New poults

[dutchhollow]

My blue slate broody hen hatched her chicks yesterday, or the day before, but came out with them yesterday. I counted 13, all blue and black(last time she had some white) the father is a royal palm. It has been wet and cold here, 40's in the am, supposed to rain tomorrow again, I took seven from here and left her with the rest. I am nervous for them, but she is doing a really good job, but I am scared they will get too cold. I haven't seen her yet this morning, so fingers crossed they made it through the night.

 

[poultryfan73]

Quote:
Oh my gosh my blue slate hen looks just like that and her clutch is due monday!! Shes sitting on 5 eggs so there wont be as many.... i will post pics when she takes her clutch off the nest.

 

[dutchhollow]

She laid and hatched them in an old dog house by the house, I was happy as she was basically 10 feet outside my backdoor. she had them in the short yard grass yesterday am, but had moved them to the barn in the taller grass in the afternoon. She lost some in October due to cold temps and wet, that is why I got worried about them and took seven, I have a few week old ducks and a chick I put them in the brooder with, they showed them the food and water, and they seem to be doing well.

 

[OmaBird]

I love seeing mama with babies. We have so many peditors here it is not a great idea to have the hens sit on eggs or raise the young. Last year I made the mistake of feeling a hen was safe because she was 10 feet from my bedroom. She was there a long time before I even knew she was there. I figured if I could not see here she was safe. A coyote killed her one early dawn morning just days before her poults where due to hatch. She was one of my best hens. I heard the whole thing but could do nothing to stop it. My dogs chased the coyote away but it was to late. I did hatch the eggs that did not get broken but I feel so stupid for thinking she was safe. I guess that is where the saying sitting duck comes from. I have lost to many hens years ago too that tried to protect there babies. They do not have a chance here even with my high fenced yard. Right now because I have no room in my incubators, I do have one hen sitting on eggs. I found her nest and built a 4x4 box to fit over her nest. I hope that keeps here safe and protected from the weather. She started sitting on May 5th so it is still a long ways off before they hatch.

 

[longranger]

I have hatched many poults but have eggs under a hen for the first time and about due now. She is sitting in a coop by herself attached to a chain link run. Will the babies stay with mom or go outside the chain link? Trying to figure if I have to wrap with chicken wire for their protection.

 

[Struttn1]

I would pen her and the poults if possible. She will be no match if a predator comes calling.

 

[longranger]

She is securely penned but the babies may be able to just walk though the chain link that contains momma.

 

[Struttn1]

You can go buy enough 24 inch poultry netting to run around the pen at the bottom to keep the poults in. Lowe's or a farm supply store should be able to fix u right up

 

[OmaBird]

I use the hardware cloth (little small squares) or 3 feet high in wood to keep poults in and things out.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Thanks for sharing the pics...I have NEVER seen a mother turkey with babies before walking around except in the wild...and then she made a noise and they all ran and hid and she flew up in a tree.