luck!

It is a little upsetting Liz ... I think I can feel an egg. I don't think she has been bound for a month; I think she is just having trouble with this first one after a break. Still nothing; going to try the steam thing now and maybe some KY jelly.

Bubbies were out for a while but back in now because Mr Crow has returned and I need to devote some time to poor Britney ...bubbies have their mumma