Ok so my little broody hen hatched 2/4 of the eggs I put under her. ( this was the post about whether she was too young or not https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700468/will-my-broody-pullet-hatch ) one of the eggs opened but didn't look like it made it through the membrane and the other which was a 6 month old pullet egg didn't succeed at all.
On Wednesday my order of meaties and four new hen came in. So happened that this was the day that FeatherFoot's eggs pipped.
I want to see if she will raise the four new hen chicks. I know everyone says to put them in at night but she brought her chicks out today and one went out the coop with her but the other couldn't jump over the stoop(remedied that now). While she was out I cleared out the unhached eggs. Well she went back in to be with the chick inside but the other little guy couldn't figure out how to get back in. I decided this might be a good time to try it as she was calling to her chick that was outside. So I got th other chicks and put one next to her nest box in the coop. She nuzzled it. So I got her chick and put him back in and scooted both into the nest. Everything was fine so I added the other three. Everybody sungled down around and under her and everything was fine for about two hours while they all napped. All six chicks would go in and out from under her and everything seemed cozy. But after about two hours I heard loud chirruping and squawks. Looked in and she had brought the chicks to the front of the coop for food and water but had two of them cornered in the back and was pecking them. I let them out the back door. And then after she and the other four(2 she hatched ,2 from hatchery) settled back down in the nest I put one of them isnthe front of the coop. Well she 'bout dive bomb it from the nest. So I brought those two back inside. Everything is all cozy with the other four.
Can chickens count? Does she know she sat four eggs and therefore should only have four chicks? The two she rejected are a bit smaller than the two she accepted but are about the same size as hers.
Ok now for my real question Should I try the other two again tonight? Or since she has rejected them is the no hope.
I was hoping she would take care of the layers and I would take care of the 35 meaties as they will outgrow these other two in no time.
I'm Not shire what to do now.
On Wednesday my order of meaties and four new hen came in. So happened that this was the day that FeatherFoot's eggs pipped.
I want to see if she will raise the four new hen chicks. I know everyone says to put them in at night but she brought her chicks out today and one went out the coop with her but the other couldn't jump over the stoop(remedied that now). While she was out I cleared out the unhached eggs. Well she went back in to be with the chick inside but the other little guy couldn't figure out how to get back in. I decided this might be a good time to try it as she was calling to her chick that was outside. So I got th other chicks and put one next to her nest box in the coop. She nuzzled it. So I got her chick and put him back in and scooted both into the nest. Everything was fine so I added the other three. Everybody sungled down around and under her and everything was fine for about two hours while they all napped. All six chicks would go in and out from under her and everything seemed cozy. But after about two hours I heard loud chirruping and squawks. Looked in and she had brought the chicks to the front of the coop for food and water but had two of them cornered in the back and was pecking them. I let them out the back door. And then after she and the other four(2 she hatched ,2 from hatchery) settled back down in the nest I put one of them isnthe front of the coop. Well she 'bout dive bomb it from the nest. So I brought those two back inside. Everything is all cozy with the other four.
Can chickens count? Does she know she sat four eggs and therefore should only have four chicks? The two she rejected are a bit smaller than the two she accepted but are about the same size as hers.
Ok now for my real question Should I try the other two again tonight? Or since she has rejected them is the no hope.
I was hoping she would take care of the layers and I would take care of the 35 meaties as they will outgrow these other two in no time.
I'm Not shire what to do now.
