Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[snowflake]

I may have to copy this and put it on the fridge, bathroom mirror, remote control, garage door, chainsaw, lunchbox.........

 

[gaitngirl]

Finally put the FBC Marans in with the rest of the chicks (about the same age) in the chicken tractor . . . the largest of the Jersey Giants (I was told was a pullet but I'm thinking not) immediately went after the largest of the Marans (that I think is a cockerel, too). I had to separate the JG from the rest because she/he wouldn't let up! The others all seem fine with the additions. I need to get pics of my pretty little white polish up soon - that one was straight run so I have no idea yet if it's a pullet or a cockerel.

BTW . . . who ordered rain today??? I have stuff to do outside so please call it off!

 

[gladahmae]

Alright! My silkie came outside for about 3 minutes this morning, and then went right back inside and is sitting on the eggs she managed to hoard yesterday (after sitting all day yesterday as well) so I think it's safe to say that she's putting some effort into being broody FINALLY.

Here's my question(s): I have BLRW eggs in my incubator that should be hatching on Friday assuming having to use it as an emergency hatcher when my other one quit last week didn't kill everything in there. When (as in, what day) should I swap the eggs she's sitting on for the ones from the incubator? I plan on doing it at night, and the incubator eggs are already marked, so I'll know what's what. How many eggs can I put under a silkie? 6? 8? 10???? Should I keep some of the still-good eggs in the incubator in case she's a killer-broody? (I'm thinking I should since this is her first time, and I REALLY want some of these little ones for my flock!) I'm also planning on rigging something up so that the other hens can't get into her 'area' and possibly kill the chicks.....just a temporary fence of some sort......good idea or wasting my time? If I do build a barrier, I need to put some food and water in with her too?

I'm going to go check out the broody hatch-a-long thread, but I'm hoping I can get a succinct answer here.

 

[snowflake]

I have not transferred from incubator to hen but if you want the eggs she is on right now to hatch I would not put the almost ready to hatch eggs under her cause she will only set for a couple days after her "brood" hatches.You can usually put as many as she can cover under her. good luck let us know how it turns out.

 

[gladahmae]

Yeah, when I do the 'switch' I'm going to take the eggs she's been on. I know I've read about people doing the OPPOSITE and they let the broody sit on them for the first 19 days, and then put them in the incubator/hatcher, but I seem to have the opposite problem: I can get them to grow and develop, but not hatch.

I just sanitized the big plastic dog crate we have, so there will be plenty of space for her, a feeder and a waterer in there, and the other girls won't be able to get at her. Am planning to put her and her current eggs in there after dark tonight just in case she doesn't like being moved, I won't have eggs already out of the incubator and then have to open it AGAIN to put them back in if she changes her mind.

 

[1muttsfan]

Most bantam-sized broodies can handle about 6 eggs. If you put too many under her some will be left cold, and as she moves them around the lack of warmth may affect several eggs.

 

[Trefoil]

Okay I have been thinking about all of this pretty much all night. I had weasel nightmares lol. My problem is that I pretty much live on a beach minus the water. VERY sandy soil. It would take a weasel about 10 seconds to dig 2 foot. So If I dig a trench down 1 foot and it is 2 foot wide should I just put the fence in the middle of that trench 1 foot down of course and then fill the trench with small rocks or gravel ?

If your trench is 2' wide I would put the hardware cloth down and then over the 2'. With weasels you are going to want to check out your coop as well, very carefully, covering any gaps with hardware cloth. Its worth the extra effort not having to worry what predators are visiting during the night and having a safe place for them during the day if needed.

 

[Folly's place]

Hi everyone, and welcome to the new folks! Gone for two days and 20 pages, amazing! Last weekend I was looking for incubator space; now have THREE broody bantam hens, so all is well. Tomorrow the third hen goes into my last big dog crate. Mary

 

[Nigellas]

Can someone please reassure me that I don't have evil spawn of satan chickens? Even though I have them housed separately, for the last week I've been letting my nine-week old chicks in the yard with my 3 grown hens. I figured it's big enough space so no one feels threatened, and the littles have a way to get away from the hens if needed. Or not. Today I found one of my nine-week olds dead in the yard - totally scalped and semi-canobolized. It was awful and definitely a chicken attack, not a predator. I'll obviously keep the younger set safe from the grown hens now for much linger, but I'm having a really hard time forgiving the grown ones for being so awful. It was, of course, my favorite of the babies. Stupid, evil chickens.

 

[Opa]

Nigellas, you don't have chickens that are any different than anyone Else's birds. Chickens by their very nature are omnivores that will attack any other chicken that they sense is weaker. The slightest injury often causes the entire flock to go into a frenzy attacking the lesser bird. Size is a factor that is a considered weakness. If a younger bird encroaches the assumed territory of a larger that is enough to trigger an attack. Once blood is drawn the entire flock, including the other young birds, will join in and the bloody spot becomes their target.

The old saying "birds of a feather flock together" probably came as a result of someone watching chickens. If you have a rainbow flock of different birds you will see that they will pair up by breed, color, and size. This self imposed segregation is just part of flock dynamics. It can be a very important factor when introducing breeds that take this to exclusionary levels. ISA brown hens are exceptional layers, fairly friendly towards humans, yet very aggressive towards other breeds.

The sad reality of raising chickens is that we often must see the carnage wreaked by this creatures that are not much different than dinosaurs. The favorite poultry related saying of a friend of mine was that chickens may be your pets just never fall down in the chicken run because they will eat you.