Hatching with 2 broodies

[lizgarf]

My much loved 13 year old dog passed away on Christmas Day a few years ago and I haven't really felt like getting another one until I see pictures of Reggie; she is so so adorable! Makes me wonder about getting another one; I don't think the cats and girls would share my feelings though

Here comes the rain! No excuses now .. time to start the housework

Thanks for all the Reggie love! She is everything I could want in a dog, plus a whole lot of things I don't want! Nah, she's great, but she takes her jobs very seriously and I have to be careful with her around kids, strangers, etc. She's like having my own personal henchman, which I never knew I needed! But, once she knows someone, she's the biggest love ever. And, she's a genius. She catches frisbees, high-fives, high-tens, sings, . . . once she even played capture the flag at a friend's bbq! She immediately figured out who was on what team and played scarily good defense. When the other team finally said she had to stop, it was, understandably, too terrifying to be chased down and tagged by her (no teeth, mind you), they got our flag within minutes.

Yes, the cats - I got Reggie as a rescue pup, because I didn't want to risk a bad integration with the cats and an adult dog, and I'll never forget Zorro's response when I brought Reggie home. He got off the couch and immediately threw up. They all tolerate each other pretty well now, but my poor cats probably had no idea they were so in need of herding before Reggie came around. And sometimes, the integration was downright adorable:

I got some lap time with Bettina the other day, so I know how special that is, Teila! I'm impressed you've gotten such a snuggler from the broody hatch. Lucy is still scared of me, even now that she's laying. Desi is docile with me when I put him in the man cave at night, but I wouldn't try to pick him up during the day. I'll have to try harder to socialize the next hatch.

That silkie roo is impressive, TG! It'll be exciting to see the babies.

It's been pouring rain here all day, except for a nice break, just long enough for a walk with Reggie and giving the flock a bit of a range. Looks like we'll have about an inch before it's all done. Have you gotten a good storm, TG?

Here are the three who didn't make it out for the range today. Finally using both sides of the nest! Small, medium, large:

 

[Teila]

Thanks for all the Reggie love!

I gotta stop calling past the PC or I will never get any housework done! lol

That video is sooo gorgeous! Reggie deserves all the Reggie love; she is a sweetheart

"but my poor cats probably had no idea they were so in need of herding before Reggie came around"

Love the small, medium, large shot. It is really nice that they all get along regardless of the size difference; just beautiful and healthy.

Yep, I made some mistakes with my first hatch. Tina comes up to me and takes food off me but definitely is not as cuddly as Blondie; Tammy is not scared of me either. I won't bore everyone with the differences in the raising of the two hatches as everyone's hatch is different but we sure do learn some lessons as we go along

While I dislike the rain because it interrupts the time I could be spending with my girls, I do like the benefits the garden is already displaying.

 

[texgardengal]

UHHHH!! I had this long post and my ipad dies and I lose it.....
BRAHMAS !!! picture of the week!! Lots and lots of them. Soooo pretty. Almost as pretty as Bettina..but not quite Reggie is to cute. Looks like she is enjoying a happy dream of chasing those funny fuzzy things. The video was great. Reggie was an adorable puppy. And your kitty was pretty tolerant of her. Lol. I love your multisize flock! The size difference is amazing. And they all get along fine. That's great.

Your chickens are so pretty TG. I was laughing at your broody pic...not Norma, the first one, the broody stare !!!!!! where they are pretending they don't see you and will not acknowledge you ....but they have that scary look in their eyes like they are about to be a chicken wig... I love the idea of posting the mom and dad shots. We hafta start doing that! I CANT WAIT to see these babies!!!

