I got chicks. Drove down to Shoopoultry and picked the spring order. Dropped off 63 chicks on the way home and made it home with 9 little fluffies. I have 6 Red Comets and 3 EEs. I plan for these to be my fall/winter layers when everyone else is molting or on a break.
They had to stay in the box I brought them in for almost an hour after I got home. The broody hen, well pullet, I had planned to try out is just out of my reach in the bottom of a small unused coop/broody house. Mom can reach her, so I waited for her to get home. The hen is "Rescue". We rescued her from a really bad situation several months ago. She has been a great layer for us after she gained weight and grew up. A few weeks ago she went broody. I had planned to give them to 'Daisy Mama', but she broke this past weekend. I guess she got tired of waiting.
When mom got home we gave 'Rescue' a test of 2 chicks and waited. She slowly stopped growling and clucked. A little wait and another soft cluck. Test 1 passed. Test 2, placed another chick under her and 1 in front of her. She stared as that chick shoved under her and poked it's head out. It stayed there all warm and started to fall asleep. 'Rescue' was doing gentle soft clucking. Test 2: PASS. Test 3 is to add 2 more. This time one of the chicks came out from under her and started chirping. 'Rescue' raised up gently and started clucking a bit louder. The chick ran to her and disappeared into her feathers. 'Rescue' shuffled a little and lowered her self down. That was it. Gave her the last 3. She is now a mother.
I put a feeder and waterer in the box and left her alone. Checked later and the food/water was disturbed. She was making very insistent clucking sounds when a couple chicks came running to my hand. So far, I think she is going to be a great mother. Luckily the small coop she is nested in is also in the 6'x10' PVC pen, so she is completely isolated and I didn't have to move her. She is good to go. Also that box/house can be flipped up to make it a good coop for started babies. I won't have to move them till they are ready to move to the Layer's house.
Matt
They had to stay in the box I brought them in for almost an hour after I got home. The broody hen, well pullet, I had planned to try out is just out of my reach in the bottom of a small unused coop/broody house. Mom can reach her, so I waited for her to get home. The hen is "Rescue". We rescued her from a really bad situation several months ago. She has been a great layer for us after she gained weight and grew up. A few weeks ago she went broody. I had planned to give them to 'Daisy Mama', but she broke this past weekend. I guess she got tired of waiting.
When mom got home we gave 'Rescue' a test of 2 chicks and waited. She slowly stopped growling and clucked. A little wait and another soft cluck. Test 1 passed. Test 2, placed another chick under her and 1 in front of her. She stared as that chick shoved under her and poked it's head out. It stayed there all warm and started to fall asleep. 'Rescue' was doing gentle soft clucking. Test 2: PASS. Test 3 is to add 2 more. This time one of the chicks came out from under her and started chirping. 'Rescue' raised up gently and started clucking a bit louder. The chick ran to her and disappeared into her feathers. 'Rescue' shuffled a little and lowered her self down. That was it. Gave her the last 3. She is now a mother.
I put a feeder and waterer in the box and left her alone. Checked later and the food/water was disturbed. She was making very insistent clucking sounds when a couple chicks came running to my hand. So far, I think she is going to be a great mother. Luckily the small coop she is nested in is also in the 6'x10' PVC pen, so she is completely isolated and I didn't have to move her. She is good to go. Also that box/house can be flipped up to make it a good coop for started babies. I won't have to move them till they are ready to move to the Layer's house.
Matt
