Hatching with 2 broodies

[lizgarf]

Hi Team,
I gave up on the purchased collar today and Desi is back in Collar #2. He was crowing this morning and I then spent about 10 minutes trying to tighten it. That collar is extra hard
to adjust and it's hard to tell if it's any tighter. Anyway, he was crowing pretty loudly at the end of the day, so I gave up on it. I'm going to try to finish my collar #3 tonight, which will have some of the better qualities of both the purchased collar and #2, but hopefully with fewer downsides.

Teila, I posted about my experiences in an on-going rooster thread. You can show it to you friends if you want: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/820771/sound-of-silence-6am-no-more-crowing/60#post_12776280

MM, way to brag about all your blue eggs! Those hens are just young and eager. TG, of my friend's 4 10-month-old hens, only the Ameraucana stopped laying this winter. You may be on to something!

In other news, Zorro is doing really well! I think he must have injured his leg somehow, because the blood test had shown signs of muscle damage, and his limp is much less noticeable. He's still not how he was in his mid-teens, but he's back to being an impressively active old fart.

 

[texgardengal]

I just love this picture. They look like such a happy little family.

Quote:

Step away from the egg and nobody gets hurt. lol so funny!

So glad it all turned out OK! How is the chick doing? Or, have you seen it again? haha At first.....my momma hen was so extremely protective and wouldn't let us go near her eggs or chicks...it seemed like forever until we finally got a good look at them. she just fell down on the job later in the game.

I had her in the coop with the other chickens and the chicks very happily playing around the legs of the roosters, the other hen didn't care too much for them but Miss Molly was so protective Sassy was kept in her place.... They learned how to scratch, find their food, and where the water was right along with everyone else. I was amazed at how quickly they where hopping around in and out of the nesting box (only a few inches of the floor that i covered in hay to make it almost level). It seemed like the perfect situation. Hind site is 20 20 now I wish I had taken some very wise advice and put them all in a cage or carrier and put them in the barn during coldest of nights when they had yet to feather out... Anyway, Do have any other eggs hatching? Cant wait for pics...

Liz, I'm so glad your neighbor came to see your flock. She never even heard him? great news!!! Glad the collar is working out and he doesn't mind it.

Anybody know what could be making a chicken shake is head a lot? I was out tonight and Bart was kind of throwing his head back and forth. It is something I have seen him do often when he
sticks his face in a tub of water...lol he kind of cleans his wattles... and waves his head back and forth after he gets a drink.... But tonight he was doing it on the roost. We has some snow today....again...come on now this is Texas we NEVER have snow....now that I don't want any we get snow every other week. We had about an inch and a half and it has been SO could the past couple of days. It didn't get above freezing today. Could he have frost bite on his comb? I wonder if that would made him do that? It was all I could do to keep their water from freezing up today. I went out at three times to add water and get the ice out of the water but it was freezing up so fast...And now SASSY is broody.

Lord, help me. I think this is Miss Molly's plan.. "come on Sassy, she's not going to let me do this again, here...you do it." I was afraid she would come out and want a drink and it would be frozen......These chickens are making me crazy.

 

[Teila]

Howdy Team .. slow day at work today, I actually get to post when it is not the middle of the night in the States Home time in 40 minutes and counting! Woo hoo for Friday afternoon

Thank you Liz, I have posted your comments and link in the Aussie thread; I am sure they are going to benefit others now and in the future. I am sorry to hear that #3 is a dud
Stay determined; you will get there!

Excellent news about Zorro!

Thank you TGG, their Aunty Dusty has secretly grown attached to her new charges and appears to be enjoying mentoring them
Gees TGG, sorry to hear the weather is causing dramas! I also wonder if Bart could have got some frost bite .. I have seen numerous threads and pictures on the subject of late but you have probably already been down that path.
A couple of other things come to mind, one being mites and the other maybe something in or around his ear; just thinking how dogs and cats shake their heads when they have ear trouble?

 

[lizgarf]

Liz, I'm so glad your neighbor came to see your flock. She never even heard him? great news!!! Glad the collar is working out and he doesn't mind it.