Love your description of blondie Teila. She sounds adorable. Having to spend so much time with Cookie when she was a house chicken ....i totally relate. I was so attached to that little chick. I would have gladly made her a permanent house pet. Lol. It's the cutest thing even now, when she sees me she takes off towards me with that crazy wobbly chicken run. We are all crazy chicken ladies. Hahahaha.
Operation integration began.. Molly took over her old yard but only at the end of the day. The chickies stayed in their yard venturing only to the middle run for a few minutes, Molly stayed with them most of the day, but at bedtime, she went straight to the old yard and her old roost. Bart hung out with the bubbies most of the day. Mostly he just wanted to hang out with Molly. He was very excited...doing his little giddy up dance all day, But, he was very sweet to the bubbies, I'm not surprised at all. Sassy and cookie hung out in the middle run but wanted nothing to do with the big yard. Sassy tried to fight her for her spot on the roost tonight, but Molly won. Molly got the spot beside Bart. That seems to be the prime spot on the roost, wherever Bart is....Sassy finally took the spot on the other side of Molly and Cookie on the far end. The bubbies cheeped and chirped calling their mom...Rider Roo's new spot is on the very tip top of the littles coop like a tiny rooster weather vane....he tried cheeping for his Mom to come home from up there.... Along with all the others hollering.Come home!!! We are ready for bed! It was pretty funny. She ignored them...They finally curled up together in the littles coop and went to sleep.

 

[16 paws]

16P, I keep meaning to say how adorable that description is of Cousteau teaching the girls how to use the new nest boxes! Roosters are so funny. It cracks me up when Desi starts chirping up a storm after I throw scratch in the coop, as if he's the one to bring the ladies this bounty, and they never would have found it without him. Oh, and kudos to you for all the rescuing! I can barely handle one dog, I can't imagine 6!

Thanks for the support on the Lucy ordeal. Yesterday, she was really reluctant to go into the backyard. She stayed behind in the run for about a half hour, warning the others of their doom, and I almost called her chicken, but she eventually came out and realized it was safe.

A few of my hens are toying with the idea of going broody right now, but so far I've managed to convince them otherwise by just taking the eggs away. I'm doubtful it'll stay that easy, but I'm holding out for a few months, at least.

I don't believe I've posted a Reggie (Regina) shot in awhile. Note the smirk:

Oh so sweet, how can you be mad at that angel? Dreaming of chasing chickens huh? Sorry, I thought Reggie was a boy! My apologies Regina...

 

[chickencrazy999]

Hey Guys,
It's day 19 for my broody hen Millie I am going down to my house in about an hour to go and check on her and see if anything is happening will keep you updated and will try and post some pics!

 

[tommysgirl]

Yep, I made some mistakes with my first hatch. Tina comes up to me and takes food off me but definitely is not as cuddly as Blondie; Tammy is not scared of me either. I won't bore everyone with the differences in the raising of the two hatches as everyone's hatch is different but we sure do learn some lessons as we go along

I would love you to "bore me" with the details of what you did differently. I have been considering bringing in some of the girls from this hatch to brood indoors so they would be my friends but If I could do it without the smell and dust I would like that very much..so would Tom

UHHHH!! I had this long post and my ipad dies and I lose it....

.
BRAHMAS !!! picture of the week!! Lots and lots of them. Soooo pretty. Almost as pretty as Bettina..but not quite

Reggie is to cute. Looks like she is enjoying a happy dream of chasing those funny fuzzy things. The video was great. Reggie was an adorable puppy. And your kitty was pretty tolerant of her. Lol. I love your multisize flock! The size difference is amazing. And they all get along fine. That's great.

Your chickens are so pretty TG. I was laughing at your broody pic...not Norma, the first one, the broody stare !!!!!! where they are pretending they don't see you and will not acknowledge you ....but they have that scary look in their eyes like they are about to be a chicken wig... I love the idea of posting the mom and dad shots. We hafta start doing that! I CANT WAIT to see these babies!!!

