Hatching with 2 broodies

[16 paws]

Me again, with a slightly better pic of what I think are two different chicks from before - or at least one of them is, as there was a lighter one by her tail at the same time, and I caught a glimpse of another one still wet and drying under momma!

edited to add a better picture and an update - all 6 are out and transferred to their new apartment.
They all look similar, just some lighter and some darker, the fuzz varies from yellow to light brown, can't wait to see what the feathers will look like!

But mostly, I'm writing because I have to share a potentially shocking (in a good way) bit of news... don't know if you remember how I had said that I initially thought the brown one from the first hatch was a girl, but then the comb got really really bright and I figured there's no way a hen could have that at 8 weeks? Well... I just saw "him" run into the coop making the typical "gotta lay" noises.

The "chick" in question is 11 weeks old. I have no idea what is going on, could totally be a false alarm, but I'm beginning to think that I might have been right on my initial guesses, and if that is the case, I gotta stop changing my mind as they grow, as apparently I somehow get it right at days 1-3 and then start messing up...

Me again, with a slightly better pic of what I think are two different chicks from before - or at least one of them is, as there was a lighter one by her tail at the same time, and I caught a glimpse of another one still wet and drying under momma!

edited to add a better picture and an update - all 6 are out and transferred to their new apartment.
They all look similar, just some lighter and some darker, the fuzz varies from yellow to light brown, can't wait to see what the feathers will look like!

But mostly, I'm writing because I have to share a potentially shocking (in a good way) bit of news... don't know if you remember how I had said that I initially thought the brown one from the first hatch was a girl, but then the comb got really really bright and I figured there's no way a hen could have that at 8 weeks? Well... I just saw "him" run into the coop making the typical "gotta lay" noises.

The "chick" in question is 11 weeks old. I have no idea what is going on, could totally be a false alarm, but I'm beginning to think that I might have been right on my initial guesses, and if that is the case, I gotta stop changing my mind as they grow, as apparently I somehow get it right at days 1-3 and then start messing up...

Me again, with a slightly better pic of what I think are two different chicks from before - or at least one of them is, as there was a lighter one by her tail at the same time, and I caught a glimpse of another one still wet and drying under momma!

edited to add a better picture and an update - all 6 are out and transferred to their new apartment.
They all look similar, just some lighter and some darker, the fuzz varies from yellow to light brown, can't wait to see what the feathers will look like!

But mostly, I'm writing because I have to share a potentially shocking (in a good way) bit of news... don't know if you remember how I had said that I initially thought the brown one from the first hatch was a girl, but then the comb got really really bright and I figured there's no way a hen could have that at 8 weeks? Well... I just saw "him" run into the coop making the typical "gotta lay" noises.

The "chick" in question is 11 weeks old. I have no idea what is going on, could totally be a false alarm, but I'm beginning to think that I might have been right on my initial guesses, and if that is the case, I gotta stop changing my mind as they grow, as apparently I somehow get it right at days 1-3 and then start messing up...

I just have to say this is the most adorable picture of the babies looking up at mama. Tooooo cute for words.
Enjoy

 

[Lesa Mae]

I just have to say this is the most adorable picture of the babies looking up at mama. Tooooo cute for words.
Enjoy

I think shes lecturing them on sitting in their food!!!

 

[missnu01]

Also I only kept woods broody penned with the chicks for one day. The next day I opened the door of the crate and she takes those babies all over the yard all day long. The other chickens don't come within 15 feet of her or any of the chicks. That's apparently her striking distance. They won't come to the food if she is there, I mean they all avoid her like the plague. In sadder news one of the chicks I gave her didn't make it. He or she wasn't growing like the rest. Still acted and looked like a brand new hatch, stumbling, tiny, not feathering in. Just followed her and would peep constantly if she wasn't sitting on him. He just wasn't growing and now the other chicks are all over the place, jumping over logs and following mom up the banks. And the little couldn't keep up. So often you would hear really loud peeping and go to check and there that OE would be peeping his face off while mama and the coordinated chicks would be far away scratching in the dirt. Another thing. The proper growing chicks were constantly acting like chickens scratching in the dirt, Or pecking things. Never saw the little scratch or peck. Never saw him eat. Figured I would bring him in so he might have a chance, and the dog stepped on him while trying to investigate what was in the warm box in my room. Might he or she have made it? Maybe... but it didn't peck at the dirt. It would sometimes peck straight in front of it, and it was constantly looking up, he would eat but seemed to have a hard time with even that. He would peck the food then stumble back wards shaking his head. Odd indeed. So I'm figuring most likely he or she wouldn't have made it anyway, but now the world will never know

Sounds like wry neck or stargazing. Google those words

One of my chicks had it, they need extra Vit E (sunflower seeds are packed with it, so have boosted whole flocks ration now)

We crushed some multivitamins and syringed it into the chick. It recovered and went back to normal. We did it twice, a few days after first dose. It was fine after a week.

