Sorry, for leaving y'all in suspense.
No, I did not make the switch last night.
I stayed up waiting for the rain/lighting to stop and then fell asleep as it was late and had an anxious day. SEE LIST below for My Game Plan.
((((Buff did accidentally poop in her nest box, but, it is a slightly larger nest space than in the coop and she did 'go' on the empty side and not on her eggs or on herself. While sitting on her eggs, she did let me reach in with a glove and clean it up without any pecking or getting loud. Being quiet and not pecking is normal behavior for her when she's broody and I'm taking the eggs away on a daily basis when she has been in the coop with the other hens. So, I'm going to take that as being new and learning the mom ropes (she does have space on the opposite side of her cage to 'go' in, as well.) I was also just happy to see her 'go' because that means she's eaten.
After that, I put our sheltie inside, and then open the door to her cage and the shred to give her the opportunity to walk around. She makes this loud like warning sound when she walks around in the yard, even when separated from the other hens, she can see and hear them, so, I guess she's just reminding the hens to keep their distance anyway.
When I worried she was getting far from the garden shed, I picked her up and set her down in front of her open broody nest door and she walked in. She walked carefully over her eggs then to the other side of the cage and then back to the nest.
She started to gently roll the eggs back under her, and
settled down back into her broody state.
))))
Sorry for rambling on...
ANYWAY, THE PLAN:
*Tonight's 'Go TIME' is 10:30pm EST.
*Today's weather has been gorgeous and calm.
*Doing one more bum check on all chicks in a few minutes.
*Here it get's really dark at 9:30, so, by 10:30 Buff should be really sleepy and content.
*I'm going to place all the chicks into a deep bucket (that they can't even think about hopping out of), grab my phone and flashlight, and do the switch.
1.) Let the chicks peep for a second once we enter the shed, and maybe hear happy Buffy 'mommy sounds'.
2.) Open her cage and using my right hand and going in from Buff's rear direction, cradle one chick under her and keep my hand over the chick. Remove all 8 eggs with my left hand. Then, wait for Buff to sit down and get 'comfy' over my right hand with the chick.
3.) Once step 2 is successful, then place the other 8 chicks quickly. Keep listening for 'quiet happy momma hen and baby chick sounds'.
4.) Replace cardboard backing over cage opening.
5.) Double check that I can't see any chicks (assuring that they're all under her).
6.) Close the cage door, pick up bucket of eggs, and close the shed door.
7.) Jump for joy
once in the house.
8.) I MAY go back in 30 minutes to gently open the shed door and listen for peace and quiet and/or 'happy mommy & baby' sounds.
9.) Check again in the morning at 6am when it's just starting to be a light black in the sky.
That's my plan. Hopefully, I can recognize 'happy mom and chick sounds' when I hear them (I've watched several youtube videos on the subject).
Obviously, if I hear anything aggressive, then I will respond accordingly.
I really just need to transfer the chicks.
)
