My First Broody!

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Your pictures are adorable! Charlotte looks like such a good momma, and those chicks are precious!

Thank you! Yes the chicks are super cute.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Well, dang. It turns out Prudence’s behavior had a very good cause. Just now I found a snake in the coop. It was in a laying nest, surrounded by adult birds drawn to lay but avoiding their favorite nest. The keet is gone. Prudence has left not only the coop but the run, much earlier than Helen did. She has just the four chicks with her. The keet was the newest and rather slow to react, I can easily see how that happened. We have the worst darn luck with guineas.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Maybe try buying adult guinea fowl.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Maybe try buying adult guinea fowl.

Unless the guineas are raised with chickens, they don't integrate.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Unless the guineas are raised with chickens, they don't integrate.

Oh.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Unless the guineas are raised with chickens, they don't integrate.

I’ve also read that guineas wander and stronger ties to home (like being part of a chicken flock that returns home) are good. I’ve also read that there can be trouble with species specific communication in such a mixed flock, but others have done it, so we’re trying. Ultimately our chickens are going to move, leaving the guineas the coop with just the handful of chickens they know best, moms and siblings.

A dozen guinea eggs and not one chick to show for it. Darn.

Well, I put 14 more in the incubator yesterday. They look a lot better, more regular shaped and even. This set will be hand raised in a coop on our porch. Apparently guineas who like you also stay. Our two older ones, maybe 8 weeks old now, started friendly but lost that when they moved outside. We had four and I poisoned the others with spoiled food. There’s always more to learn.

That said, this is the last time I let a broody raise chicks free style like this. I have 3x7 brooder they can use and many small coops and crates. If they won’t settle after moving, I’ll either have to break them or skip to buying them or hatching them chicks myself. Both these moms are happy to stay put anywhere now their chicks are here. Previous person’s suggestion of two weeks sounds pretty good. I’ve put Prudence’s nest in a dog crate in the coop for nighttime now. Helen chose an empty rabbit hutch in the run where she can be shut away safely.

Well, this was supposed to be a trial in how our setup might need improvement.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I’ve also read that guineas wander and stronger ties to home (like being part of a chicken flock that returns home) are good. I’ve also read that there can be trouble with species specific communication in such a mixed flock, but others have done it, so we’re trying. Ultimately our chickens are going to move, leaving the guineas the coop with just the handful of chickens they know best, moms and siblings.

A dozen guinea eggs and not one chick to show for it. Darn.

Well, I put 14 more in the incubator yesterday. They look a lot better, more regular shaped and even. This set will be hand raised in a coop on our porch. Apparently guineas who like you also stay. Our two older ones, maybe 8 weeks old now, started friendly but lost that when they moved outside. We had four and I poisoned the others with spoiled food. There’s always more to learn.

That said, this is the last time I let a broody raise chicks free style like this. I have 3x7 brooder they can use and many small coops and crates. If they won’t settle after moving, I’ll either have to break them or skip to buying them or hatching them chicks myself. Both these moms are happy to stay put anywhere now their chicks are here. Previous person’s suggestion of two weeks sounds pretty good. I’ve put Prudence’s nest in a dog crate in the coop for nighttime now. Helen chose an empty rabbit hutch in the run where she can be shut away safely.

Well, this was supposed to be a trial in how our setup might need improvement.

I just ordered keets from a hatchery and raised them with my chicks. I have 4 pearl that are out with my main flock right now and 6 Lavenders that are with some EEs. They'll go in the introduction pen on the field tonight.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I just ordered keets from a hatchery and raised them with my chicks. I have 4 pearl that are out with my main flock right now and 6 Lavenders that are with some EEs. They'll go in the introduction pen on the field tonight.

I like to keep as closed a flock as I can manage, even with newly hatched babies being low risk for illness. That said, I have made exceptions, including for our original four keets. I also try for low maintenance as possible, so putting guinea eggs under a broody hen seemed ideal. I just didn't expect so low a fertility rate, only 4/12, from this last dozen. Then only one keet hatched and then the snake. These new eggs are much more regular in appearance; the last set were all kinds of shapes and sizes. Hopefully the consistency means something good. With the incubator and a brooder, they'll be as safe as it's possible to be here.

I did raise my original keets with chicks. The keets were a couple of days older than the chicks and that actually worked out really well. The keets already had their wits about them when I brought them home and the chicks were still learning how to exist, so the smaller size of the keets was not an issue. They were actually valuable in teaching the chicks how to eat and drink. I have two keets remaining and two pullets they've grown up with who will stay. Raising keets with chicks was the plan this time, too, but that won't be necessary now. I haven't decided on the next set. My incubator does best with 18 eggs; I have only 14 guineas. We are full, we are making an exception for these keets, but what's four more chickens, especially when two are likely to be boys and provide food for us in short order? I may set some chicken eggs with them yet.

 

[nursebecky99]

I’ve also read that guineas wander and stronger ties to home (like being part of a chicken flock that returns home) are good. I’ve also read that there can be trouble with species specific communication in such a mixed flock, but others have done it, so we’re trying. Ultimately our chickens are going to move, leaving the guineas the coop with just the handful of chickens they know best, moms and siblings.

A dozen guinea eggs and not one chick to show for it. Darn.

Well, I put 14 more in the incubator yesterday. They look a lot better, more regular shaped and even. This set will be hand raised in a coop on our porch. Apparently guineas who like you also stay. Our two older ones, maybe 8 weeks old now, started friendly but lost that when they moved outside. We had four and I poisoned the others with spoiled food. There’s always more to learn.

That said, this is the last time I let a broody raise chicks free style like this. I have 3x7 brooder they can use and many small coops and crates. If they won’t settle after moving, I’ll either have to break them or skip to buying them or hatching them chicks myself. Both these moms are happy to stay put anywhere now their chicks are here. Previous person’s suggestion of two weeks sounds pretty good. I’ve put Prudence’s nest in a dog crate in the coop for nighttime now. Helen chose an empty rabbit hutch in the run where she can be shut away safely.

Well, this was supposed to be a trial in how our setup might need improvement.

Certainly had a learning experience from my first broody too. Next time I will separate her out while sitting and love her back when the babies are two weeks old.
Right now Spot is teaching her two babies the ramp and great outdoors (the enclosed pen).

 

[Trish1974]

Congratulations @Brahma Chicken5000 !! I just got caught up on the thread. The chicks are adorable and Charlotte is a great mom! I want chicks SO BAD! Maybe next year...