Youll want to research that a bit more cause my memory is stuffed right now

I looked it up and I don't think that is it. All it's movements were fine except it just seemed to look up a lot and peck at nothing straight in front of its face. But no going in circles no twisting it's head to one side or the other. Just not right... either way I'm giving everyone corid because it has been so wet and hot it's surely going to pose an issue... anytime I see one chick smaller than the rest I get worried.

 

[16 paws]

Sorry about your loss missnu1. It is hard I know

 

[Teila]

I have missed a few pages of posts and I am going back to read them soon but I have an emergency!

I found this in one of the nest boxes! What is it?!!



An egg you say! Really? Wow, an egg .. forgot what one of those looked like, thought they were up there with the tooth fairy and the Unicorn!

Wooo hoooo, happy dancing!! And, for those who had money on it ... Cilla broke the drought and she let the whole street know about it

 

[Lesa Mae]

I have missed a few pages of posts and I am going back to read them soon but I have an emergency! I found this in one of the nest boxes! What is it?!! An egg you say! Really? Wow, an egg .. forgot what one of those looked like, thought they were up there with the tooth fairy and the Unicorn! Wooo hoooo, happy dancing!! And, for those who had money on it ... Cilla broke the drought and she let the whole street know about it e Yeah!!! Let's hope things stay like that for a while I had the 2 new mommas lay for about 2 weeks then go broody again ????? But that won't happen in your coop you have complete control of what goes out out there, right ????

 

[Pooman]

Awesome eggs

That picture is funny, the little ones look so intent.

Just thought id mention the wry neck, cause there is a fix for that. And the looking around and not being able to peck down properly reminded me of it. Mine went from barely being able to stand to not noticing it at all except for it was a little smaller for a while cause it missed that growth right at the start. Poor little chicky

 

[Teila]

Hey there Team Broody!

Okey doke .. catch up time

FV good luck with the 4 x Day 14 eggs under Wendy .. I am definitely interested to see how the 9 day hatch works out for her.

Absolutely love the pictures of your co-parenting broodies and their beautiful bubbies. Not just your heart that it warms, mine too

MN01 lolz at “She was too mad about seeing me with chicks in my hands because we all know all chicks are her chicks”.

Sorry to hear that you lost one of your little ones; he really did not sound ‘right’; that pecking in front of him and constantly looking up; any chance he was blind like one of TG’s little ones?

Lols IC as much as Tina would like to wish Cilla bon voyage, not a chance she is going anywhere, after breaking the over 4 month egg drought she has miraculously jumped up to #1 in my pecking order. Well, actually, no favourites, but an extra big snuggle for her this afternoon

OK, we believe you now, bubbies!! and you still have all your fingers right?

The ‘edited’ second picture is so so adorable; the way they are looking at mum and the loving look on her face is priceless!

Beautiful pictures also MM!! Wow, what an amazing story about your Welsummer; I wonder how long the poor thing was like that but was really glad to read that she is OK now; lucky little girl

Howdy Sonya9 sorry that I could not answer your question from experience as I am actually an honorary member of ‘Hatching with 2 broodies’ as one of my co-broodies gave up not long after I joined the thread and left all the work to the more determined Cilla. FV has given you some great advice though

LM lols, I am under no illusions of having any control at Bambrook Bantams! I have, however, started an egg-chart, not to keep track of how many eggs I get a day because I don’t even need five fingers for that one, but more so that I can keep a track of how many eggs someone lays before they go broody again

I think I am all caught up and sorry if I missed someone.

A little footnote: when Cilla was in the nest box today, laying that long awaited egg, Blondie was right next to her the whole time “That’s my mum”!

And to finish, for the Blondie fans, Mother and daughter chatting on the gate

 

[ItalyChickie]

I have two broody bantams now, both in the coop (one with fertile eggs, the other with infertile but I have eggs in an incubator and plan to share).

I really really would love it if these chicks (all from a batch of 11 purchsed bb red oeg hatching eggs) would have two mommas. Should I move their little nests closer together as the day arrives? Right now they are on opposite ends of the small coop, does that matter when it comes to co-raising chicks?

Agree with the advice you already received - keeping them separate until after the babies hatch is the safest option. I tried it both ways - two broodies shared a nest, the result was a disaster. Two others had separate apartments next to each other, chicks started mingling when they started bringing them out (day 1 basically) and at day 2, they decided to move in together, without any intervention from me at all. Best of luck and let us know how it goes!

