I’m not Mother Nature, but..... My journey hatching broody and bator chicks

[Mimi13]

Play it by ear/eye.
The broody is sleeping in the run?
She might settle in the coop brooder area with them all.

Will do. Yes, she is sleeping in a little coop in the run. Do you reckon the little ya-hoos will follow her?

 

[aart]

Do you reckon the little ya-hoos will follow her?

They might...or she might move into their digs.

 

[Mimi13]

What is the old saying? “You take one step forward and then two steps back?” Well yeah, that’s what it feels like I did yesterday. I didn’t have my grandson so I had the day to myself and I literally spent all afternoon sitting in the coop watching chicks and chickens.

Since my broody paid so much attention to “my” chicks on Sunday, I decided to let them spend a little more time together, if she wanted to that is. The way my little chicks treated her I would completely understand if she wanted nothing to do with them.

Most all the girls layed early, which gave me use of the coop the entire afternoon for my little “project.” I opened the netting separating the 2 week old chicks from the open coop and sat down. Of course they all came running to me and took their normal positions on me: two on my shoulder, one in the crook of my arm and the rest perched on my leg. This has been their routine, several times each day for about a week now. It didn’t take long for their peeps and cheeps to attract the broody and her three chicks. She wasted no time going right into their enclosure to eat.

As they did the day before, the chicks quickly surrounded her. As most chicks do, they watched her intently and then decided to start pecking and biting her again. She jumped back, somewhat confused. I could see it in her behavior. She started eating again and suffered the same result, chicks rushing her and pelting her with their beaks. This time she pecked them, ever so gently. Her pecking didn’t even faze them. They kept on. The broody seemed distraught and totally confused. This time she gave them the peck of all mothers rolled into one. They felt this one by golly, cheeping and running away. And after that last peck they bothered her no more! Everything was calm.

A little after that she came on the outside of the netting where I was sitting and just sat down, looking at the chicks on the other side of the netting.

All three of hers were inside the netting with the others. The only one on the outside was my little yellow one and it had no idea that it could warm up underneath her.

Eventually all the chicks settled down inside the brooder and she on the outside and took a snooze. Her chicks did not go under the heat plate though. They just lined up between it and her. Everything was going better than expected and all were happy, especially me.

That was my “One Step Forward.” Now for my “Two Steps Back.”

In hindsight, since all was working out so well I decided to go ahead and rush things a bit. I went ahead and opened the little portals in the brooder netting so the chicks could come and go. You can see how I lifted the netting leaving the lower part of the wire garden fencing open for them. Perfect sized opening.

They had been doing pretty good about dodging the nosy birds coming in periodically to check things out. All was still good. The chicks were even running in and out of the pop door, taking a look at the great outdoors.

The broody and her chicks came back every once in a while to check on them and would even stay awhile. I think she liked being in there with them. They never offered to follow her though. I guess I am still momma.

While they were having fun, I decided to go inside for a bit. Their little portals were open and they knew how to use them. It would be getting dusk soon and I would be back out to check on them as the big girls headed in for the night.

Well, everything didn’t go as planned. As I walked up toward the coop I heard the loudest chick peeping ever. Yep, they were coming from my little birds. I had turned off the lights in the coop when I left (the older four do not like the lights on in the coop when they file in for the night. Gah, the nerve of me!) As I got closer I could see the cluster that was happening right outside the pop door, big and little alike. Oh My Gawd! The little chicks were all standing outside preventing the older birds from going in. I’m guessing they gravitated outside in search of a bit more light, I don’t really know. Anyway, as I started talking to them as I got closer all the little chicks started to run out of the run door. No, no, no! They definitely know my voice. I hurried and ran around and in the front door in hopes of getting them to come back in the pop door. Needless to say I have no pictures of this incident because I was a maniac trying to get them back in. And to make this terribly long story finally end, I put the netting back over the portals. They just aren’t old enough yet. Maybe I’ll try again once they know they’re supposed to go to sleep when it starts getting dark. <big eye rolls>

 

[Mimi13]

Well, I’ve got about a week’s worth of little chickie updates. The last I posted, I was closing the Bator 8 up until they were a bit older. Nah, I let them back out the next day. I just trained myself to go to the coop before sunset, turn on their little light sitting by the heat plate, and place all of them in their enclosure. After a bit I went back to turn their light off. Am I trainable or what?

Last Thursday I felt really accomplished as a chick momma. It was beyond warm at 78* and the chicks and I loved it. The weather was so gorgeous I pinned up the plastic along one side of the run. Then, donning a pair of shorts with the white legs glaring, I went into the run and called the Bator 8 out of the coop. They came running out to me just like the others run to the broody’s call.

