MJ's little flock

[Shadrach]

There's nothing quite like making a plan for tempting fate!

Rocky's person visited with two eggs for Peggy and I can get another two tomorrow, fresh laid.

I wrote CI on them, which stands for "chick inside".

View attachment 2948651

I'm glad I thickened Peggy's nest while she was up. It might help with my humidity fears.

She tried to take a finger as I was giving her the eggs, but within five minutes, she'd tucked them under.

View attachment 2948652

Noting the date: January 3.

Waiting for January 24...

@Shadrach What is my shopping list? Chick crumbles, chick-sized food and water dispensers, anything else?

Amprolium. You must have it on hand.
A head torch. If anything goes wrong you need to be able to see in any light conditions.
Are you going to give medicated feed? I always did because coccidia was an issue in Spain. Many don't and it's fine.
I used clay bowls much like the ones you can buy patte in. Water dispensers are okay but I like to see the chicks are drinking. I use one for the chick feed and one for water. The advantage of the clay shallow pots is they are not easy to tip over. There is a picture of what I use here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20295718

Fresh bedding to replace the old as soon as mum leaves the nest with the chicks.

There is an unpleasant topic that I hope with all my heart you don't have to deal with but it happens. What are you going to do if a damaged chick hatches and you need to kill it? You need to be prepared for this.

 

[Shadrach]

Would it be too chilly?

Mum will sort out the thermal regulation.

 

[Shadrach]

I tell you what, her attitude has changed markedly now she has eggs.

Way, way more defensive. Way more committed. Very flat on the eggs.

I put a little bowl of food within reach over night and it appears she's eaten about a tablespoon of it without getting up.

Don't feed her at the nest. Make sure she gets up and is fully awake, eats poops and drinks.

 

[MaryJanet]

Amprolium. You must have it on hand.
A head torch. If anything goes wrong you need to be able to see in any light conditions.
Are you going to give medicated feed? I always did because coccidia was an issue in Spain. Many don't and it's fine.
I used clay bowls much like the ones you can buy patte in. Water dispensers are okay but I like to see the chicks are drinking. I use one for the chick feed and one for water. The advantage of the clay shallow pots is they are not easy to tip over. There is a picture of what I use here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20295718

Fresh bedding to replace the old as soon as mum leaves the nest with the chicks.

There is an unpleasant topic that I hope with all my heart you don't have to deal with but it happens. What are you going to do if a damaged chick hatches and you need to kill it? You need to be prepared for this.

Thank you! I'll get all that stuff ready.

The thought of a deformed chick or failed hatch is very much on my mind. Luckily, the neighbour up the street has had to deal with such events in the past and I'm hoping he will step in for me, but I haven't asked him yet. I'm loaning him my chainsaw this weekend, so I'll bring the topic up at that time.

 

[MaryJanet]

Don't feed her at the nest. Make sure she gets up and is fully awake, eats poops and drinks.

She was up yesterday and making a huge fuss! I'll take the bowl away and won't do that again.

 

[MaryJanet]

Amprolium. You must have it on hand.
A head torch. If anything goes wrong you need to be able to see in any light conditions.
Are you going to give medicated feed? I always did because coccidia was an issue in Spain. Many don't and it's fine.
I used clay bowls much like the ones you can buy patte in. Water dispensers are okay but I like to see the chicks are drinking. I use one for the chick feed and one for water. The advantage of the clay shallow pots is they are not easy to tip over. There is a picture of what I use here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20295718

Fresh bedding to replace the old as soon as mum leaves the nest with the chicks.

There is an unpleasant topic that I hope with all my heart you don't have to deal with but it happens. What are you going to do if a damaged chick hatches and you need to kill it? You need to be prepared for this.

Definitely yes to medicated feed. I'd rather safe than sorry.

 

[Shadrach]

She was up yesterday and making a huge fuss! I'll take the bowl away and won't do that again.

Huge fuss is normal. If you've been listening to her you'll understand how I knew when a sitting hen had left her nest. Very handy when you have themnesting outside but don't know where.

 

[MaryJanet]

Amprolium. You must have it on hand.
A head torch. If anything goes wrong you need to be able to see in any light conditions.
Are you going to give medicated feed? I always did because coccidia was an issue in Spain. Many don't and it's fine.
I used clay bowls much like the ones you can buy patte in. Water dispensers are okay but I like to see the chicks are drinking. I use one for the chick feed and one for water. The advantage of the clay shallow pots is they are not easy to tip over. There is a picture of what I use here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/post-20295718

Fresh bedding to replace the old as soon as mum leaves the nest with the chicks.

There is an unpleasant topic that I hope with all my heart you don't have to deal with but it happens. What are you going to do if a damaged chick hatches and you need to kill it? You need to be prepared for this.

I have many clay saucers that go under terracotta plant pots, some of which are quite small. Will they do for water and food?

 

[Shadrach]

I have many clay saucers that go under terracotta plant pots, some of which are quite small. Will they do for water and food?

As long as they are heavy and not to big.
You should put these with food and water in as soon as the first chick hatches, not before.

 

[MaryJanet]

As long as they are heavy and not to big.
You should put these with food and water in as soon as the first chick hatches, not before.

Got it. Within 10cm?