Cricket927
Hatching
Hi!
After a horrible raccoon attack we were left with our beloved hen, Birdie and a 5 1/2 week old chick, River Song. (My daughter is a huge Doctor Who fan). A day or two after the attack it dropped a tad in temperature and we found Birdie sitting on River. Well keeping her warm. Birdie did not get off of River for about two nights, as she was helping keep her warm. River now cuddles under Birdie in the freakish rain/snow we are having. Birdie is taking care of River as if she were her own. After a week of becoming River's mommy she has stopped laying eggs.
A week later we added 4 more 6 week old chicks to our coops. They stick together while Birdie and River wander about. Birdie has even shown River how to shoo away the others from the food and out of a coop so they can dirt bath together. (River and the 4 others, Amy Pond, Kid Rock, Goldie and Foxy Foxy were all bought from a local farm which raised them from 3 day old chicks. They were bought from a local hatchery. They were all raised with older hens, but the hens did not attach to them like Birdie has to River.)
I am wondering if Birdie will go back to laying eggs? Some sites say that after about 4 or 5 weeks they will begin to lay again, but this is after they have set, hatched and raised chicks. I have not found anything about "adopted" chicks and loss of egg laying or returning to egg laying.
Thank you in advance for any advice and help.
Cricket
After a horrible raccoon attack we were left with our beloved hen, Birdie and a 5 1/2 week old chick, River Song. (My daughter is a huge Doctor Who fan). A day or two after the attack it dropped a tad in temperature and we found Birdie sitting on River. Well keeping her warm. Birdie did not get off of River for about two nights, as she was helping keep her warm. River now cuddles under Birdie in the freakish rain/snow we are having. Birdie is taking care of River as if she were her own. After a week of becoming River's mommy she has stopped laying eggs.
A week later we added 4 more 6 week old chicks to our coops. They stick together while Birdie and River wander about. Birdie has even shown River how to shoo away the others from the food and out of a coop so they can dirt bath together. (River and the 4 others, Amy Pond, Kid Rock, Goldie and Foxy Foxy were all bought from a local farm which raised them from 3 day old chicks. They were bought from a local hatchery. They were all raised with older hens, but the hens did not attach to them like Birdie has to River.)
I am wondering if Birdie will go back to laying eggs? Some sites say that after about 4 or 5 weeks they will begin to lay again, but this is after they have set, hatched and raised chicks. I have not found anything about "adopted" chicks and loss of egg laying or returning to egg laying.
Thank you in advance for any advice and help.
Cricket
