Hatching with 2 broodies

[tommysgirl]

I HEAR BABIES!!!!!!! Yea so excited

Go chicks go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[texgardengal]

Ha Ha....Jan is such a little busy body isnt she....sooo cute! I have not looked on online for berry vines but that is a good idea! After the ones I've seen around here (Really crummy!) it may be a good option. Thanks for the links...i'll take a look. Wow, sounds like you have a tough job. So your clients have already been through a trial...you handle the appeal? Is the goal of the appeal to allow a new trial or is the appeal like a second trial?
Being so busy with new chicken yards and babies I've really neglectled my garden. My strawberry patch has had only a few heaps of "used" straw from the coop thrown on them and that's about it. I took a walk over there yesterday and I was suprised to see lots of blooms. I'm impressed. We have had only 2-3 days of pretty weather here and there. A few good days recently, but even with the ice and all the freezing temps they are hanging in there. I'm so glad it's Friday. Why, I dont know...I'm working again this weekend. But, I'm determined to get my garden "tilled' my tiller is broken down and I havent had the time to take it to the shop. Last year I did most of my garden in partially raised beds so I dont have much to "till". I wanted to add another row and this does need a good tilling before I add the compost, boards, and new soil. I just need to get the spade to the existing beds and get some planting done. I guess last year when harvesting I didnt get all the onions and garlic, I found several onions and a lot of garlic that survivied the winter and are just thriving in the recent sun. Lots of herbs...looking good. I'm late getting in the greens, lettuce, broccoli and peas....I have a lot to do. Maybe I can get the flock to follow me to the garden and they can help me get the bugs out!!
LOL We have a version of that game Teila. One of my chicks doesnt like the ground....she only sits on Molly; she just hops on and rides around... or perches on top of the feeder....so cute....

 

[lizgarf]

Ha Ha....Jan is such a little busy body isnt she....sooo cute! I have not looked on online for berry vines but that is a good idea! After the ones I've seen around here (Really crummy!) it may be a good option. Thanks for the links...i'll take a look. Wow, sounds like you have a tough job. So your clients have already been through a trial...you handle the appeal? Is the goal of the appeal to allow a new trial or is the appeal like a second trial?
Being so busy with new chicken yards and babies I've really neglectled my garden. My strawberry patch has had only a few heaps of "used" straw from the coop thrown on them and that's about it. I took a walk over there yesterday and I was suprised to see lots of blooms. I'm impressed. We have had only 2-3 days of pretty weather here and there. A few good days recently, but even with the ice and all the freezing temps they are hanging in there. I'm so glad it's Friday. Why, I dont know...I'm working again this weekend. But, I'm determined to get my garden "tilled' my tiller is broken down and I havent had the time to take it to the shop. Last year I did most of my garden in partially raised beds so I dont have much to "till". I wanted to add another row and this does need a good tilling before I add the compost, boards, and new soil. I just need to get the spade to the existing beds and get some planting done. I guess last year when harvesting I didnt get all the onions and garlic, I found several onions and a lot of garlic that survivied the winter and are just thriving in the recent sun. Lots of herbs...looking good. I'm late getting in the greens, lettuce, broccoli and peas....I have a lot to do. Maybe I can get the flock to follow me to the garden and they can help me get the bugs out!!ute....

Wow, TGG, your garden sounds great! Maybe it's not compared to your old garden, but strawberries blooming so soon after freezing weather, and onions and garlic surviving? Sounds good to me! I've found the chickens can be helpful gardeners if very closely supervised! And, of course, their composted poop is gold!
My job is tough, but it strangely suits me. The goal of the appeal is to point out the mistakes that were made and convince the court that the client should either get a new trial or that he/she shouldn't have been tried in the first place because there was insufficient evidence. The success rate is about 1.5%, as courts generally want to affirm convictions if they can. That can be hard to deal with, and I've been pretty demoralized lately, but this potential win has done a lot to turn me around. It's almost all writing, which I can do from home, in my garden, if I don't let myself get too distracted!
I want to see a picture of your bubby riding mama!

Teila, I expect more pictures from you this weekend!