Love your description of blondie Teila. She sounds adorable. Having to spend so much time with Cookie when she was a house chicken ....i totally relate. I was so attached to that little chick. I would have gladly made her a permanent house pet. Lol. It's the cutest thing even now, when she sees me she takes off towards me with that crazy wobbly chicken run. We are all crazy chicken ladies. Hahahaha.
Operation integration began.. Molly took over her old yard but only at the end of the day. The chickies stayed in their yard venturing only to the middle run for a few minutes, Molly stayed with them most of the day, but at bedtime, she went straight to the old yard and her old roost. Bart hung out with the bubbies most of the day. Mostly he just wanted to hang out with Molly. He was very excited...doing his little giddy up dance all day, But, he was very sweet to the bubbies, I'm not surprised at all. Sassy and cookie hung out in the middle run but wanted nothing to do with the big yard. Sassy tried to fight her for her spot on the roost tonight, but Molly won. Molly got the spot beside Bart. That seems to be the prime spot on the roost, wherever Bart is....Sassy finally took the spot on the other side of Molly and Cookie on the far end. The bubbies cheeped and chirped calling their mom...Rider Roo's new spot is on the very tip top of the littles coop like a tiny rooster weather vane....he tried cheeping for his Mom to come home from up there.... Along with all the others hollering.Come home!!! We are ready for bed! It was pretty funny. She ignored them...They finally curled up together in the littles coop and went to sleep.

Thanks...Both of those girls are a crack up. I go in there and tempt them with strawberry tops and sprouted sunflower seed and they totally blow me off. They are funny. Norma, the red one is the first chick I ever hatched and the white one Petunia hatched right after her. Petunia flopped all over the incubator encouraging the other eggs to hatch. She was a little cheer leader so I was going to name her Buffy but it didn't stick.

You tell such a good story. I can practically see your birds negotiating their space and I have never heard it called the Giddy Up dance before but that is the perfect description!.

Liz we have a rescue Corgi mix who is no almost 14 but when he was younger he would heard stuffed animals. He would bring them into the middle of the room and group them. he would herd us too...sometimes so slyly you didn't even realize it until we were all standing in the dining room thinking "how did we get here?"

Herding dogs are great but they do take their work seriously and it is great that your cats are so willing to be herded.

 

[tommysgirl]

Hey Guys,
It's day 19 for my broody hen Millie I am going down to my house in about an hour to go and check on her and see if anything is happening will keep you updated and will try and post some pics!

Good Luck...let us know if she is talking to the eggs and they are answering...I was sure I had chicks my first hatch but it was just eggs answering.

 

[lizgarf]

I would love you to "bore me" with the details of what you did differently. I have been considering bringing in some of the girls from this hatch to brood indoors so they would be my friends but If I could do it without the smell and dust I would like that very much..so would Tom
Thanks...Both of those girls are a crack up. I go in there and tempt them with strawberry tops and sprouted sunflower seed and they totally blow me off. They are funny. Norma, the red one is the first chick I ever hatched and the white one Petunia hatched right after her. Petunia flopped all over the incubator encouraging the other eggs to hatch. She was a little cheer leader so I was going to name her Buffy but it didn't stick.

You tell such a good story. I can practically see your birds negotiating their space and I have never heard it called the Giddy Up dance before but that is the perfect description!.

Liz we have a rescue Corgi mix who is no almost 14 but when he was younger he would heard stuffed animals. He would bring them into the middle of the room and group them. he would herd us too...sometimes so slyly you didn't even realize it until we were all standing in the dining room thinking "how did we get here?"

Herding dogs are great but they do take their work seriously and it is great that your cats are so willing to be herded.

Haha! Love the herded stuffed animals! At least the Corgi probably isn't too scary when she's herding - Reggie can be surprisingly terrifying when she turns it on.

TGG, I am x2'ing TG's comment! Your descriptions are the best! Love the weather pane chick and the giddy-up dance.

Yes, Teila, I'd also like to know how you made snugglers out of your second hatch. I wonder if it'd be different if a friendlier hen was the broody, but I wouldn't trade Frida's broody skills, even for more snuggly babies.

 

[16 paws]

Hello everyone,
999, I am wishing all good things for your hatch, I will be at my computer often checking in to hear whats up....

New beginnings!!!!

 

[16 paws]

I just wanted to share some pictures I just took of Freckles. She is the sister to the hen we lost last week named Speckles. She is a bantam cochin. In my experience, cochins have been one of friendliest breeds I have had.