So I had said I had a crazy week last week but didn't elaborate. This week is a little less but Chicken Armageddon continues.
I had a broody who happily took babies.
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Then 3 more thought babies would be a good idea. They always want to brood in the most popular nest box. And if I even think of moving them they freak out and pace and refuse to sit. But don't break of course.
So I have 1 hen in 1 box and the other 2 girls decide to brood together. I have eggs in the incubator so with about a week to go let them have eggs. The nest hoping starts... 1 girl by herself and the other 2 always together.
The 2 girls hatch 1 baby and only 1 mom accepts it. The single hen hatches 2 babies. So I get a few more babies for them to share.
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Oddly enough they are a mother daughter team. Neither of who has raised chicks before.
The 3rd girl of the group wouldn't give up but wouldn't take babies. So I let her sit a bit longer and slipped eggs under her again. Then 2 more girls joined the broody gang!
Things really got out of control. They were breaking eggs and eating the babies. Or just letting them die. I had a freak accidental death. Had a chick hatch with its leg through a loop in its umbilical. No way to get the leg out without pulling intestines out. So it had to be culled. Once babies were hatched 2 of the 3 girls wouldn't take them. But I have 1 more happy girl with babies.
Had a grow out attacked. She survived but looks pretty rough. Someone grabbed her by the neck and ripped her skin pretty good. Her neck is bruised so I hand fed her slurry for a few days.
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Now I'm dealing with a cocci outbreak. And 2 girls still insisting they want babies.
It is dark, will be checking first thing to see how they are in the morning. This way I can raise more of these chicks! She is all alone in the feed room in a dog crate with the chicks. I will take the camera over in the morning when I go & check on them.
You should enter the calendar contest.