Oh, good news: Frida has been observed checking out the nest boxes!! Exactly 5 months since Desi and Lucy hatched, and 6 months since she went broody! Should we take bets on how long before she goes broody again?

Should I be worried that Jan is always sleeping alone on the far roost? For awhile, it was just she and Desi up there, but lately she has been by herself. I started to move her last night to the main roost with the others, but she flipped out and I put her back. I'm wondering if she's pining for some friend at her old flock. She seems to get along fine with everyone; I don't get it. She's such a sweetheart, and I swear she has a sense of humor.

 

[lizgarf]

Well, it appears we'll never know for sure who lays first: Lucy or her broody mama, Frida, because they both left eggs in the nest box today!! No wonder it was so loud in the coop.
I almost cried - my first grand-chick's egg!

I think Frida's egg is the one on the bottom, next to Lucy's dark marans egg. Frida's eggs look like Rousseau's (the one above it), but slightly narrower, so I was waiting to see two in one day before I could be certain she was laying. There was one before that looked like it might have been from her, but I'm pretty sure this is the first one. Bettina's is the big one on the upper left.

 

[texgardengal]

Quote: How exciting! A grand chick egg! Thats great. Such a pretty little nest of eggs! They grow up so fast.

I cant believe Cookie is as big as she is. She will be laying soon.
Miss Molly paid a visit to her old flock and bossed everyone around. Bart was strutting around glad to see his girl home again. Sassy made an attempt at being head hen, but no go...Miss Mollys is still the boss. After she went back to the littles coop she has been hollering at Bart ever since to get her out! It's so funny they constantly yell back and forth. buck ayyy buck ayyy.... We had a pretty bad storm this evening and Molly sat wtih the chicks under the coop....not in the coop like a smart chicken... but under the coop. The littles made their way under her but she sat there getting soaking..soaking wet. It was blowing rain and the little coop is pretty little so it's not much protection....And Bart stood in the rain...looking over at her. It was pitiful! He can see the littles coop easily and with the exception of a little walkway in between the two coops they are pretty close together. Since Molly wasnt going in, I guess he felt like he couldnt either. He just stood there....in the rain watching her until he was just drenched. His tail feathers dragging in the mud they were so wet. Finally when it slowed down a little, I ran out there and ran Bart into the big coop and put a big piece of plywood in between the two coops so he couldnt see her and if she decided to stay outside the coop it would be a little more protected. I got drenched too. Guess I'm not much smarter than the chickens...hahahaha. Right after that it stopped raining anyway. sigh....crazy chickens.
Cookie is holding one eye closed. I think she might have something in it? or got poked? Not sure, but I may go out there tonight and put some medicine in it....Im a little worried about her...I bought some medicine for "pink eye" but it is supposed to be a general antiseptic. Can be used on the eyes or for any injury. Bought it when Bart and George got in their fight....I'll give her until tomorrow morning I think and then starting treating it if she is still favoring it.
Quote: I wouldnt think that would be anything to worry about? She is so "busy" during the day and gets along with everyone. How is Marsha? Are they still buddies? I know you had mentioned Desi favors her and they pal around a lot....unless someone is bullying her or something I wouldnt worry. She seems to be a happy little gal in her pics.

 

[texgardengal]

Hey Kimmerjo....How bout them babies??????

 

[lizgarf]

We had a pretty bad storm this evening and Molly sat wtih the chicks under the coop....not in the coop like a smart chicken... but under the coop. The littles made their way under her but she sat there getting soaking..soaking wet. It was blowing rain and the little coop is pretty little so it's not much protection....And Bart stood in the rain...looking over at her. It was pitiful! He can see the littles coop easily and with the exception of a little walkway in between the two coops they are pretty close together. Since Molly wasnt going in, I guess he felt like he couldnt either. He just stood there....in the rain watching her until he was just drenched. His tail feathers dragging in the mud they were so wet. Finally when it slowed down a little, I ran out there and ran Bart into the big coop and put a big piece of plywood in between the two coops so he couldnt see her and if she decided to stay outside the coop it would be a little more protected. I got drenched too. Guess I'm not much smarter than the chickens...hahahaha.
I wouldnt think that would be anything to worry about? She is so "busy" during the day and gets along with everyone. How is Marsha? Are they still buddies? I know you had mentioned Desi favors her and they pal around a lot....unless someone is bullying her or something I wouldnt worry. She seems to be a happy little gal in her pics.

