buttersbrood
Chirping
Hi there!
We have 3 chicks (2 orpingtons - lavender and blue - and 1 barred rock, all about 3/4 days old). I know you're supposed to put day old chicks under a broody hen - and these are 3 to 4 day old and op top of that, the hen is not broody...
We do have a heatlamp and the whole chick set up, but I much prefer a hen to raise them.
So... I put them under our oekin bantam a couple of nights ago. I put her in the broody coop for a day, and tucked the chicks under at night in the dark. She screamed blue murder and pecked them. Not the nice little pecks either. I watched fir a bit, but no improvement, so I put the chicks back under the heatlamp for the night.
Next day, I put the Pekin back with the flock, and put our Silky in the broody coop with 7 eggs. She kind of half sat on them - for part of the day, half-heartedly. She's never been a mum before, so I knew I was pushing my luck in terms of her accepting the chicks and knowing what to do (considering she's not broody).
Last night, I put the 3 chicks under her. She didn't fuss. They settled under her and all seemed fine. I checked again several times in the late evening and all was quiet, chicks tucked under still.
Thus morning, at dawn, I checked again. I put good out and drink.
She initially pecked ONE of the chicks, the blue orpington. Hard too, not the gentle get-back-under-me kind of peck. I tucked that one under her again, after several pecks. She then ate. The other 2 came out, and she watched them with interest it seemed. She pecked one once, but then stopped and watched them eat. The blue orpington came out after a while, and ate too. She watched but did not peck. She also, however, does not tidbit, call them, etc. Just watches them.
After breakfast, she settled again (it's a small box and I've blocked off the exit so she has no where to go either . Chicks went back under her. All is quiet.
What do you think? Did out Silky, who is about a year and has never Mothered before, accept them? Will she be able to raise these chicks? Anyone with experience in this department?
I'd love to hear your opinions, thoughts and advice.
Thanks so much!
Katja
We have 3 chicks (2 orpingtons - lavender and blue - and 1 barred rock, all about 3/4 days old). I know you're supposed to put day old chicks under a broody hen - and these are 3 to 4 day old and op top of that, the hen is not broody...
We do have a heatlamp and the whole chick set up, but I much prefer a hen to raise them.
So... I put them under our oekin bantam a couple of nights ago. I put her in the broody coop for a day, and tucked the chicks under at night in the dark. She screamed blue murder and pecked them. Not the nice little pecks either. I watched fir a bit, but no improvement, so I put the chicks back under the heatlamp for the night.
Next day, I put the Pekin back with the flock, and put our Silky in the broody coop with 7 eggs. She kind of half sat on them - for part of the day, half-heartedly. She's never been a mum before, so I knew I was pushing my luck in terms of her accepting the chicks and knowing what to do (considering she's not broody).
Last night, I put the 3 chicks under her. She didn't fuss. They settled under her and all seemed fine. I checked again several times in the late evening and all was quiet, chicks tucked under still.
Thus morning, at dawn, I checked again. I put good out and drink.
She initially pecked ONE of the chicks, the blue orpington. Hard too, not the gentle get-back-under-me kind of peck. I tucked that one under her again, after several pecks. She then ate. The other 2 came out, and she watched them with interest it seemed. She pecked one once, but then stopped and watched them eat. The blue orpington came out after a while, and ate too. She watched but did not peck. She also, however, does not tidbit, call them, etc. Just watches them.
After breakfast, she settled again (it's a small box and I've blocked off the exit so she has no where to go either . Chicks went back under her. All is quiet.
What do you think? Did out Silky, who is about a year and has never Mothered before, accept them? Will she be able to raise these chicks? Anyone with experience in this department?
I'd love to hear your opinions, thoughts and advice.
Thanks so much!
Katja