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Lovely day yesterday, 22C with alight breeze. Mostly dry until around 5pm and about 18C.
I'm just going to do one long post for 17th and 18th of August.
The first thing I want to write is Fret is about as hardcore a broody as they get.
The next important thing is I did have plans. I even bought stuff such as the cage to go in the coop. If I just write Of Mice and Men and change mice for chickens...
Yesterday I was there about 7am. I was there all day apart from an hour or so lunch break at the eldest's.
I put a tray filled with earth in the coop. I put a bowel of chick feed in one corner of the nest box and a smaller bowel with water in the other corner. I checked the 4 remaining Legbar imported eggs, wedged the top of the nest box open a little to let more air in, gave Fret and the chicks a bit of a stroke and told Fret she was doing a wonderful job and went off to do stuff on my plot feeling quite pleased with myself intending to fit the cage in a bit later.
I chatted to Henry about parental responsibilities as I did some weeding and he had a bath.
Carbon went to lay and egg and Henry followed her to the bottom of the ramp and I went round the back and opened the human access door at the back. There had been I think I mentioned a scrap recently when Carbon had gone to lay in with Fret.
This is Carbon gingerly making her way to the other nest box. A more intelligent man might have read more into this than I did at the time.
Next thing I now Henry bowls through the pop door; as much as Henry can bowl through what is a rather tight fit for him.
Having seen that Carbon is settled Henry settled in the corner and waited.
A while later Henry came out and joined me on the plot with Carbon following shortly after.
All was quiet, I checked on Fret from time to time, put my camera in my coat pocket, the coat hanging over the fence and got on with my plot for a couple of hours.
So there we are, enjoying the weather and the peace and quiet.
The next thing I know is I can hear Fret clucking so I quickly go to the coop to see what the problem is and find Fret on outside the coop on the ground steaming around the coop and extension clucking like mad. She's jumped out of the human door and it seems she was encouraging the chicks to follow.
Fortynately the chicks were sat tight in the nest. Fret went back into the coop using the ramp and peace was restored for a while.
About an hour later she did it again and when I checked on the chicks I found this.
Two eggs were broken. Both had chicks in them.
I don't know what happened and I'm not sure I want to guess. The other two eggs were not cold, but not warm enough to make me think they had been sat on and the chicks were out of the nest strolling around the coop.
I cleaned up. Fret returned to the nest. The chicks made the jump over the nest box edge which I was going to make a ramp for and that was the day over with regard to an excitement.
I arrived at the allotments today abit after 9am to find Fret and her two chicks wandering around the run. Not only has she got them down the ramp but the chicksn have made the six inch jump over the front base board of the coop extension. As soon as I opened the coop run gate Fret was out with her chicks and hunting for stuff to eat. I put some chick feed down which she completely ignored. I put some bird seed down which she encourage the chicks to eat. Fret won't take anything from my hand and neither will the chicks. They did go back to the chick feed a few times in the day but it was obvious that it was aback up measure.
I opened the alltment run gate and Fret marched the chicks to my plot. They are two days old! During the day, Fret has scratched and dug and clucked and marched the chicks around with the occasional rest all day. It was only when it started to rain and she with a bit of encouragement, returned to the shelter of the coop extension.
What was left of the shrimps and some mixed whole grain. Carbon is very careful to give the chicks a wide berth when foods involved.
Henry back in the bath. I get the feeling he needs more relaxing than usual
Fret just finished showing the chicks the fruit bushes.
I was lucky to get this shot. I was watching Fret with my camera in my hand when Fret made the run for cover call and the chicks ran for the nettles. There was alarge crow on the otherside of the plot heading towards Fret. Fret went for it.
Fret collecting the chicks after seeing off the crow.
There were a couple of other rather interesting events. I had tea at my eldests and forgot my phone which she very kindly brount down to the allotments when walking her dog. Henry, Fret and Carbon all know the dog Spoko and while not exactly friends (the eldest ties the dog to one of the raised beds well away from the coop and run) this time Henry went towards Spoko, past eh eldes who was by then at the run and stood guard. Henry didn't stand down until the eldest was at the bottom of the allotments about to go out the gate.
C came to the altotments and Fret called her chicks under her and fluffed up.
Usaully Fret along with the rest will go towards C because usually when C comes they've got food. Not Henry, Fret or Carbon moved towards C.
