Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Johnn]

do smokey and Topsy get along? like before they had chicks were they friends tat would free range together?

 

[bobbieschicks]

do smokey and Topsy get along?  like before they had chicks were they friends tat would free range together?

No, not friends. Smokey is the third from the top in pecking order and Topsy is at number 7 or possibly 8 now since she's been broody so much. Smokey never really bothered with Topsy until I think the first time Smokey went broody. Either Topsy tried to move up in rank or steal the babies or Smokey just decided she didn't like her. But every since then Smokey has hated Topsy. That's why I have that black landscape fabric stapled up to keep them happy while they were sitting on their eggs.

 

[Johnn]

awww poor Topsy!, when i get my new hen with chicks it would be hard getting through the pecking order anyways but now the orp is there that hen will be beat to death!!, the orp might like her for having chicks so they could mebys make friends. when i get the hen im going to see the size of it then one day when i feed the hens i will take her our and put her away from them in a feild with her chicks then i will put hens smaller than her with her one by one, so she can get up in the pecking order :/ the good thing is if she gets reallly bullied there is a huge feild so she can easily take her chicks away from everyone, and there is a seperate shed form the others she can go in

 

[ll]

I

the first photo with the chicks peeking out!!!!

Topsy on the roost again tonight - but in a less dangerous part. Wonder why the white chick has blue eyes.


Smokey still on the ground.

 

[bobbieschicks]

awww poor Topsy!, when i get my new hen with chicks it would be hard getting through the pecking order anyways but now the orp is there that hen will be beat to death!!, the orp might like her for having chicks so they could mebys make friends. when i get the hen im going to see the size of it then one day when i feed the hens i will take her our and put her away from them in a feild with her chicks then i will put hens smaller than her with her one by one, so she can get up in the pecking order :/ the good thing is if she gets reallly bullied there is a huge feild so she can easily take her chicks away from everyone, and there is a seperate shed form the others she can go in

Topsy does a great job of protecting herself - she ducks her head and hides often. She will flap her wings and sqwak if anyone gets too close and looks like they might attack her. And she does a great job of protecting her babies and teaching them how to avoid getting pecked.

She hangs with the rest of the girls when not broody and only Smokey seems to have a beef with her.

 

[Johnn]

Topsy does a great job of protecting herself - she ducks her head and hides often. She will flap her wings and sqwak if anyone gets too close and looks like they might attack her. And she does a great job of protecting her babies and teaching them how to avoid getting pecked.

She hangs with the rest of the girls when not broody and only Smokey seems to have a beef with her.

how many hens do you have?

 

[bobbieschicks]

how many hens do you have?

I have 8 layers, 2 young silkies who may or may not be cockerels and the 4 babies.

So 14 total. Once I know the silky's sex I'll just keep the pullets.

The babies turn 3 weeks this Thursday. Once I'm sure of their sex I'll possibly keep one cockerel and the pullets.

 

[Johnn]

I have 8 layers, 2 young silkies who may or may not be cockerels and the 4 babies.
So 14 total. Once I know the silky's sex I'll just keep the pullets.
The babies turn 3 weeks this Thursday. Once I'm sure of their sex I'll possibly keep one cockerel and the pullets.

oh i thaught you were one of those people that had like 30! haha

 

[bobbieschicks]

oh i thaught you were one of those people that had like 30! haha

I'd gladly have that many and more if I could. My coop was built for 14 so I am trying my best to keep the numbers around that many. I've had 31 chickens since we started hatching them last July. Four of those died at various points. The remaining 13 were rehomed because they were roosters.

 

[Johnn]

you should build another coop