Maine

[lazy gardener]

This was a first: This morning, my cat was hunkered down in predator mode, with something on the grass in front of him. So, I had to go see. He had a very fat mouse. I'm guessing she was VERY pregnant. And she was not injured, but was also not moving very much, or very fast because she was laden down with 6 baby mice attached to her. Evidently, they latched onto her so she could move them. They were pretty big. I've never seen the likes of it before. So, since the cat was not completing the job, I scooped the mess up in a bucket, and dumped them in the rooster grow out pen. They gathered around, and had quite the discussion about the matter, but none of them would man up to handle the situation. So, the situation ended with them taking swimming lessons. I hated to do it, but... had I not, the potential population explosion from this litter, plus her next litter would create ongoing issues!

 

[chickenneighbor]

Interesting that neither the cat nor the roos would go after the babies. Is there some kind of predator code? Of course, my fat cats have Garfield syndrome and would never be caught with mouse breath! Maybe your teenage roos are just as averse to work as teenage boys!

 

[lazy gardener]

That's what I'm thinking. Perhaps they are all too well fed... Including the teen age boy!!! But, I've been finding puked up mouse in the front yard very often in the morning. Gotta be from my cat. Perhaps he'd already upchucked his quota for the day.

 

[mlowen]

All three pullets laid, yesterday! All a beautiful shade of green.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yay! I'm getting some beautiful green eggs from the pullets as well. Also getting a couple of light blue ones. What's puzzling is the tan/brown ones I'm getting. Either way, I'm pleased with the gene pool I've got going on.

 

[lazy gardener]

One of my red sisters laid a little brown egg today. It may be her first. Her hatch date was May 6, so she's following in her mother's foot steps of being an early layer.

Mama and babies out and about in the yard, under supervision. A LOT of crow activity, and a lot of warning calls from Jack, so I didn't dare let them out for very long at a time, or without supervision. These babies are much friendlier than I expected Mama brooded babies would be. They come running up to me, and walk all over my feet. They know that I am the treat dispenser.

 

[CoopChick719]

I have a dilemma. I had 3 broodies. The 2 BA's & Shirley. A chick hatched under the BA's but 1 started pecking at it so I gave it to Shirley. What I should have done was take that girl out & leave the chick under Merida...hindsight. The other 4 eggs under Merida weren't fertile. I tried to put her back in the coop but she insists on returning to the garage to sit outside Shirley's crate. Should I give her 2 chicks or do you think it's too late?

 

[lazy gardener]

If Merida is still acting broody, you could try giving her some chicks if you have them. How old are the chicks? If they are too old, or already bonded to an other broody, it may not work. The pecky Mama should definitely be removed from Mama duty.

We came home at 5:30 PM after being gone all day. Half of the flock had flown over the electronet and were enjoying some free range time. There were 2 hawks circling. They didn't seem to be much deterred by some heavy noise makers. I'm glad I'm still keeping Mama and babies tractored when I'm not around to supervise them. As far as I can tell, my gender selection is working... 3 hatches in a row. It looks like this group is 67% pullets.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

We've had some success keeping the foxes away with some outdoor speakers and Ozzy's Boneyard. I'm not ready to declare victory, yet, but it's been a few weeks.

If you give your broody some chicks, do it at night and watch them the next day. Be ready to take them away if needed.

 

[CoopChick719]

If Merida is still acting broody, you could try giving her some chicks if you have them.  How old are the chicks?  If they are too old, or already bonded to an other broody, it may not work. The pecky Mama should definitely be removed from Mama duty.  

[COLOR=333333]We came home at 5:30 PM after being gone all day.  Half of the flock had flown over the electronet and were enjoying some free range time.  There were 2 hawks circling.  They didn't seem to be much deterred by some heavy noise makers.  I'm glad I'm still keeping Mama and babies tractored when I'm not around to supervise them.  As far as I can tell, my gender selection is working... 3 hatches in a row.  It looks like this group is 67% pullets.[/COLOR]

Pecky mama was removed the next day. She went back to the coop like it was no big deal. The chicks are between 10--12 days old. Too late?

Glad everyone was safe when you got home!