Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[heatherkh]

Quote:
Picture?? Okay! Happy one month Hatchday to my five little peepers, they've grown so much in just one month!

Here they are with momma the day they hatched:

And here they are all integrated with the main flock just yesterday:

The one in the foreground there is our late bloomer that just had the crop issues. He/she is full of beans now, and likes to hop on my arm to preen:

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Picture?? Okay! Happy one month Hatchday to my five little peepers, they've grown so much in just one month!

Here they are with momma the day they hatched:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6155/6231474148_90095f8681.jpg

And here they are all integrated with the main flock just yesterday:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6230970165_d95933f593.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6032/6231490766_4032a9268e.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6230965419_c0ba1f3dd6.jpg

The one in the foreground there is our late bloomer that just had the crop issues. He/she is full of beans now, and likes to hop on my arm to preen:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/6231477342_1e0a9275aa.jpg

Thanks for the pictures heatherkh, they were adorable as chicks and cute as bugs as teenagers. and the one on your arm thinks its a parrot? very cute.

 

[heatherkh]

You might be right about that parrot thing, after the picture was snapped in jumped to my shoulder and started pecking at my hair. It cracks me up when I catch them all roosting together like the grown ups. Little tiny things. So far, so good with the integration. Weezy is an excellent momma!

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Thats great. when mine start roosting with mama it's so funny to go out and see them under her wings on the roost.

Sounds like you have a pretty tame chick there.

 

[heatherkh]

when mine start roosting with mama it's so funny to go out and see them under her wings on the roost.

Adorable!!

That one seems to be very tame. They're all pretty friendly as they've figured out that I bring treats, but this one in particular seems to be cool with the physical closeness. I did recently handle it quite while I was nursing it back to health. But the spotted one has all but forgotten that I saved it and it's bloody toe from the rest of the chicks!!

I went out to the coop this morning and one perched on the roost, two were under momma's ample breast and two more were hunkered down next to her, and one of the other hens, Mrs. Badcrumble (some kind of white Americana/Leghorn barnyard mutt) was just staring at her, like, "Where'dya get those? I want some." She has some broody tendencies, I think because she's pretty low on the pecking order, but she is flighty as heck so it never really sticks.​

 

[Miss Lydia]

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Adorable!!

That one seems to be very tame. They're all pretty friendly as they've figured out that I bring treats, but this one in particular seems to be cool with the physical closeness. I did recently handle it quite while I was nursing it back to health. But the spotted one has all but forgotten that I saved it and it's bloody toe from the rest of the chicks!!

I went out to the coop this morning and one perched on the roost, two were under momma's ample breast and two more were hunkered down next to her, and one of the other hens, Mrs. Badcrumble (some kind of white Americana/Leghorn barnyard mutt) was just staring at her, like, "Where'dya get those? I want some." She has some broody tendencies, I think because she's pretty low on the pecking order, but she is flighty as heck so it never really sticks.

I have some of those flighty kind, mine are game, crazy things. I am glad yours have intergrated so well, just be aware that when mama gives them the boot, they will probably get picked on, because she won't be there to step in and they will have to fight their way up in the pecking order. I still hear chicks hollering because one of the adults is picking on it when I close the door for the night. It's just part of getting everything worked out, but I don't like it.

[never any injuries or blood though thank goodness ]

 

[heatherkh]

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Steeling myself for that! The good thing is the little ones are very fast and are learning that if one of the other hens looks at them sideways to scoot right out of the way. And we have branches in and about the run that they can hop up on for a quick escape. They've gotten pecked a few times, and they squeal, but so far nothing major. When I give treats, I make sure to distribute them throughout the run so the whole flock can find their own bit of treat to concentrate on and there isn't too much competition for the goodies.

It ain't easy being wee.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Steeling myself for that! The good thing is the little ones are very fast and are learning that if one of the other hens looks at them sideways to scoot right out of the way. And we have branches in and about the run that they can hop up on for a quick escape. They've gotten pecked a few times, and they squeal, but so far nothing major. When I give treats, I make sure to distribute them throughout the run so the whole flock can find their own bit of treat to concentrate on and there isn't too much competition for the goodies.

It ain't easy being wee.

Nope it ain't.

 

[Niss]

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I'm sorry to hear that. Have you candled again to see if anyone is viable? Do you have a broody chicken by chance?

No, I haven't candled...she doesn't like me, so I'm tring to keep away as much as possible, and, unfortunatly, no, no broody chickens. If I let the duck out of the cage what are the odds she'll make another hidden nest? I would hope she would either come back to the cage to set or deside she's done till spring, but I don't know ducks all that well.

Heather, thanks for the pics.

Today Fluffy and the kids were hanging out at club hen (under the pines) and 3 of the little ones were perched on a branch about 8" off the ground while mama had her bath...too cute!

 

[heatherkh]

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First of all - Club Hen - hahahaha! Second of all - that sounds sodangcute!