I sat down in the run and began scratching around for them - they needed to learn to dust bathe where the big chicks do. After a bit they got the gist of it and were all indulging in the dirt/shavings. I had five chicks on my right...

And three chicks on my left!

My babies were surrounding me like the broody’s were her.

And the boogers must have loved it:

After my beautiful gray chick, formerly known as Egg #9, switched sides, the two best buds really got into it.

So much so that I captured my little barred boy all flipped upside down.

Here they are all dusted up, feeling good and looking good!

And here’s my little Thank You peep peek!

After their good dust bath, I called them over to the mash feed trough - they needed to learn where the big chicks eat.

Then I showed them where the waterer was - they needed to learn where the big chicks drink. I readjusted the heated waterer so all the chicks could stand around it to drink. I did have it sitting on top of a bucket which made it inaccessible to the bitties.

Dust bath
Feed trough
Waterer

My job is done! [Mic drop]

Yes, I’ll admit, I have made it a point to watch the broody introduce her chicks to this, that and the other. So naturally, since the Bator 8 didn’t have the luxury of a broody, I thought I would show them these things. Now I’ll be darned if I walk the ramp and try to perch on the roost.

 

[aart]

So was the rest of the flock, including the broody and her chicks, around during this outing....or sequestered away from the Bator 8's?
I think I see at least 2 cockerel chicks there.

 

[Mimi13]

So was the rest of the flock, including the broody and her chicks, around during this outing....or sequestered away from the Bator 8's?
I think I see at least 2 cockerel chicks there.

Oh no, they were all out and mixing. Here is even a picture I snapped of my little Bator gray chick dust bathing along with the broody and her chicks with the NN close beside. It finally came over to dust bathe where I was.

The Bator 8 mingle with all of the flock now. As a matter of fact, on the colder days I think the girls are a bit aggravated that the chicks are monopolizing the entire coop. They are playing on the nest box perches and practicing their flying back and forth to the roosts.

There are a few of the pullets who don’t care for the chicks and will peck them when they can. For the most part, the chicks already know those particular birds and run for cover when they see them. The broody doesn’t mind the Bator chicks at all and frequently takes her chicks and visits them when they are in the coop. She just doesn’t try to protect them or show them things. (I guess they burned that bridge when they attacked her in the beginning.)

The broody already has her three chicks out in the yard on pretty, less windy, days. Our once curious dogs now no longer seem to be interested in the chicks; however, I do still worry about our barn cats.

When I let the flock out into the yard, I only open the run door farthest from the coop, hoping the Bator chicks don’t travel the 45’ to escape into the yard. On the nice days, I do open the run gate next to the coop for a while in the late afternoons and they will venture out sometimes, but then start peeping loudly when they realize they’re the only ones out. Luckily I’m generally around to hear their distress.

 

[Mimi13]

It has been almost a month since I last updated. I have been dealing with life in general, cold weather, and more rain than should be allowed to fall in one place. But all during this time, I have been taking care of and carefully observing all my chickens, especially my 11 youngest ones.

All is well with the broody and all 11 chicks, (3 are 8 weeks old and 8 are 7 weeks old.) I still am not completely sure about all genders, but I’ll cross that bridge when I find out. Only two of the Bator 8 have crowed, none of the Broody Bunch have.

And over these weeks I have been able to record different milestones that I thought were interesting.

Due to the copious amounts of rain we’ve had, I was forced to improvise a couple of spots in the run that would contain enough dry material to last the chickens for 10 or more days, as not to interrupt their dust bathing. This picture shows 7 of the Bator 8 (at 5 weeks old) scampering around my very first two hens. The birds at the top of the PO seem not to bother the chicks as much as some of the “wannabes.”

The 3 Broody Bunch, at 6 1/2 weeks old, are having their morning meal with the big girls. They are all lined up together eating like the “grownups.” The broody is no where around.

It was around this time that I noticed the broody trying to separate herself from the chicks during the day. And I also noticed her beginning to eat oyster shell once again. As far as a molt, I only noticed her losing a few tail feathers. She laid her first post-broody egg when the chicks were 7 weeks old. And tonight at roosting time, as I walked to the run, I could hear the sounds of distressed chicks. Yep, the broody had left them and had gone to roost...at exactly 8 weeks old. I quickly made some adjustments to the Bator 8’s bedding spot under the droppings board. And after it was completely dark I gathered the three scattered chicks and placed them with the others. Here’s to hoping! The Bator 8 seem to be a little bolder (and meaner) than the Broody Bunch. They are very timid around the younger group and want absolutely nothing to do with me. As the Jennifer Hudson song goes, “I’m gonna make them love me.” I checked on them about an hour later and there was no noise coming from the coop. No noise IS good news to me.

