- Thread starter
- #81
ackie
previously jwehl // dogs & cats & squirrels oh my!
yeah broody is definitely gone. i knew there was a small chance she would show back up injured but I havent seen her anywhere. rip. I thought the horses being there would deter dogs but apparently not. one of our horses will absolutely try to kill a dog that attacks him, but I guess not just for being in the pasture lol.
so I have broody #1 who is just momma now, with her 5 babies. last night they roosted with the rest of the pullets (which makes me think shes a pullet which is nuts haha) & the babies are looking pretty feathered and I think can keep themselves warm now.
broody #2 is gone but her eggs are inside in the incubator. I was having temp issues but I think I've got them sorted. I need to candle but I keep doing other things at night instead.
broody #3 hatched 10 chicks a couple days ago & I caught all the chicks but she is an absolutely nutjob and refused to be caught. we got her into a cage using the babies as bait but then she ran past me when I tried to get her out. I had originally tried to grab her first but she kept stepping on all her babies so I started corralling them instead and she used my distraction to leap over me, while I was on hands and knees in the cage and couldnt move quickly.
her babies escaped too and I let them all settle down together for the night and tried to get her then but that didnt work either so now I just have a pissed off chicken & 10 house chicks. oops, but oh well. she will calm down eventually hopefully. I'm honestly conflicted about passing down those genes. good survival instinct is awesome but this is extreme. anyway, handling the babies a lot to overcome that.
and then I had one hen sitting in the nesting box last night after dark but not acting broody so idk.
so I have broody #1 who is just momma now, with her 5 babies. last night they roosted with the rest of the pullets (which makes me think shes a pullet which is nuts haha) & the babies are looking pretty feathered and I think can keep themselves warm now.
broody #2 is gone but her eggs are inside in the incubator. I was having temp issues but I think I've got them sorted. I need to candle but I keep doing other things at night instead.
broody #3 hatched 10 chicks a couple days ago & I caught all the chicks but she is an absolutely nutjob and refused to be caught. we got her into a cage using the babies as bait but then she ran past me when I tried to get her out. I had originally tried to grab her first but she kept stepping on all her babies so I started corralling them instead and she used my distraction to leap over me, while I was on hands and knees in the cage and couldnt move quickly.
her babies escaped too and I let them all settle down together for the night and tried to get her then but that didnt work either so now I just have a pissed off chicken & 10 house chicks. oops, but oh well. she will calm down eventually hopefully. I'm honestly conflicted about passing down those genes. good survival instinct is awesome but this is extreme. anyway, handling the babies a lot to overcome that. and then I had one hen sitting in the nesting box last night after dark but not acting broody so idk.
