TheBadaWingClub
In the Brooder
- Jan 1, 2018
- 3
- 11
- 26
Sooo.. here is my story, I was gifted/pranked one night at 3am., 2 hens and a rooster with a semi broken, but manageable coop, about 1.5 months ago. I have no idea what chickens do, what they are about, nor did i expect to ever own one. But someone thought it would be funny to leave them on my front lawn as a prank/gift, saying my 6 year old mentioned to him (owner of several) he wanted one . fast forward to about 30 days ago, I found 7 eggs, no one was sitting on them, and they were pretty dirty. Not knowing what to do and googling my heart out between my 50 hour work weeks, with 2 kids (3, and 6), in florida weather, I was doing all I could. Fast forward, after 4 days, 12 hour days back to back of work, we ended up with 14 eggs and my (what I think) “Wyandotte chicken” (Luna girl), was brooding on what I thought my “Rhode Islander” (I think) (named Owlette) laid. I have NEVER seen “the rooster” (Gekko) mount her (Owlette), only seen him constantly have his way with the “white hen”. Didn’t think anything would happen... Bc I didn’t think they were old enough to really know what to do, I just allowed it and fed her table scraps and water often as I could and the other would join her at night... Owlette, what I thought was the layer, didn’t brood, but would get in the box with her every night and I would abserb, her helping, pushing the eggs under her if they were misplaced or what ever the case but would literally cramp her up every night and force her way in to the ice box (i put together really quick with hay) to cuddle and then leave her to free range all day.
Well 3 days ago I hatched 12/14 babies (one cracked at about 12 days in (we had a funeral for it and Burried it and one egg just didn’t hatch and to be honest after two days I just took it I mean come on we already had 12 babies ). From googling I found that a XL dog create would work to seperate them after the babies hatched Bc the coop
Was just too small and not weather proof much at all. She has adjusted fine and they seem to all be happy... but here is a few questions
1. My rooster is Mad, he misses his Luna girl, and I’m sure wants to meet the babies. They have NOT seen her, it’s rainy and cold so I figured they are safer in my garage and the hen and rooster can stay outside together if the “horrible triangle” coop... is he mean Bc she is missing? Should I take them in the garage to see them?
2. She is teaching them how to do everything quite well... but they began the scratch to look for food, dumping all the food out. But the bottom of the create is metal, I have added paper, wood shaving and hay.. did and water of course... but they began to shred the paper for her teaching them how to scratch.. its time to clean it out, but what should I do? Can I bring the whole create outside (locking up the other two adult chickens in the out side coop) and letting her show them in the grass, while I clean out the cage? It’s a mess in 3 days.. but they are only 3 days old, it’s sprinkling and in the 50’s here in florida. Will it be find if I let them all out in the yard for a bit while I clean the create? Would give them a chance to show how to scratch to eat? Or is the rain a no go? Is it too cold? No feathers yet 3 days old? (Nevermind about this already did it. She took them to the bushes and gave her self a dirt bath. I locked the other hen and
Rooster in the silly triangle coop while I did this. Fed them and got them to all listen with scrambled eggs and Cooked corn. Lol the got to experience Out side for about 30 mins then we gathered them and placed them all back in the create, turned out not so bad. I hope)
Last. Do I re-add the paper? They are shredding it to scratch to find food... should I stop using the “feeder”? They are dumping it anyways?
Last the dog create has no roof, and babies can still get out, so I have to put cardboard around the bottom, once they get bigger can I take It outside on not rainy days and take the metal bottom out and let them pick through the grated bottom? Or just keep them in? I just want the others to see them as much as possible.
Bigger coop will be purchased soon but it’s $1300 the one I want and I can’t exactly buy it today...
How do I stop making babies?
What am i going to do with all these babies? I can’t keep them?
Any advice is great! Thanks.
Well 3 days ago I hatched 12/14 babies (one cracked at about 12 days in (we had a funeral for it and Burried it and one egg just didn’t hatch and to be honest after two days I just took it I mean come on we already had 12 babies ). From googling I found that a XL dog create would work to seperate them after the babies hatched Bc the coop
Was just too small and not weather proof much at all. She has adjusted fine and they seem to all be happy... but here is a few questions
1. My rooster is Mad, he misses his Luna girl, and I’m sure wants to meet the babies. They have NOT seen her, it’s rainy and cold so I figured they are safer in my garage and the hen and rooster can stay outside together if the “horrible triangle” coop... is he mean Bc she is missing? Should I take them in the garage to see them?
2. She is teaching them how to do everything quite well... but they began the scratch to look for food, dumping all the food out. But the bottom of the create is metal, I have added paper, wood shaving and hay.. did and water of course... but they began to shred the paper for her teaching them how to scratch.. its time to clean it out, but what should I do? Can I bring the whole create outside (locking up the other two adult chickens in the out side coop) and letting her show them in the grass, while I clean out the cage? It’s a mess in 3 days.. but they are only 3 days old, it’s sprinkling and in the 50’s here in florida. Will it be find if I let them all out in the yard for a bit while I clean the create? Would give them a chance to show how to scratch to eat? Or is the rain a no go? Is it too cold? No feathers yet 3 days old? (Nevermind about this already did it. She took them to the bushes and gave her self a dirt bath. I locked the other hen and
Rooster in the silly triangle coop while I did this. Fed them and got them to all listen with scrambled eggs and Cooked corn. Lol the got to experience Out side for about 30 mins then we gathered them and placed them all back in the create, turned out not so bad. I hope)
Last. Do I re-add the paper? They are shredding it to scratch to find food... should I stop using the “feeder”? They are dumping it anyways?
Last the dog create has no roof, and babies can still get out, so I have to put cardboard around the bottom, once they get bigger can I take It outside on not rainy days and take the metal bottom out and let them pick through the grated bottom? Or just keep them in? I just want the others to see them as much as possible.
Bigger coop will be purchased soon but it’s $1300 the one I want and I can’t exactly buy it today...
How do I stop making babies?
What am i going to do with all these babies? I can’t keep them?
Any advice is great! Thanks.
Attachments
-
1E2B224D-1660-4B7C-8717-DC8C722D23A5.jpeg -
90E61CB5-5853-4473-97C4-1D22D025ED12.jpeg -
71F47691-A0C6-4CDA-BEAD-9A865FC341AF.jpeg -
22A8B9F2-2E17-45C7-8E71-77D4B3FB0E47.jpeg -
19D9C5A7-59C5-4816-B813-D2C8A0ABD5FF.jpeg -
75973032-A1F1-468D-95E4-87DCF77ABB7A.jpeg -
BC031B8E-E274-490B-A3FA-688DE108042D.jpeg -
936A4BFA-3B4E-48C9-A621-C650949AD38E.jpeg -
EBD4755D-232D-44B5-884E-9859974120C3.jpeg -
66A8A947-0912-4ACB-A477-FBD1A4D1CEDF.jpeg -
F936D378-D4ED-4BEB-B8E9-3A82F15825D9.jpeg -
89558D1E-9E6A-434B-9B6A-8BCFA48505AF.jpeg
Last edited:
Happy
to have you join the family. Enjoy your time here at BYC! 
