New chicks!

[arrowti]

Our broody's chicks hatched. I could hear peeping yesterday and this morning a pair of little fluff-balls were poking their heads out. The pictures are bad because I can't get close without the mother puffing up and clucking and calling them back under her.

There are two chicks, one 'chipmunk' colored, and the other a pretty off-white with tan.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HizzxOAvs1z2WXTiFI2V2TDs_DjI3C98/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14KzUXPwPmAHFbCr2fstsWSMGeD9GVqnj/view?usp=sharing

The mother is actually very good, based on being the first broody we've had. She's extremely protective but she has shown them how to eat and drink today. The remaining eggs are duds.

Main worry is the mother has poop and a dead egg stuck to her butt/belly, and she's far too aggressive to let me try to clean it off. Will this be something she takes care of?

Also, just wanted to share those pictures of the chicks. I'll try to get a picture of the father. He's a mixed breed, so no idea what he is. Mother is pure RLR.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Our broody's chicks hatched. I could hear peeping yesterday and this morning a pair of little fluff-balls were poking their heads out. The pictures are bad because I can't get close without the mother puffing up and clucking and calling them back under her.

There are two chicks, one 'chipmunk' colored, and the other a pretty off-white with tan.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HizzxOAvs1z2WXTiFI2V2TDs_DjI3C98/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14KzUXPwPmAHFbCr2fstsWSMGeD9GVqnj/view?usp=sharing

The mother is actually very good, based on being the first broody we've had. She's extremely protective but she has shown them how to eat and drink today. The remaining eggs are duds.

Main worry is the mother has poop and a dead egg stuck to her butt/belly, and she's far too aggressive to let me try to clean it off. Will this be something she takes care of?

Also, just wanted to share those pictures of the chicks. I'll try to get a picture of the father. He's a mixed breed, so no idea what he is. Mother is pure RLR.

Congrats on the new chicks! Enjoy. Is there a chance you can post a couple of pictures here? I don't click outside links and I'm sure there are others whom don't either.. Thx & best regards and good fortune..

 

[arrowti]

I'll try but I'm having trouble downloading the images so I can upload them here!

 

[arrowti]

Still trying to get those pictures... mama hen is EXTREMELY protective, however, and is making it difficult. Whenever she sees or even hears me coming she starts clucking and puffing and the chicks all run under her.

She hasn't even brought the chicks outside yet despite the nice weather. She'll bring them outside the nest for a bit and then go back in. I'm hoping to see them out on the lawn sometime when I get home, but so far, they've not ventured far!

 

[arrowti]

Well, she finally brought them outside today! It's going to be in the 80s for quite a bit so maybe they'll be out more.

This is the best picture I was able to get (from a distance).

You can see the chipmunk chick a little bit and the fluffy butt of the cream/brown one!

Also, as promised, the father:

He doesn't like me.

Anyway, she has GREAT instincts, but not the smarts to back it up. There was a downpour coming and while she was trying to get back to the nest she couldn't figure out how to get back in (or even find the entrance that she literally walked out of earlier). I tried to 'shoo' them in the right direction and she full on attacked me so I let her be and she's hiding out with the chicks under a bench with some old tarp hanging over it. The chicks are currently laying on top of her, probably because the ground was a little soggy.

She wants to get into the fence to get into with the flock. I'm rather worried about the flock killing the chicks, however, so I'm not sure whether to put the fence down for her...