Anybody know what could be making a chicken shake is head a lot? I was out tonight and Bart was kind of throwing his head back and forth. It is something I have seen him do often when he
sticks his face in a tub of water...lol he kind of cleans his wattles... and waves his head back and forth after he gets a drink.... But tonight he was doing it on the roost. We has some snow today....again...come on now this is Texas we NEVER have snow....now that I don't want any we get snow every other week. We had about an inch and a half and it has been SO could the past couple of days. It didn't get above freezing today. Could he have frost bite on his comb? I wonder if that would made him do that? It was all I could do to keep their water from freezing up today. I went out at three times to add water and get the ice out of the water but it was freezing up so fast...And now SASSY is broody.

Lord, help me. I think this is Miss Molly's plan.. "come on Sassy, she's not going to let me do this again, here...you do it." I was afraid she would come out and want a drink and it would be frozen......These chickens are making me crazy.

Thanks, TGG. Actually, this neighbor is relatively far away. I know the closest neighbors have heard him, but they haven't been bothered yet! This one seemed a little particular, so I was worried, but there are plenty of neighbors within a few hundred feet that I don't actually know very well, and who knows what they think! Ah, city life! In any case, homemade collar #3 is finally done, so I'll give it a try tomorrow.

I don't know why Bart is shaking his head. Desi freaked me out when I put collar #2 back on, because he staggered a bit, but then he was fine, so I stopped worrying (a bit). But, I do know that all of your snow is actually related to our drought. There has been a humongous atmospheric ridge built up above the California coast, and it's bumping storms up north where they get big and frozen and spill over into the southeast. But, the ridge finally broke down and we're getting rain! So, unless the ridge builds back up, this may the last of the worst of it for you.

How odd that both your marans are going broody! I didn't think that was a common marans trait. Lucy better not get it, because I have plenty of other broodies, thank you very much.

 

[tommysgirl]

Anybody know what could be making a chicken shake is head a lot? I was out tonight and Bart was kind of throwing his head back and forth. It is something I have seen him do often when he
sticks his face in a tub of water...lol he kind of cleans his wattles... and waves his head back and forth after he gets a drink.... But tonight he was doing it on the roost. We has some snow today....again...come on now this is Texas we NEVER have snow....now that I don't want any we get snow every other week. We had about an inch and a half and it has been SO could the past couple of days. It didn't get above freezing today. Could he have frost bite on his comb? I wonder if that would made him do that? It was all I could do to keep their water from freezing up today. I went out at three times to add water and get the ice out of the water but it was freezing up so fast...And now SASSY is broody.

Lord, help me. I think this is Miss Molly's plan.. "come on Sassy, she's not going to let me do this again, here...you do it." I was afraid she would come out and want a drink and it would be frozen......These chickens are making me crazy.

Roosters do that. It's part of their swagger

I think it a way to show how big and floppy and altogether HOT they are in the wattle department. There is a very funny article on chicken behavior somewhere that I will post and it devotes a chunk to misc rooster weirdness including the dance. I will search for and post it

Got 8 eggs yesterday,,, The Dorkings have started laying/ laying again

I have been leaving the broody alone but will candle again in a week.

TGG hope if you want another broody that is what you get

Teila what day is Cilla on?

liz good luck with the collar construction! Glad your neighbors don't appear bothered hope that continuew. How close is the closest one?

 

[riseupsunshine]

I was able to borrow the baby chic for a quick moment while I was getting mama situated in a kennel in the coop! The kennel has a door so I can close baby and mom up at night to keep them from being messed with. Isn't it so cute?!! It's name is Birdy for its birdy toe is orange on both feet!! Love it!

 

[lizgarf]

liz good luck with the collar construction! Glad your neighbors don't appear bothered hope that continuew. How close is the closest one?

My neighborhood is pretty unusual, being up in the hills on a windy road. My closest neighbor's house is only about 20 feet from mine and the rest are at least 100 feet away. My closest neighbors are super nice and tolerant, but they don't want to be woken up by a rooster anymore than I do. Based on my lot being almost 11,000 sq. ft., and its weird location, I think there are probably about 10 different houses within 500 feet from my coop.

