Hi all,
I haven't been around here in quite some time. I have 3 Rhode Island reds and a Peking bantam hen and a bantam rooster. The bantam hen starting laying about 6 weeks ago which was fine,, she started to lay under a bush about 2.5 weeks ago and acumakated about 15 eggs then she went in to sit on them 2 nights ago. I took her into a nice cosy box with fine straw in it that night and moved her eggs over. The box is in the run and she has stayed in it the last 2 nights no probs. she's very close to the rooster as I purchased them together , they are always hanging out. Yesterday I gave them the option of co habiting in the box, ( it's a nice size ) by leaving them in the run together til dusk. She went in but he insisted on getting into the hen house after she had gone in,, he kicked up a stink. So this eve as I watched they both proceeded to head into the hen house and began to roost,, they always go in before the reds. I took her out & put her back in the run and she went on into the box. I'm not sure if she just wanted to spend a night on the roost with her companion & should I have left her alone. I don't want to interfere with nature but I'm not sure should I give her an odd nudge if I think she is straying from her eggs?
She is sitting on about 10, she seems to have pushed the rest aside.
I also wonder should I let her free range with the rest of them as usual or confine her to the run,, again interfering.
Any thoughts?
I haven't been around here in quite some time. I have 3 Rhode Island reds and a Peking bantam hen and a bantam rooster. The bantam hen starting laying about 6 weeks ago which was fine,, she started to lay under a bush about 2.5 weeks ago and acumakated about 15 eggs then she went in to sit on them 2 nights ago. I took her into a nice cosy box with fine straw in it that night and moved her eggs over. The box is in the run and she has stayed in it the last 2 nights no probs. she's very close to the rooster as I purchased them together , they are always hanging out. Yesterday I gave them the option of co habiting in the box, ( it's a nice size ) by leaving them in the run together til dusk. She went in but he insisted on getting into the hen house after she had gone in,, he kicked up a stink. So this eve as I watched they both proceeded to head into the hen house and began to roost,, they always go in before the reds. I took her out & put her back in the run and she went on into the box. I'm not sure if she just wanted to spend a night on the roost with her companion & should I have left her alone. I don't want to interfere with nature but I'm not sure should I give her an odd nudge if I think she is straying from her eggs?
She is sitting on about 10, she seems to have pushed the rest aside.
I also wonder should I let her free range with the rest of them as usual or confine her to the run,, again interfering.
Any thoughts?
