Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[Fancychooklady]

Here's George showing off . He loves the kids.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Well project 'we have too many chickens so lets buy another three' is well underway.

We are too crazy for ur own good. We are attempting to short cut Rosie's term by giving her some chicks. We were going to get some Barred Rock eggs, but she did not have any, only day olds, so we took that path.

Also attempting to cheat on the Blue Australorp path and got one of those as a day old too.

I did my best to apply my day old sexing tips to the rocks, but she said "none of those seem to work accurately" She is either correct or has a brooder full of males. I chose the darkest two, with the clearest spots and darkest legs, but none really look like what I was wanting, so we got two BR's in the hope once again we landed a pullet. The Blue was also a punt, just have to wait that one out a bit longer.

Rosie is all set, going for the swap tonight, she will get three, and we will keep the two Tassie Specials.

The three amigo's


A small pipe feeder with chick feed and super poultry mix, plus a bigger bowel with stones in it for Rosie.



The lady herself, to the left of this pic is a chick drinker. Thinking I might throw a bird net over the lot and see how they go. If all is ok we might move the entire box down into the run with the big girls.

 

[Bens-Hens]

So I didn't like so much straw, so I split it, straw for mum and the nest, shavings for walking, food and water.

Just on dusk now, so won't be long before we make the first attempt at adoption.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Don't worry Ben, I gave 6 chicks to a lady on the weekend. They were 10 days old and she posted a pic of momma and chicks doing well. If it's meant to be , it will happen. Maybe you should call your coro's Taz and Huon .

 

[Fancychooklady]

Funny , you are 3 hours behind us and the sun has just set here.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Dusk may have been a bit of an early call, late afternoon lol.

It is now 7:20, and the girls have put themselves to bed pretty much dark now. We are just getting ready for Operation 'Implant'

 

[CB and CG]

Lovely new chicks Ben. Fingers crossed for 3 girls

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks CB, bit worried about those fuzzy dots but it's all a gamble.

Operation 'Implant' seems to have gone well. All three are under her, the fake eggs are gone. SHe gave me a peck but nothing serious. Checked on them 20 minutes later and they are still there. I had to disturb them to hear them (I was worried they were squashed!) Little lift after the 'get your hand out of there' peck and there they were peeping away to shut the door.

So far so good. What should we watch out for going wrong? Will she just kick them out of her nest or will she kill them outright?

 

[Wrightsx4]

Ben, I just have time for a quick note but I think it was successful! She's already accepted them it appears, as long as she's not trying to attack the nest invaders. Now watch to see if she has the instincts to mother them. Oh- tiny pecks are normal - at least for mine. She gives a gentle peck if they wander too far or if they eat from the dish after she has dumped some onto the floor for them to scratch. It's the attacking hard pecks you want to watch for.
Hooray!!! Hoping the three are all females!

 

[joannefiddler]

Thanks CB, bit worried about those fuzzy dots but it's all a gamble.

Operation 'Implant' seems to have gone well. All three are under her, the fake eggs are gone. SHe gave me a peck but nothing serious. Checked on them 20 minutes later and they are still there. I had to disturb them to hear them (I was worried they were squashed!) Little lift after the 'get your hand out of there' peck and there they were peeping away to shut the door.

So far so good. What should we watch out for going wrong? Will she just kick them out of her nest or will she kill them outright?

Ah Ben....here you are supplying great drama from the other side of the planet again! Hope all goes well!!!