I was trying to slowly relocate some young chicks (2 weeks) from my dining room to the coop. It's a long story but it got colder than expected about the time the chicks were delivered, and I do not have a garage. They are starting to fly to the top of the waterer which means in a few days they will be able to get out and be all over the house plus with 23 they are extremely long and the Mrs. is complaining they stink. I can not put a light on them in the coop because of the distance from the house.
I have a broody silkie, who after three days in the nest, I decided to give a couple of eggs just to see what she could do. Yesterday afternoon, I move two of the chicks to the coop, just to see if they would adapt without being in a transition cage. I like to let the chickens do a lot of natural chicken things and not necassarily try to be a parent raise them like they were my kids. I stayed with them about 30 minutes and all seemed well.
Before bed I went to check on them, my broody hen had one under her wing. THis morning I went again to check on them and the hen had left the eggs and was taking care of both chicks one under each wing. I do not know if this is a good way to break a broody hen, but it appears it did. The rest of the chicks will move there soon.
I have a broody silkie, who after three days in the nest, I decided to give a couple of eggs just to see what she could do. Yesterday afternoon, I move two of the chicks to the coop, just to see if they would adapt without being in a transition cage. I like to let the chickens do a lot of natural chicken things and not necassarily try to be a parent raise them like they were my kids. I stayed with them about 30 minutes and all seemed well.
Before bed I went to check on them, my broody hen had one under her wing. THis morning I went again to check on them and the hen had left the eggs and was taking care of both chicks one under each wing. I do not know if this is a good way to break a broody hen, but it appears it did. The rest of the chicks will move there soon.
