Raising Chicks has been a Joy

[Grandmas Coop]

Yay!

I just went out to peek, the chicks are quite, egg#3 is quite
broody #2 is on her now 5 eggs, she stepped on one and poked a hole in it,

All in all I think things are good.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Good morning Coop,
5am and the door is ajar, I checked in the littles 1& 2 all quite
#3 is peeping
Broody #3 slept in the nesting box all night
Broody #2 is on her nest of 5, she hasnt moved since 2pm yesterday when I made her get off to poop.
Mamma #1 I made get up at 4, boy she made a huge poo, drank some water and got right back on the job.
@BY Bob

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Egg #3 hatched around 2pm PST,
mamma hen and chick #1 & 2 had a drink of water ate a bit and pooped

 

[Grandmas Coop]

good morning,
with the first 3 chicks hatched today is let momma hen eat, today is all about food and water.

 

[Grandmas Coop]

chick #3 has Spraddle Leg
https://the-chicken-chick.com/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it/

 

[Grandmas Coop]

This is a very good read
https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/chickens-101/raising-chicks-with-mother-hen/

 

[Grandmas Coop]

I had to fight the flock off, they all wanted to get in the brooding box/go after the broody hens and chicks/ I dont know what they would have done but I didnt want to find out, it was total mayhem

I currently have the flock out of the coop- their water/food/nesting box are out in the run
I am not letting them back in the coop-- I'll go out after tea and fix up something- but HOLY COW

I went back out
to the storage container and got the small dog crate [ I have all 3 sizes]
this was 4pm yesterday

 

[Grandmas Coop]

I read that is the flock sinces a sickly hen or chick they will try to kill it to protect the flock from diseases [even though they dont know the why, they are wired to do this]
WELL, anyway- yesterday I had hung the food and water outside the coop,
And- I removed the lame chick from the coop,
3 of the hens gave up, and the wildest one kept it up until 6pm,

and for Gods sake thank you Lord, no one is doing it this morning,

 

[Grandmas Coop]

All was fine in the coop yesterday

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Mamma#1 hatch date June 13th did great over night with being under the nesting box with nesting sutff/fake straw stuff and a roots board. the test will be come flock egg laying time.
Will they the layers stick to the task at hand or hen peck Mamma #1.
They all left the chicks alone yesterday and didn't try and mess with Mamma. Integrating in a small area I feel takes supervision/watchful eye from the human , letting Rooster do his job, let the pecking order take place as long as there is no blood drawn by over aggression, we are the ones that put them in this not natural environment. I try to make them as happy and comfortable as I can and let them work out the politics, but I dont put up with mean birds.

Broody #2 has 3 to 4 days of setting to go Hatch Date 30th/July1st

Broody#3,, I decided it would create a fight if I took 2 of B#2's eggs and gave them to #3--so, I gave #3 3 of the darkest best looking shells. 1 was laid on the 25th and 2 from yesterday the 26th. If I get another very dark hard shelled one today I will give it to her. so she can have 4 eggs. That puts a Hatch date about July 18th I think.

On Sunday my granddaughter 11yr old spent some time in grandmas coop. she has coops at home and DDIL incubated some chicks last month. Anyway she had fun talking to all the hens and, she was so proud of herself, she picked up Mr. Cornelius rooster!! he was very good and just let her hold him and talk to him.
[ did you know they are considered pullets up until they are 1 year old]