We had a Black Australorp go broody. All her eggs went rotten, so we picked up 6 peeps (Sapphire Gem) at Family Farm and Home. The sales clerk said they were 2-3 days old (and this was sunday).
We tucked them under Mama hen Sunday night, pitched the rotten eggs and they've been a happy family ever since.
Until my good-for-nothing, a*hole dog squeezed under the fence into the chicken pen, then over the smaller fence to the peeps-and-mama only pen and freaking ate 5 of them. I'm so mad at her, and myself. She sneaks into the pen constantly, and every time we fix that weak spot in the fence she finds another one. Usually she just eats poop and whatever kitchen scraps the chickens left behind. I never even thought about her gping after the chicks. Stupid dog. Stupid me.
So, poor Mama has one baby left. I would like to get her more babies tomorrow. I called the farm store and they have peeps that just arrived today (Thursday), so prob only a day or so old.
So would the age difference between the oldest chick (now named Lucky) and the newer ones be a problem? My plan was to just pop them under her at night like I did with the first batch. Is a week too much?
We tucked them under Mama hen Sunday night, pitched the rotten eggs and they've been a happy family ever since.
Until my good-for-nothing, a*hole dog squeezed under the fence into the chicken pen, then over the smaller fence to the peeps-and-mama only pen and freaking ate 5 of them. I'm so mad at her, and myself. She sneaks into the pen constantly, and every time we fix that weak spot in the fence she finds another one. Usually she just eats poop and whatever kitchen scraps the chickens left behind. I never even thought about her gping after the chicks. Stupid dog. Stupid me.
So, poor Mama has one baby left. I would like to get her more babies tomorrow. I called the farm store and they have peeps that just arrived today (Thursday), so prob only a day or so old.
So would the age difference between the oldest chick (now named Lucky) and the newer ones be a problem? My plan was to just pop them under her at night like I did with the first batch. Is a week too much?