Last night was a big first for everyone. MJ and the babes went to the school house and are on coop lock down for a couple days. Everyone else moved to the big coop (that's 29 chickens, y'all!!). I did need to move about 14 of the youngsters into the coop from roosting outside last night. They are all on run lock down for a couple days so I can be sure they will all put themselves to bed in the right place.

Opened up the coop this morning and everyone filed out. It seemed like everyone got along well. I didn't count on the way out as I usually do that each night. As I am raking around the moving the outside roost (old wood saw horse) inside the coop so the youngsters have no roost option but in the coop, I notice my tub of sweet pdz (chocolate milk mix container) on the ground between the crate nest box and the other nest tubs. Hmm odd. Must have been a wild night to have knocked that down from on the crate. Wait… what? is that a chicken leg? OH NO! Did someone die?? It was one of my welsummers. Oh man. I reach down to find they broke a hole in the top of the tub and her toe got caught… but wait! she's still alive… oh this can't be good, she was all knotted up and upside down for who knows how long. I unscrew the top and gent'y lift her up. I got her toe unstuck and put her down. A little feather ruffle and she's off to the feeder. Whew. Just a little limp that has all but disappeared now. Wow. my luck has got to improve lol!!

Yikes!

Really glad she is ok though! And hopefully things will calm down now, the first night is always the wildest when integrating.

oooh thank you thank you! me too

we only got 3 of 6 but I'm happy if there's at least one girl!

today they left the nest/apartment! they started exploring the yard with their moms and found an "island" (aka lawn chair) to safely play under. today's lesson was ... BUGS!!! so many bugs. I watched this one Java eat a giant winged ant, I didn't think it would fit, but it did!

I think I saw one of the wyandotte (brown) chicks limping, I held it and couldn't see any injury, sigh I hope it pulls through. the moms attacked and squawked at anyone who came close to them. I monitored them for an hour or so and then let them be. they will have to do their job without me!

Last night, it was so cute, I will have to bring my camera tonight - but both moms sleep right next to each other, and the chicks go between both of them, sometimes even in between the two hens instead of under them. it's really really sweet to see both hens getting along so well, warms my heart

I had loved watching my two together as well, yours look just as heart-meltingly sweet. Would love to see the night time pics!

Hope the little one with a limp is ok. Sometimes it can just be something minor that goes away on its own, or at least that happened to me once.

I just have to say this is the most adorable picture of the babies looking up at mama. Tooooo cute for words.
Enjoy

Thank you!

Definitely enjoying every single moment I can watch them.

I think shes lecturing them on sitting in their food!!!

Lol!

Actually, I'm pretty sure she is saying: "Ok kids, remember what I told you - those humans act all nice and bring treats but they are EVIL! Now eat quickly and get back under me before this one gets any closer."

I have missed a few pages of posts and I am going back to read them soon but I have an emergency!

I found this in one of the nest boxes! What is it?!!



An egg you say! Really? Wow, an egg .. forgot what one of those looked like, thought they were up there with the tooth fairy and the Unicorn!

Wooo hoooo, happy dancing!! And, for those who had money on it ... Cilla broke the drought and she let the whole street know about it

OMG CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!

I guess that means Cilla will not be coming over to help brood the next hatch huh? Oh well... let's see if we can arrange for someone else.

I had my money on Dusty!!! Can you please let her know that I'm very disappointed?

No big news over here, all is well, all six babies venturing out to stand in the food dish every now and then, though a couple that hatched last are still quite sleepy and only show themselves a few minutes at a time... I'm guessing Rosita has no intention of getting up today, but we'll see... once she does, hopefully I can get a group shot.

 

[ItalyChickie]

Lols IC as much as Tina would like to wish Cilla bon voyage, not a chance she is going anywhere, after breaking the over 4 month egg drought she has miraculously jumped up to #1 in my pecking order. Well, actually, no favourites, but an extra big snuggle for her this afternoon

OK, we believe you now, bubbies!! and you still have all your fingers right?

The ‘edited’ second picture is so so adorable; the way they are looking at mum and the loving look on her face is priceless!



A little footnote: when Cilla was in the nest box today, laying that long awaited egg, Blondie was right next to her the whole time “That’s my mum”!

And to finish, for the Blondie fans, Mother and daughter chatting on the gate

I was typing my other reply when you posted this, but yeah, I guessed that the whole Cilla goes to Rome scenario is now postponed indefinitely. Sigh.

Yes, still have all my fingers, but only thanks to the zoom in function on the phone camera!!!

Blondie and Cilla on the gate are adorable!!!!

The egg laying scene with Blondie next to Cilla sounds too too cute! Hopefully Blondie can learn how it's done pretty soon!