msmolly,
All brooders are on the ground here our weather is very warm most of the year
Got to have a real big brooder when ya hatch this many at a time so I use ground pens made of chain link panels encased in hardware cloth and I have never lost a baby to any kind of predator, coopers hawks have tried but gave up.. snakes get killed by the dogs if they are detected near the brooder
Oh well I wish mine did it that early mine it took a few weeks but I guess that is what happens when you keep them in a cage for a week after hatching. I have cats and I don't trust my cats when I have chicks.
Cats can be "trained" by protective hens to leave chicks alone, lol. The cat in this picture is named Evil because before he was "trained", he killed several chicks, but after a few floggings, he leaves them alone. Of course I still don't trust him, but there isn't much I can do when they curl up with him.
OMG Kathy, that's a riot. That picture is priceless. I have never actualy seen that close of contact between cat and chick before. My dogs and cats, can act the picture of innocence around my birds, but if I let my gaurd down for too long and start taking their good behavior for granted- they will remind me that they are STILL animals...and I lose a chicken. Generally its if I've been away from home too long. You've got a good thing goin there !
Cats can be "trained" by protective hens to leave chicks alone, lol. The cat in this picture is named Evil because before he was "trained", he killed several chicks, but after a few floggings, he leaves them alone. Of course I still don't trust him, but there isn't much I can do when they curl up with him.
My cats do the same thing but let a guinea keet be found in the fields by them and all of a sudden they musta been preditors. LOL
Love the photo Kat , it is priceless!
Okay, I have sexing questions about my chicks, now that I've got some clearer picture. From all your answers to mine and others questions- I think I might be fiquring this out, but would love answers from you more experienced PFers (Peafowlers?). I've got the chicks #1-4 and if the tags don't show up when I down load, I'm going from Left to Right.
Besides the sexing, I'm concerned about # 2 IB, its not looking entirely well. A little puffier feathers, and drops it wings a little. Eating fine, and keeping up with the others...but just seems a bit off. See what you think, and would love some advice. #2 IB, sick? boy or girl? of the IBs back Lt # 2, Rt #1 (#1 's bars are a little sharper- and looks a little redder...??? male ?) Pied #4 (male?) Pied #3 (female?vague bars- but there's the rust feather at bottom of wings???) IB #2 not sure but think middle IB is #2 and Rt #1 Pied #4 and IB #1 (both males???)
We will see, I have a batch marked with blue for males and hot pink bands for girls they are all less than a month but look male and female .
I was right on with my first ones I purchased but I did not hatch them, they were under a month when I got them, now that I have hatched my own and know how old they are I can see a visible difference just like when they were older
My cats are wild ones we only keep them to keep the mouse population down but I know that they won't mess with my Indian Runner ducks, they own the yard only I can step foot in my yard not getting chased by the drake and hen.
#2 IB: Female, by the looks of it she looks healthy probably just getting a little to hot that is usually the reason when wings drop is to cool down or just barrely flapping the wings without completely leaving their body. Usually you can see if they are sick looking in their eyes they will keep trying to shut them and they wlll look like if they're in pain
IB Back Lt # 2: Female
IB Rt # 1: Male
Pied #4: Male
Pied #3: Female
IB #2: Female
Middle IB #2: Female
IB Rt #1: Male
IB #1: Male
Pied #4: Male
I don't know if some of those pics had the same peachick so I did all of them. Rt means right and Lt means left correct? Cause I don't want to be giving wrong info.
