MJ's little flock

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[Grammy60]

Good morning/evening everyone

 

[BY Bob]

OK! I've made contact with the neighbours' daughter Charlise and she's going to call her mum who's gone camping to talk about giving Peggy some eggs.

So exciting!

 

[MaryJanet]

Where are you going to let her sit MJ?

The nest box of the little coop. The other hens are using the wine barrel and the laundry basket.

I'm worried there won't be enough humidity. We have such dry summers, but the mister should help a little.

 

[MaryJanet]

I think up to 35C at the nest site is bearable. Had broodies sit and hatch in that temeperature range in Catalonia. What you will need to do is add extra shade spots for when mum leaves the nest with the chicks. You'll need a few so mum can keep away from thhe other hens if she feels like it.

The other hens have been out of the run and in the back porch on hot days and Peggy has made use of the tables for shade.

I was thinking I would also put up some carpet off cuts to throw shade on the little coop. I can do that to throw shade on the ground too.

And, if chicks do hatch out, I'd put up puppy play pen panels around Peggy's area which the chicks can pass through but the hens can't.

Things I'm worried about: the eggs not being fertile and making a stinky mess, Peggy not seeing it through, Peggy attacking the chicks, and I think I can handle each of these eventualities.

On the other hand, I've convinced myself this is the most ethical way to introduce new hens and Mark is willing to put cockerels humanely to sleep if I can't find long term homes for them. He says none of us know how long we'll live for, the important thing is quality of life and he's confident any young cockerels at my house would have high quality of life.

 

[MaryJanet]

The rooster is called Rocky and he's black. He has three hen friends. Two of them are red and one is white.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

The rooster is called Rocky and he's black. He has three hen friends. Two of them are red and one is white.

This is getting exciting. The anticipation is killing me and you don't even have the eggs yet!

 

[MaryJanet]

This is getting exciting. The anticipation is killing me!

I wish I had more news for you ACM, but I've not heard from Rocky's human yet.

 

[MaryJanet]

This is getting exciting. The anticipation is killing me and you don't even have the eggs yet!

By the way, have you ever given a hen some eggs to hatch? If so, do you have any tips?

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

By the way, have you ever given a hen some eggs to hatch? If so, do you have any tips?

No I never have.
I was thinking of giving a couple to a broody in a year or so depending on how determined they are. After the last 6 weeks or so I'd say Edwina and Pepper are pretty determined!

I thought I'd probably have fake eggs in the nest for a few days before and just slip the real ones under her an hour or so after dark and take away the fakes.

What do the experienced Chicken Confusers think? BYBob? How did you do it with Sydney?