I'll give collar #3 some more time, but I may need to start looking into a new home for Desi. He's definitely trying to mate, but not sure it's been successful yet. And for once, none of my hens are broody. Why are yours all going broody when it's cold out?

Beautiful baby, riseup! Enjoy! Hope it's a girl!

 

[Teila]

Good morning Team

TG, Cilla is on Day 10 ... still going strong.

Riseupsunshine, cute bubby! Love the name and the orange toes

Liz, *sigh* not good reading today!
He is a determined little man isn't he?! I know where you are coming from with regards getting undisturbed sleep, I am the same.
I have sat here for ages trying to think of something to boost your spirit but could not come up with anything that I thought would help
I am thinking of you and still so very much hoping you can find a solution but understand totally how demoralized you must be feeling.
One of the reasons I have made a decision to not try and keep a rooster is that I do not want to upset my neighbours to the point that they complain to the authorities; I worry that any complaints could risk me keeping my girls also.
If you want to hang in there and keep trying I am totally on your side and if you do have to make that tough choice, absolutely no-one can say that you did not give it 100%!!

About the continuing 'Is Suzi a Rooster or Pullet' question. The last couple of days I am back on the pullet side of the fence and given up stressing for the time being lol. I was thinking though that over the past couple of weeks, when Dusty has been triggered into chicken-song by fighting parrots or egg laying etc, both Tina and Suzi have been mimicking her. I have been told that roosters can also join in on a chicken-song but if they are having a go at that, if they were roosters they would be having a go at crowing also? Anyway, back to patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for the defining little white egg

 

[lizgarf]

TG, Cilla is on Day 10 ... still going strong.

Liz, *sigh* not good reading today!
He is a determined little man isn't he?! I know where you are coming from with regards getting undisturbed sleep, I am the same.
I have sat here for ages trying to think of something to boost your spirit but could not come up with anything that I thought would help
I am thinking of you and still so very much hoping you can find a solution but understand totally how demoralized you must be feeling.
One of the reasons I have made a decision to not try and keep a rooster is that I do not want to upset my neighbours to the point that they complain to the authorities; I worry that any complaints could risk me keeping my girls also.
If you want to hang in there and keep trying I am totally on your side and if you do have to make that tough choice, absolutely no-one can say that you did not give it 100%!!

Go Cilla! Almost half way!

Thank you for your kind support again! I share the same fear about being reported. I don't think anyone here would do that, but you really never know. I once had a former neighbor report my dog for nipping them (on my property), without telling me they were doing it! Another neighbor told me that animal control was looking for a nipping dog that matched Reggie's description. Long story, which blew over, but you never know what people will do.

No loud crows from Desi today, just some mid-level crowks, so maybe the past few days were just a bad adjustment period between collars. It rained all day and they didn't venture forth from the coop much, so it's hard to know what's going on. I'll give it a few more days and see how I feel about things then. Today has been hectic with work and rain and other things, so I don't want to make any rash decisions until things calm down a bit.

 

[Teila]

Go Cilla! Almost half way!


No loud crows from Desi today, just some mid-level crowks, so maybe the past few days were just a bad adjustment period between collars. It rained all day and they didn't venture forth from the coop much, so it's hard to know what's going on. I'll give it a few more days and see how I feel about things then. Today has been hectic with work and rain and other things, so I don't want to make any rash decisions until things calm down a bit.

Maybe it was an adjustment period; finding the right setting was always going to be a matter of trial and error. Not that I expect you to make a rash decision, you are right that now is probably not the time to make any decision. I am glad you are hanging in there

Thank you Liz, Cilla is doing well. It is a bit warm today, probably building up to an afternoon storm so I have been giving her extra drinks. Hubby has just popped up to the shops and is going to buy them some watermelon which they love and it also cooling. I am going to cut off the corner and pop it in the nest with Cilla, I hope you has some.
Suzi and Tina are sleeping under the ferns in their favourite spot and Dusty is happily digging in the dirt which I turned over for her this morning. I miss Britney! My little wrecking ball used to do a great job keeping the weeds under control; I had to pull weeds today for the first time in months!