MJ's little flock

[RoyalChick]

I see what you did there.

I try.

 

[Shadrach]

I picked up my friends incubator, it's a cheap one from Amazon with no humidity sensor. I'm going to pick up an additional temp/humidity montior and use that.

The last time she hatched all the chicks had splay leg and died, I see know why. I won't let that happen to my chicks. I'm going to set 8 eggs, 4 brown, 2 light green, and 2 olive green.

I'm so excited!! Wednesday is start day. If all goes well i should have chicks around Ash Wednesday!! Plus my silkie just went broody, I'm going to put the babies under her and see if she'll raise them for me. She's a great mom so I don't think there will be any issue.

Why not put the eggs under her? She'll do a better jon than an incubator.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Why not put the eggs under her? She'll do a better jon than an incubator.

You are most certainly correct, my preferred method of hatching is by broody, however I am taking these eggs into my daughter's classroom for education purposes.

I figure this way the kids get to watch the eggs hatch and Dot gets to have babies.

 

[MaryJanet]

So you took it from them and gave it to the pullets.

Of course they are going to look at it. Whenever I had the pullet ccop in the run, Patsy would go in it to check it out and even eat pullet food if the door was open. It was hers originally and as alpha hen all the territory belongs to her.

It's not about the pullets it is about them and their world.

The hens have the same access to the little coop as always, which is all day long. Janet laid her egg in there yesterday. So I'm not confident to say it's been taken from them.

But they're taking an interest in who's been using it overnight.

Maybe it's time they all roosted together.

 

[BY Bob]

The hens have the same access to the little coop as always, which is all day long. Janet laid her egg in there yesterday. So I'm not confident to say it's been taken from them.

But they're taking an interest in who's been using it overnight.

Maybe it's time they all roosted together.

I would not rush the roosting together. That is when the most vicious pecking occurs, in my experience. I like mine to be a little older when they are subjected to that. Remind me how old the pullets are?

 

[MaryJanet]

I would not rush the roosting together. That is when the most vicious pecking occurs, in my experience. I like mine to be a little older when they are subjected to that. Remind me how old the pullets are?

15 weeks old.

I was thinking of putting them in the henhouse while the hens are sleeping then getting up before light to open the door to the yard before pecking starts.

My neighbour says this is the kindest way to do it. But maybe leaving it up to the chickens is kinder?

 

[BY Bob]

15 weeks old.

I was thinking of putting them in the henhouse while the hens are sleeping then getting up before light to open the door to the yard before pecking starts.

My neighbour says this is the kindest way to do it. But maybe leaving it up to the chickens is kinder?

That is exactly what I do. I close off "their" coop when I do it so they can't go back there the next night. Mine always stand outside their old coop and cry at nightfall. I would suggest letting them roost in their old coop and move them each night for a couple of days and then you need to close them off from it.

At this point I then put a lantern in the "new" coop where the other hens are to draw them to it at nightfall. Seeing the light, they will usually go in. After they start roosting there, I pull the lantern. The process usually takes me about a week.

Your pullets are older than I thought they were. I don't know why I thought they were 8 week's old. At 15 weeks I am much more comfortable with integrating them.

I hope this helps. This method has been pretty successful for me the last 2 times.

 

[MaryJanet]

Thank you for the advice - I'll start tonight.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you for the advice - I'll start tonight.

It's very exciting. Please keep us updated.
They grow up so fast.

 

[MaryJanet]

I think it's time for Ivy's profile post.

I can't do Peggy's yet though, she and I need more time.

For background, here are the other profiles.

• Mary's
• Janet's
• Sandy's
• And Blossom's