Illinois...

[4stakes]

The Cochin is just the the mother. You might have a few splash. Why dont you wait and see how they feather out. We have a trio of black and a trio of splash Orps that we were tring to get some blues. Didn't seperate them so this was see what we get. Will put in breeding pens for next year.

Kevin

 

[ChicagoClucker]

The Cochin is just the the mother. You might have a few splash. Why dont you wait and see how they feather out. We have a trio of black and a trio of splash Orps that we were tring to get some blues. Didn't seperate them so this was see what we get. Will put in breeding pens for next year.

Kevin

I am going to wait and see how they feather out. I will post on here if I end up with extra blues, if you need some. I might have to get some splash eggs from you next year.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Chicago Clucker...

In the middle of spring I had one broody. And then I had two. I was seriously missing the extra two eggs.

On the Thursday after Memorial day (after 3 weeks of broody #2 sitting on golf balls) I slipped two chicks under each or the broodys. Four weeks later... The chicks are fully integrated into the flock, up on the roost with their moms at night (a team parenting effort) and foraging in the yard and following moms arround all day long.

I never secluded the babies or moms from the rest of the flock... It seemed to me that somehow hens with tons of space in a yard all day would somehow know what to do. The moms have always been at the top of the pecking order and even keep the year old rooster in line. He roosts between the family and the rest of the flock making sure they have plenty of space.

I often find it difficult to "follow the recipe" and now I am questioning some of the standard practices re raising chickens. They all seem to know what to do...

Looks like the moms are already getting ready to lay again, their combs are a more vibrant red every day and they are letting the rooster mount up. Looking forward to the kids growing up and receiving a dozen eggs on those special "everyone lays an egg" days!

Thanks for sharing your success story. I wish my broody's timing was a little better. If I wait 2 more weeks, the chicks will be 3 weeks old, they will be too big to slip under her, won't they? And the broody has really thrown off the flocks laying, since she was in the nesting box that everyone uses (I have 5 but they all need to use the same one.). I moved her, but I am only getting 2-3 eggs a day. Hopefully it will pick back up. I guess it doesn't help that the new coop is starting to go up, so a lot going on in the yard might also be stressing them out.

 

[rfreedlund]

Thanks for sharing your success story. I wish my broody's timing was a little better. If I wait 2 more weeks, the chicks will be 3 weeks old, they will be too big to slip under her, won't they? And the broody has really thrown off the flocks laying, since she was in the nesting box that everyone uses (I have 5 but they all need to use the same one.). I moved her, but I am only getting 2-3 eggs a day. Hopefully it will pick back up. I guess it doesn't help that the new coop is starting to go up, so a lot going on in the yard might also be stressing them out.

3 weeks is probably definitely too long. I had two broodies that I gave some five day old chicks to (slipping them under them after dark). The chicks were fine when under them, but the one mother would attack when they came out. I threw her out and the other broody took them all, but the chicks were definitely confused at first as the only life they knew up until then was a school classroom and a heat lamp in a box. Plus you need to find a way to separate the one that is taking up the nest box. It goes better for all. I have used a medium sized dog cage and a "dogloo" to keep them apart. As long as they have access to feed and water, they are generally fine. It has worked very well for me and I have both hatched and successfully had chicks adopted in them.

 

[Junibutt]

Chicago Clucker...

In the middle of spring I had one broody. And then I had two. I was seriously missing the extra two eggs.

On the Thursday after Memorial day (after 3 weeks of broody #2 sitting on golf balls) I slipped two chicks under each or the broodys. Four weeks later... The chicks are fully integrated into the flock, up on the roost with their moms at night (a team parenting effort) and foraging in the yard and following moms arround all day long.

I never secluded the babies or moms from the rest of the flock... It seemed to me that somehow hens with tons of space in a yard all day would somehow know what to do. The moms have always been at the top of the pecking order and even keep the year old rooster in line. He roosts between the family and the rest of the flock making sure they have plenty of space.

I often find it difficult to "follow the recipe" and now I am questioning some of the standard practices re raising chickens. They all seem to know what to do...

Looks like the moms are already getting ready to lay again, their combs are a more vibrant red every day and they are letting the rooster mount up. Looking forward to the kids growing up and receiving a dozen eggs on those special "everyone lays an egg" days!

Yes, the advantage of raising with broodies is that you don't have to worry about integrating as long as the broody is not at the bottom of the pecking order. The only disadvantage I have seen so far is that the chicks raised by a broody especially if for a longer time, are not as friendly as the chicks raised in the brooder. My mama broody is a very friendly Australorp and practically stands still when you go to pick her up. But the chicks she raises become very flighty and skittish. I think how she trains them to run away from strangers and under her affects their behavior.

 

[lizzychick]

I'm really sad that my chicks first few weeks outside has been rain rain and more rain. Enough already, gimme some sun so those girls can sun bathe!!

 

[ChicagoClucker]

3 weeks is probably definitely too long. I had two broodies that I gave some five day old chicks to (slipping them under them after dark). The chicks were fine when under them, but the one mother would attack when they came out. I threw her out and the other broody took them all, but the chicks were definitely confused at first as the only life they knew up until then was a school classroom and a heat lamp in a box. Plus you need to find a way to separate the one that is taking up the nest box. It goes better for all. I have used a medium sized dog cage and a "dogloo" to keep them apart. As long as they have access to feed and water, they are generally fine. It has worked very well for me and I have both hatched and successfully had chicks adopted in them.

I did move her out of the nesting box, or rather she moved out herself. She or someone else spilt the bowl of water I had put up there for her, so she left that nest and I tossed the eggs. Within an hour she was sitting on 2 eggs in another nest, so I took her out and put the eggs under the nesting boxes. She is brooding in my old coop that I converted into all nesting boxes. As my flock grew, I needed a larger coop. Some of the older girls still like to use it though.

 

[lizzychick]

My little Easter egger is about 4 weeks old. I went to pick her up last night and she chirps like its the end of the world. A couple of strokes over her feathers and some quiet murmurings and she melts into my hand and closes her eyes. "Yes, you may pet me until I fall asleep." Love it!

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Finally, have begun the new coop. Patio pavers laid and the base of the coop has been built. I am so lucky to have such a good son, he has just figured out, that Mom will be making changes as we go. I figure it will be another couple of weekends til its done, but still excited to have started.

Also thought tonight, why am I letting my CCL continue to be broody if I can't slip any chicks under her? I am going to feel bad pulling her off of those eggs.

 

[Beshort2]

Tomorrow I will be moving my chicks to their new coop for the first time. Can't wait to see how they act with all the space they will have.