An interesting note on my Icelandic mommas.....It seems they want the youngsters on the roost as soon as they can get them there. Anna and Asta both wanted their chicks in the main coop and tried to get them "off the ground" as soon as they could. Kleo is a young, first time mom and was trying to get the chicks up to the barn rafters (10 + feet high) with the rest of the flock when they were two weeks old. She resigned herself to the "private broody quarters" when they couldn't get up to the four foot wall to climb the "big kids" ladder. The roost Kleo is on has a short "ladder", with rungs spaced at 18", leading up but the jump over to the roost is about two feet....these two have been on the roost with her since just over two weeks old. It's a good thing she only has two in this cold weather or I don't know how they'd stay warm on the roost!!
On the other hand, Chickie Mama (Silver Laced Wyandotte Broody Extrodinaire) has the three Icelandic chicks hatched three weeks earlier in her "private broody quarters" and just tonight were the two boys on the roost...without momma...while Elska (only girl) was on the floor under her momma's wing! My other two SLW hens are the only ones who spend the night on the "low roost", of course, the only other non-Icelandic is Krystal, my white Java, and hatchmate to Kleo and Kella (she thinks she's an Icelandic since she was the only non-Icelandic in that hatch of 11! Chickie Mama raised that bunch and other besides the ones she has now!! Love that hen!)
On the other hand, Chickie Mama (Silver Laced Wyandotte Broody Extrodinaire) has the three Icelandic chicks hatched three weeks earlier in her "private broody quarters" and just tonight were the two boys on the roost...without momma...while Elska (only girl) was on the floor under her momma's wing! My other two SLW hens are the only ones who spend the night on the "low roost", of course, the only other non-Icelandic is Krystal, my white Java, and hatchmate to Kleo and Kella (she thinks she's an Icelandic since she was the only non-Icelandic in that hatch of 11! Chickie Mama raised that bunch and other besides the ones she has now!! Love that hen!)
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