This morning I took several shots of the Bator 8 chicks. Some were in their protected area and some were outside it next to where I was sitting.

Some of these chicks have gorgeous coloring at 7 weeks.

It was quite chilly and they enjoyed bunching together and basking in the sun.

I am going to guess I’ve got 4 or hopefully 5 pullets out of 11 chicks. I mean, a girl can wish can’t she.

I couldn’t let this pic of my trusty sidekick dogs get by without being posted since they help me take care of the chickens. This particular morning the temp was about 23*. Poor old Tuff, my 11 year old Catahoula, had carefully made a bed for himself under the hay rack when Sadie, the 2 year old Pyrenees/GShepherd, mooched in. He took it all in stride, as usual, and snuggled down anyway. The chickens could have cared less either way, they were only there foraging for the carelessly dropped and purposefully excreted sweet feed.

 

[WVduckchick]

It has been almost a month since I last updated. I have been dealing with life in general, cold weather, and more rain than should be allowed to fall in one place. But all during this time, I have been taking care of and carefully observing all my chickens, especially my 11 youngest ones.

All is well with the broody and all 11 chicks, (3 are 8 weeks old and 8 are 7 weeks old.) I still am not completely sure about all genders, but I’ll cross that bridge when I find out. Only two of the Bator 8 have crowed, none of the Broody Bunch have.

And over these weeks I have been able to record different milestones that I thought were interesting.

Due to the copious amounts of rain we’ve had, I was forced to improvise a couple of spots in the run that would contain enough dry material to last the chickens for 10 or more days, as not to interrupt their dust bathing. This picture shows 7 of the Bator 8 (at 5 weeks old) scampering around my very first two hens. The birds at the top of the PO seem not to bother the chicks as much as some of the “wannabes.”
View attachment 1694381

The 3 Broody Bunch, at 6 1/2 weeks old, are having their morning meal with the big girls. They are all lined up together eating like the “grownups.” The broody is no where around.
View attachment 1694379

It was around this time that I noticed the broody trying to separate herself from the chicks during the day. And I also noticed her beginning to eat oyster shell once again. As far as a molt, I only noticed her losing a few tail feathers. She laid her first post-broody egg when the chicks were 7 weeks old. And tonight at roosting time, as I walked to the run, I could hear the sounds of distressed chicks. Yep, the broody had left them and had gone to roost...at exactly 8 weeks old. I quickly made some adjustments to the Bator 8’s bedding spot under the droppings board. And after it was completely dark I gathered the three scattered chicks and placed them with the others. Here’s to hoping! The Bator 8 seem to be a little bolder (and meaner) than the Broody Bunch. They are very timid around the younger group and want absolutely nothing to do with me. As the Jennifer Hudson song goes, “I’m gonna make them love me.” I checked on them about an hour later and there was no noise coming from the coop. No noise IS good news to me.

This morning I took several shots of the Bator 8 chicks. Some were in their protected area and some were outside it next to where I was sitting.
View attachment 1694410

Some of these chicks have gorgeous coloring at 7 weeks.View attachment 1694411

It was quite chilly and they enjoyed bunching together and basking in the sun.
View attachment 1694386

I am going to guess I’ve got 4 or hopefully 5 pullets out of 11 chicks. I mean, a girl can wish can’t she.

I couldn’t let this pic of my trusty sidekick dogs get by without being posted since they help me take care of the chickens. This particular morning the temp was about 23*. Poor old Tuff, my 11 year old Catahoula, had carefully made a bed for himself under the hay rack when Sadie, the 2 year old Pyrenees/GShepherd, mooched in. He took it all in stride, as usual, and snuggled down anyway. The chickens could have cared less either way, they were only there foraging for the carelessly dropped and purposefully excreted sweet feed.
View attachment 1694378

Been wondering!! Thanks for the update!

 

[aart]

The Bator 8 seem to be a little bolder (and meaner) than the Broody Bunch.

I've found bator chicks to integrate a bit 'better' than broody chicks.
Once mama weans them, they kinda freak out without that 'protection'.
They figure it out tho, but oh the drama!

 

[Mimi13]

I've found bator chicks to integrate a bit 'better' than broody chicks.
Once mama weans them, they kinda freak out without that 'protection'.
They figure it out tho, but oh the drama!

Yes, Mother Nature can be cruel at times and it can be hard to watch.