- Thread starter
- #481
Sorry for the long winded post but I’ll try to give updates of all the chicks hatched in this thread. I think I’ll candle the eggs currently cooking later today and make a final decision on whether or not to continue incubating these eggs. I know it’s not impossible for eggs to hatch late but I the chance of anything close to healthy at this point is very low.
My first Broody Gena decided she was done this past Sunday the chicks were 4 weeks old to the day. She went up to the high roost and left the babies outside. They all went to the grow out pin like she showed them to do their whole life. I moved them to the big coop and the slept in a pile on the floor of the coop. I believe 2 are definitely cockerels, 2 that I go back and forth on, and 3 probable pullets.
This nighttime routine continued until last night. I didn’t open the door to the grow out pin because it was occupied by the second broody Lacy. I instead turned on a light inside the main coop hoping the light would lure them into the coop. They all went into the coop at dusk and a few hens chased them back out. They returned and were chased out a couple more times. Finally my rooster Axl made room for them on the high roost next to him. Some of them joined him some slept on the floor but the important part is all made it inside before the automatic door closed for the night
The two incubator babies from the first hatch have been fully living with the rest of the flock for the past 4 days and nights they still think of me as mother hen and run to me wanting picked up when the see me but are gradually mingling with the flock more and more each day. I know they are still young at 4 1/2 weeks old but so far comb development suggests both pullets.
All four of the newest babies made it safely through the night with Lacy and are doing great.
My first Broody Gena decided she was done this past Sunday the chicks were 4 weeks old to the day. She went up to the high roost and left the babies outside. They all went to the grow out pin like she showed them to do their whole life. I moved them to the big coop and the slept in a pile on the floor of the coop. I believe 2 are definitely cockerels, 2 that I go back and forth on, and 3 probable pullets.
This nighttime routine continued until last night. I didn’t open the door to the grow out pin because it was occupied by the second broody Lacy. I instead turned on a light inside the main coop hoping the light would lure them into the coop. They all went into the coop at dusk and a few hens chased them back out. They returned and were chased out a couple more times. Finally my rooster Axl made room for them on the high roost next to him. Some of them joined him some slept on the floor but the important part is all made it inside before the automatic door closed for the night
The two incubator babies from the first hatch have been fully living with the rest of the flock for the past 4 days and nights they still think of me as mother hen and run to me wanting picked up when the see me but are gradually mingling with the flock more and more each day. I know they are still young at 4 1/2 weeks old but so far comb development suggests both pullets.
All four of the newest babies made it safely through the night with Lacy and are doing great.