Awwww, that's such a romantic little tale you've told! Poor Bart - of course he misses his girl!
Desi and Rousseau talk a lot to each other - they sound like an old married couple sometimes. Marsha is doing well - she's a good layer and always friendly to me. She has the sweetest little voice. She still seems interested in flock-domination, but she's not too bad about it, and I think Grace is still top hen. Sometimes Marsha submits to Desi, but sometimes she takes him on in this crazy poofed-out dance/fight, thing. No one's getting hurt, and hopefully it'll stay that way, but there's definitely a power struggle going on there.
I'm thinking Jan just really likes that far roost and doesn't see the point of moving to the main one with the girls. She seems to get along with everyone equally well. Weird that she's still not laying, though.

I hope Cookie's eye is ok!

 

[Teila]

Howdy Team Broody

Aaaw Liz, congratulations! That is kind of special, your first grand-egg

TGG, that was a sweet story; Bart and Miss Molly; cute!
I also hope Cookie's eye is OK.

I am a little worried about Suzi, she has a touch of diarrhoea and spent a bit of time in the coop/run today while Tina and Dusty patrolled the garden. I have wormed them, just in case. I also wonder if she may not be thinking about laying her first egg (she is five and half months old) which would be wonderful because then I would know she is a she!
Not that I think they have them, but I have also dusted the nest boxes for mites.

The Aunties at siesta time:


This little one is still looking very much like a boy:


Blondie:


Blondie and one of the boy band:


Another boy band candidate (this is the same little guy in the above picture):


This little one is the one that had us stumped and I have started calling her Tammy because I think she is a girl:


The front one is the same little fella as pics 3 and 4 and at the back is Tammy .. love this picture


At the front is Tammy with a boy band candidate:

 

[lizgarf]

Wow, Teila, how nice of your chicks to be giving you such clear indicators of their sex! My marans weren't like that at all. What about yours, TGG?
I was thinking that in addition to the breed difference, your silkies probably won't start laying at the same time as my Lucy, because your days are getting shorter, while mine are getting longer. It could take your girls awhile to start up, like my original pullets did (hatched in late April in the states).

I'm just so tickled that Frida went back to laying on the very same day her daughter "became a woman." Was there ever a more dedicated broody mama? She was making sure!

 

[texgardengal]

Quote: Hey Teila!!!! Been missing you!!! I know you have been busy at work but we miss you when you're not around....I was thinking the same thing, Liz! They look a little mini roosters! Very easy to tell in the most recent pics. Blondie is darling...you didnt get your little brown puffy beachball but you did get a blond one!!! She is so poofy. I hope you're giving her a squeeze for me!!

This is adorable....Mini rooster with little puffy baby feet..strutting around.
I can never get over how white they are!!! They are so pretty. I hope Suzi is OK.... It's been a rough week for all out kiddo's I guess. I've been dealing with crazy weather again. It's blowing about 30 miles per hour and gusts up to 50! We are way up on top of a hill and I know our gusts are even higher than that. It's only in the 40's and the wind makes it feel reallyy cold. I threw bread in the littles coop so the bubbies would stay in side. Dummy Molly had them out running around. The littles have their wing feathers but not thier "body" feathers....I wonder how cold they can tolerate right now???? Anybody know? I stay so worried about them, I still question Molly and her judgement....So far she has done OK with them but I think isolating them was the key. The stunt she pulled yesterday in the rain and having them out in the cold wind today....poor things cant even stay on their feet....wind blows them over...little rolling chickies. Last time I checked after I threw the bread in they were inside but who knows now.
I totally understand you having a hard time with the gender of Maran chicks Liz. I have absolutely no idea what mine are. Some have wings that cover their whole body. Some have stubby little wings. No one's combs have really turned pink or grown larger. Some have bigger/thicker legs and that is really the only thing that really make me think "boy" or "girl". I'll try and get some more pics and we can give it a go. TG is really good at sexing chicks. Maybe she can help.