Rose's tiny flock

[Farmgirl283420]

Some new pics. The boy started crowing finally. He's the most quiet polite crowing chicken I've ever had hahah

It’s nice that he’s polite!

 

[Rosekitten]

We are a year into the flock, one broody hen has hatched out 9 eggs (one chick passed at a day old, and it looks like we may lose a second a week in.. these things happen).

But I have a second hen sitting on 24 eggs.. because I got sick and I wasn't able to collect eggs for a few days. I have homes lined up for most of these chicks. People have been fawning over my chickens for a while. I'll likely only be keeping 2-3 hens from these hatchings as I feel that'll be the most I have room for long term.

 

[Rosekitten]

Well I didn't keep any of the 8 chicks. I sold them locally. I don't really have space for more chickens .. not reasonably anyway.

Though I have a second hen trying to hatch. She may only end up with one chick. I didn't know she had crushed 2 or 3 eggs and they were all over the rest of the nest.

I noticed a smell today and heard a chick peeping. So I decided to check. I moved her to a fresh nest with the chick and wiped the eggs that were whole off a bit.. I'm not confident they are going to hatch but we'll see.

Noted for the future. Only allow these big ladies to keep 8 to 10 eggs total. Any more and they seem to break them from just being chunks.

I'm a little worried as there were maggots under the main egg that was crushed.. I'll look the hen over more tomorrow just to be safe.

I didn't want to stress her out more then I had already by moving her to a new nest with the eggs and chick. But that stuff needed to go asap.

 

[Rosekitten]

In other news.. my rooster has earned his keep. I've been letting them free roam the yard after 5 or 6 each day. Last night a young possum must have gotten in through the roof.. (I need to out hardware cloth up there and cut the branches back now to the trees). But the possum didn't get to do any harm. I feel bad where it was young but it was long dead by the time I got out there to the commotion.

 

[AntiqueB]

Good rooster!

 

[Rosekitten]

Forgot to post these.

 

[Rosekitten]

Well some more sad news. Another chick hatched this afternoon. It didn't look like it was fully ready so I don't know if momma crushed that egg too? But it wasn't alive when I checked and had fly strike.

This chick she has may be a solo baby. The other eggs look viable and she is still sitting on them. So I'll give it a few more days. Maybe if I catch one pipping or freshly hatched I'll kidnap it a little while to hatch/dry out inside. The flies have been bad this year and I have no idea why.

I keep the bedding clean and I just scooped the coop. I use sand anyway. The food is all sealed up. It's just wild to me.

 

[Rosekitten]

So we have a hen broody again after the last disappointment. She's only got 3 eggs, but I'm ok with that. I ended up taking in 10 random hens from someone moving and unable to keep them (all duel purpose birds) and a pair of pekins.. this lead us to getting 4 more ducks. XD I wasn't planning ducks for another 3-4 years.

In other news I was going through photos and found my first rooster back when I was growing up. I forgot how pretty he was for being a little guy.

 

[AntiqueB]

He is pretty!

 

[Rosekitten]

He is pretty!

Wasn't he? He was a 7 year old roo gifted to my grandpa after they found out his granddaughter (me) had hens.. XD He was mean and flew into me but we worked out our differences. Lived till he passed of old age. I'm not sure how old he was. But he was up there.