EetMorCow
Chirping
- Jan 15, 2014
- 8
- 1
- 62
I wanted to start this thread to discuss my experiences with my new chicks. It has been interesting. Sorry for the novel that follows. I welcome thoughts on the chicken psyche and things that have worked to change the behavior of hens.
We knew that the breeds that we wanted were coming in last Friday and luckily one of our hens, Fancy, went broody two weeks before. As the day got closer, I feared that she would snap out of it and join the rest of the flock. She had been sitting on four golf balls for the past few weeks. The day came to pick up the chicks (Good Friday) and it was a zoo. Seems like everyone wanted that Easter chick. We went for four chicks (Buff Orpington, Black Astralorp, Ameraucana and a Barred Rock) but left with five (added a Cochin). I was pretty sure that Fancy wouldn’t be concerned that four ‘eggs’ turned into five chicks.
That day, I blocked off the nest box so the chicks wouldn’t fall or get pushed out. That night, we slowly replaced golf balls with chicks with no problems. In the morning, all was well. We transferred them into a pet carrier and took them out of the run. Sunday evening, we noticed that the Ameraucana was dead, probably stood on by the hen. Nothing appeared to be wrong with it.
Monday, I picked up one of the remaining Ameraucana at the feed store knowing that it was the same age as the others and put her under Fancy. I just knew that Fancy couldn’t count and it shouldn’t have made a difference. Everything seemed somewhat fine. There were a few little pecks on the head given to the new chick but I didn’t think much of it although it was obvious that this one was treated a little different than the others. It spent a lot of time under Fancy and tried to hide in plain sight when out with the others.
Tuesday afternoon my wife had to save the new chick because Fancy was after it. No damage done but not a good situation. We decided that instead of raising the one by itself, that we would take all of the chicks and raise them separately, as their own flock, away from Fancy. Fancy was put back with the adult flock and went straight to the next box.
That evening, the chicks were very loud and wanted ‘mama’. My wife decided to try it again and we put the chicks back in the carrier and got Fancy. She heard the chicks in the carrier and practically charged out of my hands into the carrier. She turned herself into an umbrella and covered the chicks, all of them, even the new chick.
They were separated for about eight hours and it’s like Fancy’s memories were reset. So far things have been fine. When I look in the carrier, all of the chicks are out. The new one is still a little timid but Fancy does not pay it any more attention than the others. I think the new one may still be a little shell shocked and time should make her more interactive.
Here is the family enjoying the grass.
We knew that the breeds that we wanted were coming in last Friday and luckily one of our hens, Fancy, went broody two weeks before. As the day got closer, I feared that she would snap out of it and join the rest of the flock. She had been sitting on four golf balls for the past few weeks. The day came to pick up the chicks (Good Friday) and it was a zoo. Seems like everyone wanted that Easter chick. We went for four chicks (Buff Orpington, Black Astralorp, Ameraucana and a Barred Rock) but left with five (added a Cochin). I was pretty sure that Fancy wouldn’t be concerned that four ‘eggs’ turned into five chicks.
That day, I blocked off the nest box so the chicks wouldn’t fall or get pushed out. That night, we slowly replaced golf balls with chicks with no problems. In the morning, all was well. We transferred them into a pet carrier and took them out of the run. Sunday evening, we noticed that the Ameraucana was dead, probably stood on by the hen. Nothing appeared to be wrong with it.
Monday, I picked up one of the remaining Ameraucana at the feed store knowing that it was the same age as the others and put her under Fancy. I just knew that Fancy couldn’t count and it shouldn’t have made a difference. Everything seemed somewhat fine. There were a few little pecks on the head given to the new chick but I didn’t think much of it although it was obvious that this one was treated a little different than the others. It spent a lot of time under Fancy and tried to hide in plain sight when out with the others.
Tuesday afternoon my wife had to save the new chick because Fancy was after it. No damage done but not a good situation. We decided that instead of raising the one by itself, that we would take all of the chicks and raise them separately, as their own flock, away from Fancy. Fancy was put back with the adult flock and went straight to the next box.
That evening, the chicks were very loud and wanted ‘mama’. My wife decided to try it again and we put the chicks back in the carrier and got Fancy. She heard the chicks in the carrier and practically charged out of my hands into the carrier. She turned herself into an umbrella and covered the chicks, all of them, even the new chick.
They were separated for about eight hours and it’s like Fancy’s memories were reset. So far things have been fine. When I look in the carrier, all of the chicks are out. The new one is still a little timid but Fancy does not pay it any more attention than the others. I think the new one may still be a little shell shocked and time should make her more interactive.
Here is the family enjoying the grass.
