Official Squatch Watchers

[Molpet]

Very sad to hear Getaclue passed away. I hope everyone else is doing well.

I had not heard. Thanks for letting us know
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/getaclue-has-passed-away.1639889/

 

[Redhead Rae]

Very sad to hear Getaclue passed away. I hope everyone else is doing well.

She will be missed.

 

[Grammy60]

I had not heard. Thanks for letting us know
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/getaclue-has-passed-away.1639889/

This is so sad I'm sorry to hear this

 

[Redhead Rae]

My birthday present came today! Got it put together but no pics. I’ll get those tomorrow.

 

[Molpet]

My birthday present came today! Got it put together but no pics. I’ll get those tomorrow.
View attachment 3963306

Oooo

 

[Redhead Rae]

I had a surprise this morning. We were coming back from chores and I heard a periodic “bock-bock” noise coming from under our shed. One of our Cornish hens had made a nest under the shed and went to brooding. The reason I heard her is because she was talking to her chick. One chick. When I tried taking a look, mama ran off abandoning the chick and eggs. I quickly got the incubator set it up for the baby and candled the 5 remaining eggs. All of them were bad. Dang, no hope for a buddy. Okay, let’s try to catch mama and give baby back. Caught her, put her in our stationary grow out coop. Tried to give baby back, she walked over to the poor little thing “bock-bocking” away…. And steps on the baby. So baby went back in the incubator. I have now ordered 15 CornishX meat birds to raise with this baby. They are set to come next week. Not what I was looking forward to doing this time of year.

 

[Molpet]

I had a surprise this morning. We were coming back from chores and I heard a periodic “bock-bock” noise coming from under our shed. One of our Cornish hens had made a nest under the shed and went to brooding. The reason I heard her is because she was talking to her chick. One chick. When I tried taking a look, mama ran off abandoning the chick and eggs. I quickly got the incubator set it up for the baby and candled the 5 remaining eggs. All of them were bad. Dang, no hope for a buddy. Okay, let’s try to catch mama and give baby back. Caught her, put her in our stationary grow out coop. Tried to give baby back, she walked over to the poor little thing “bock-bocking” away…. And steps on the baby. So baby went back in the incubator. I have now ordered 15 CornishX meat birds to raise with this baby. They are set to come next week. Not what I was looking forward to doing this time of year.

Bad Mama
She might take it tomorrow. I would try again.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Bad Mama
She might take it tomorrow. I would try again.

In my experience, heritage Cornish aren’t great moms. They can sit well but their close feathers make it hard to keep babies warm. Particularly this time of year. They also aren’t good at not stepping on babies.

 

[Molpet]

In my experience, heritage Cornish aren’t great moms. They can sit well but their close feathers make it hard to keep babies warm. Particularly this time of year. They also aren’t good at not stepping on babies.

Probably can't see them

 

[Redhead Rae]

Probably can't see them

The best mama hens I’ve had were buff Orps, Cochins or mixes of those. Nice and fluffy for keeping the babies warm and very nurturing. I did have one leghorn that raised 5 chicks and mothered them all until they were bigger than her. She never went broody a second time though.