New eggs in the loft!

[biophiliac]

I'd be sure to feed the parents some extra rich food, ie added safflower.... or, I forget if you feed pellets? Keep food in front of them all the time when they are feeding chicks. Cold weather they need a little more.

 

[tacothechicken]

@biophiliac right now? Not much cause it's in our shop, but I can easily move it just outside and run an extension cord for the mini heater or small heat lamp

 

[tacothechicken]

@biophiliac Alrighty and no they're off pellets cause I wanted parents to be getting good nutrients they're on a breeder mix at the moment whith some extra corn, peas, and safflower thrown in to help whith fats for warmth and energy

 

[tacothechicken]

Moms out getting her food and water and some grooming and sunbathing in while dad spends first day whith baby

 

[biophiliac]

@biophiliac right now? Not much cause it's in our shop, but I can easily move it just outside and run an extension cord for the mini heater or small heat lamp

I believe that's what I would do except I'd hold off on the added heat unless necessary. Try to position the hutch with the prevailing wind in mind and be prepared with a tarp if you need to block the wind if it blows in. They do need a light period of course to eat and drink, and good health in general. Once the babies get a little bigger you will see they generate quite a bit of heat on their own, especially when you have two to warm each other. Then the feathers come in and parents start leaving them during the day but still brood at night. What I'm trying to say is you may not need extra heat - or it would be easy to drag the hutch back inside if there was severe weather.

@biophiliac Alrighty and no they're off pellets cause I wanted parents to be getting good nutrients they're on a breeder mix at the moment whith some extra corn, peas, and safflower thrown in to help whith fats for warmth and energy

That sounds perfect!

Moms out getting her food and water and some grooming and sunbathing in while dad spends first day whith baby
View attachment 1664439 View attachment 1664440

They are gorgeous! Can't wait to see how the babies turn out. Do you have 2 yet?

 

[tacothechicken]

@ biophiliac Still at one as far as I'm aware but they've been super thorough about not leaving the nest empty so there could totally be a second chick by now that I'm unaware of (they won't let me feel under them much less look) the first baby was the less protected egg so I'd be surprised if the second doesn't make it. And in case of hutch, I may just put clear plastic over the opening on front to block wind and put hutch in place of most sun holding off on supplement heat. Theres no way it'll warm up enough to risk over heating the inside.

 

[biophiliac]

@ biophiliac Still at one as far as I'm aware but they've been super thorough about not leaving the nest empty so there could totally be a second chick by now that I'm unaware of (they won't let me feel under them much less look) the first baby was the less protected egg so I'd be surprised if the second doesn't make it. And in case of hutch, I may just put clear plastic over the opening on front to block wind and put hutch in place of most sun holding off on supplement heat. Theres no way it'll warm up enough to risk over heating the inside.

Sounds to me like you know what you're doing! Clear plastic is great for blocking wind and creating a mini greenhouse.

 

[tacothechicken]

Secound baby is about halfway hatched! Should have 2 healthy small things by morning!