Redinator's First Hatch-Along w Bonus Broody: And Everything Thereafter

[redinator]

A number of years ago my Hybrid had her cubs in mid-December. We named them Dasher, Dancer, etc. Three hours after Blitzen, Rudolph completed the pack. As things turned out, Vixen was the only little boy in the litter.

What kind of hybrids, might I ask?

 

[redinator]

I'm not usually one to promote anything facebook related, but this woman has me in stitches from beginning to end: https://www.facebook.com/ezsnb/reels/

 

[redinator]

How are your LF breeds integrating with your bantams? I'm really hoping my 5 LFs will not give me fits when it comes time to integrate in a few weeks.

Another thing I've noticed that might make you feel better about mixing the flock . . .

My little Self Blue Old English Game Bantam cockerel (what a mouthful for such a tiny bird), Littleman can easily outrun my standard sized cockerels. Also, since he's so small he can duck and hide in areas they can't get into.

 

[ChickenChick46]

Another thing I've noticed that might make you feel better about mixing the flock . . .

My little Self Blue Old English Game Bantam cockerel (what a mouthful for such a tiny bird), Littleman can easily outrun my standard sized cockerels. Also, since he's so small he can duck and hide in areas they can't get into.

Lol yes BB Red Old English Game Bantam is quite a mouthful for tiny Shirley, so I get it!

Good to know. My bantams are incredibly fast as well when they want to be. Most don't run from me, but if they decide they want to, even catching them in the 10x12 coop is difficult. And I already have things to hide under or jump on top of, but I'll be sure to add a few other things when I integrate the larger birds.

 

[redinator]

So a little recap. I have/had, basically, 3 flocks. I say this because . . .

1) the Black Jersey Giants still roost in the Hen house in the quarantine yard
2) Sweety's flock; which only consists of her, Kettle, Pot, Buffy and Sweety's 3 chicks; still roost in the 9x18 run (slowly moving into the larger run)
3) And everybody else sleeps in the 10x25 run.

Everybody free ranges together during the day, but they sleep separately.

In preparation for the (unhatched) incubator chicks . . .(uh, I think I'll start calling the previous batch Cookie's bunch. .?) I'm attempting to move the 4 'adult' chickens and Sweety's 3 chicks into the large run.

For the last week or so I've made a point of only giving treats in the larger run so the 4 older birds start to hang out in there.

Buffy moved in the first night (1 Down). I think she quite enjoyed bossing the youngsters around and taking the top roost for herself. A few days later I added an 8 bay nestbox to the larger run and Pot moved in (2 down) and started laying eggs in one of the bays and Buffy followed suit. Well, once the breeding girls moved, Kettle (3 Down) wasn't far behind, lol.

That leaves Sweety and her 3 chicks, alone in the the 9x18 run.

Today I had to remove the roof from the chick hut to get it through the gate of the two runs to move it. Sweety was so upset when I started taking the roof off, she didn't attack, just kept jumping on my hand with drill and back to the roof, going in and out the door . . .practically begging me not to destroy her home. I picked her up gave her cuddles and kisses, told her it was for the best, and carried on.

Once I got it moved over I added clean bedding and a nesting pad. I called her over . . .yes she actually comes when called (usually, lol) . . she investigated it and seemed to approve. We'll see what happens when everyone goes to bed tonight, but I might be playing musical chickens for the next few nights, lol

 

[ella2025]

So a little recap. I have/had, basically, 3 flocks. I say this because . . .

1) the Black Jersey Giants still roost in the Hen house in the quarantine yard
2) Sweety's flock; which only consists of her, Kettle, Pot, Buffy and Sweety's 3 chicks; still roost in the 9x18 run (slowly moving into the larger run)
3) And everybody else sleeps in the 10x25 run.

Everybody free ranges together during the day, but they sleep separately.

In preparation for the (unhatched) incubator chicks . . .(uh, I think I'll start calling the previous batch Cookie's bunch. .?) I'm attempting to move the 4 'adult' chickens and Sweety's 3 chicks into the large run.

For the last week or so I've made a point of only giving treats in the larger run so the 4 older birds start to hang out in there.

Buffy moved in the first night (1 Down). I think she quite enjoyed bossing the youngsters around and taking the top roost for herself. A few days later I added an 8 bay nestbox to the larger run and Pot moved in (2 down) and started laying eggs in one of the bays and Buffy followed suit. Well, once the breeding girls moved, Kettle (3 Down) wasn't far behind, lol.

That leaves Sweety and her 3 chicks, alone in the the 9x18 run.

Today I had to remove the roof from the chick hut to get it through the gate of the two runs to move it. Sweety was so upset when I started taking the roof off, she didn't attack, just kept jumping on my hand with drill and back to the roof, going in and out the door . . .practically begging me not to destroy her home. I picked her up gave her cuddles and kisses, told her it was for the best, and carried on.

Once I got it moved over I added clean bedding and a nesting pad. I called her over . . .yes she actually comes when called (usually, lol) . . she investigated it and seemed to approve. We'll see what happens when everyone goes to bed tonight, but I might be playing musical chickens for the next few nights, lol

What does your run look like that you can just take off the roof? I am so so jealous lol. Mine took like a month to build because they were all 200+lb frames, 10 of them, not including the roof. We probably need to double the run size now that we have 19 eggs In the incubator and 4 pullets almost ready to move in, so that'll be a whole ton of work!

 

[redinator]

What does your run look like that you can just take off the roof? I am so so jealous lol. Mine took like a month to build because they were all 200+lb frames, 10 of them, not including the roof. We probably need to double the run size now that we have 19 eggs In the incubator and 4 pullets almost ready to move in, so that'll be a whole ton of work!

I didn't take the roof off the run. I took the roof off the 'chick hut', which is a doghouse I use in the run for shelter for my broody and her chicks. The roof has 6in or so of overhang on both sides and it won't go through the gate with the roof on it.

 

[jxp]

What kind of hybrids, might I ask?

Mom - Arctic Wolf and Alaskan Malamute
Dad - Timber Wolf and Siberian Husky

 

[redinator]

Mom - Arctic Wolf and Alaskan Malamute
Dad - Timber Wolf and Siberian Husky

I figured it was wolf hybrids since you used the words pack and cubs. That's so cool, I'm a bit envious actually.

 

[redinator]

What does your run look like that you can just take off the roof? I am so so jealous lol. Mine took like a month to build because they were all 200+lb frames, 10 of them, not including the roof. We probably need to double the run size now that we have 19 eggs In the incubator and 4 pullets almost ready to move in, so that'll be a whole ton of work!

At least the weathers cooler now. I put a bunch of stuff off over summer, it was just too hot. Now I'm in psycho build/reorganize mode.