Arizona Bob
In the Brooder
- Jul 31, 2017
- 7
- 25
- 23
In late April, Dora II, our Golden Wyandotte, went broody. After dealing with her mood for a week, my wife, who was never able to have children herself, said, "It's not fair to do this to Dora, I know how she feels." So we found a local farmer on Craigslist and drove 45 minutes to get a fertilized egg.
Dora seemed satisfied with the egg, and we left on vacation, leaving her in the hands of 3 sets of house/chicken sitters. We returned to Tucson May 17, and 2 days later, I found a tiny black chick under Dora! I panicked and drove to the local feed store to ask, "What now?" I was well-aware off all the needs of a baby chick - temperature, food, water, protection from the flock, predators, falling out of the coop, etc. But the old man assured me that that was "All nonsense and only happens when you take a pullet away from the hen. Don't touch the chick for 72 hours. You just let the hen do her thing. On day 3, take them out into a separated part of the run and keep an eye on them." I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be keeping an eye on exactly but I did as he said. Well, I sort of interfered during the 72 hours by feeding Dora by hand and making sure she had water next to her. On day 3, I sent the RI Red aunties outside, and I picked up Lucy and put her down in a back corner of the run. Dora ran straight to her. They had adult food, baby food, and shallow dishes of water to prevent Lucy from drowning. Lucy spent most of the day under her mom. She peeped alot. At one point, Lucy squeezed through the chicken wire and got out of the run! Maybe the old man had this in mind! LOL Thank God I was there when it happened. So we put up cardboard to keep her in until our handyman arrived with small-holed chicken wire that he attached around the bottom 2 feet all the way around the run, which is 9'wide and 12' long.
The care Dora gave was unreal. She helped feed the baby, cleaned her butt, sat on her for warmth, let Lucy sit on her back, nudged her up the coop ramp, taught her how to come up & down the ramp and jump into the nesting box, etc. They chased flying insects, dug for bugs, and always ate from the same feeder, which I had no choice but to mix baby food with adult. I also continued to crush up egg shells and mix that with small scratch. The pullet grew like crazy! Pic 3 is mom and baby at 1 month. Lucy is now almost 11 weeks old, and she hangs out with the big girls. She is the fastest when it comes to chasing flying bugs. We are still not sure if she is an Australorp or Jersey Giant. Time will tell. Getting Dora a fertilized egg was the best thing to do for ALL of us!
Dora seemed satisfied with the egg, and we left on vacation, leaving her in the hands of 3 sets of house/chicken sitters. We returned to Tucson May 17, and 2 days later, I found a tiny black chick under Dora! I panicked and drove to the local feed store to ask, "What now?" I was well-aware off all the needs of a baby chick - temperature, food, water, protection from the flock, predators, falling out of the coop, etc. But the old man assured me that that was "All nonsense and only happens when you take a pullet away from the hen. Don't touch the chick for 72 hours. You just let the hen do her thing. On day 3, take them out into a separated part of the run and keep an eye on them." I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be keeping an eye on exactly but I did as he said. Well, I sort of interfered during the 72 hours by feeding Dora by hand and making sure she had water next to her. On day 3, I sent the RI Red aunties outside, and I picked up Lucy and put her down in a back corner of the run. Dora ran straight to her. They had adult food, baby food, and shallow dishes of water to prevent Lucy from drowning. Lucy spent most of the day under her mom. She peeped alot. At one point, Lucy squeezed through the chicken wire and got out of the run! Maybe the old man had this in mind! LOL Thank God I was there when it happened. So we put up cardboard to keep her in until our handyman arrived with small-holed chicken wire that he attached around the bottom 2 feet all the way around the run, which is 9'wide and 12' long.
The care Dora gave was unreal. She helped feed the baby, cleaned her butt, sat on her for warmth, let Lucy sit on her back, nudged her up the coop ramp, taught her how to come up & down the ramp and jump into the nesting box, etc. They chased flying insects, dug for bugs, and always ate from the same feeder, which I had no choice but to mix baby food with adult. I also continued to crush up egg shells and mix that with small scratch. The pullet grew like crazy! Pic 3 is mom and baby at 1 month. Lucy is now almost 11 weeks old, and she hangs out with the big girls. She is the fastest when it comes to chasing flying bugs. We are still not sure if she is an Australorp or Jersey Giant. Time will tell. Getting Dora a fertilized egg was the best thing to do for ALL of us!