Most broody hens I've known will let me lay my hand on the ground with an upturned palm with food on it and not react if the chiks stand on it. Usually if I lift my hand the chicks give a distress call and mum goes for me. No worries, fair enough. I've needed to give the chicks a lift a few times during the day; they couldn't make the jump over the base board of the coop extension by the end of day because they were tired. I lifted the over. Not a sound from them or a reaction from Fret.
The one big event is at the end of the day on the chicks first few days out as they learn how to follow mum up the ramp. I've been attacked by mums so often trying to herd chicks up ramps that I just accept I'm likely to get a few scratches and peck marks for a couple of days. I wasn't looking forward to getting the chicks in this evening, especially as there isn't a lot of room to work with and I would be in direct line of an irrate mum firng out of the coop when the chicks make the distress call whe I try to get them in after mum.
It was raining and had been for a couple of hours or more when Henry called go to roost. He went in, then Carbon. I'm pretty wet and tired after the past two days and wasn't looking forward to dealing with an irate Fret at roost time.
I slid my hand under the pair this evening, both in one hand and lifted them into the coop. Not a murmur from the chicks and Fret walked calmly up after.
Once in the coop Fret jumped onto the roost bar expecting the chicks to jump up beside her. Not a chance they could make the jump at their age. Fret got up and down a few times and I thought she would go back to the nest box. Nope, she's done with nest boxes it seems. She settled in the corner the chicks got underneath and I didn't hear another peep out of them, completely knackered I would assume.
I'll put some bedding down for her tomorrow.
I've had only two other broody mums like this, Donk and Fay. Both hatched in a maternity units and the moment the chicks were mobile they marchhed them straight back to their tribe coops and occupied a corner until the chicks could make it on to the roost bar.
I've got three more full days I estimate and then I can have a lay in, although I've enjoyed the full days so much I think I'll be doing at least full afternoons for the forseeable future.
Fret, what a surprise. No I don't really care about the imported eggs. I would rather have Henry's and Fret's chicks. Fret has done an amazing job. If she broke the imported eggs then that's part of letting a broody make the decisions about who she raises.
All the plans (?) well I should know better.
I'm just going to do one long post for 17th and 18th of August.
The first thing I want to write is Fret is about as hardcore a broody as they get.
The next important thing is I did have plans. I even bought stuff such as the cage to go in the coop. If I just write Of Mice and Men and change mice for chickens...
Yesterday I was there about 7am. I was there all day apart from an hour or so lunch break at the eldest's.
I put a tray filled with earth in the coop. I put a bowel of chick feed in one corner of the nest box and a smaller bowel with water in the other corner. I checked the 4 remaining Legbar imported eggs, wedged the top of the nest box open a little to let more air in, gave Fret and the chicks a bit of a stroke and told Fret she was doing a wonderful job and went off to do stuff on my plot feeling quite pleased with myself intending to fit the cage in a bit later.
I chatted to Henry about parental responsibilities as I did some weeding and he had a bath.
Carbon went to lay and egg and Henry followed her to the bottom of the ramp and I went round the back and opened the human access door at the back. There had been I think I mentioned a scrap recently when Carbon had gone to lay in with Fret.
This is Carbon gingerly making her way to the other nest box. A more intelligent man might have read more into this than I did at the time.
Next thing I now Henry bowls through the pop door; as much as Henry can bowl through what is a rather tight fit for him.
Having seen that Carbon is settled Henry settled in the corner and waited.
A while later Henry came out and joined me on the plot with Carbon following shortly after.
All was quiet, I checked on Fret from time to time, put my camera in my coat pocket, the coat hanging over the fence and got on with my plot for a couple of hours.
So there we are, enjoying the weather and the peace and quiet.
The next thing I know is I can hear Fret clucking so I quickly go to the coop to see what the problem is and find Fret on outside the coop on the ground steaming around the coop and extension clucking like mad. She's jumped out of the human door and it seems she was encouraging the chicks to follow.
Fortynately the chicks were sat tight in the nest. Fret went back into the coop using the ramp and peace was restored for a while.
About an hour later she did it again and when I checked on the chicks I found this.
Two eggs were broken. Both had chicks in them.
I don't know what happened and I'm not sure I want to guess. The other two eggs were not cold, but not warm enough to make me think they had been sat on and the chicks were out of the nest strolling around the coop.
I cleaned up. Fret returned to the nest. The chicks made the jump over the nest box edge which I was going to make a ramp for and that was the day over with regard to an excitement.
I arrived at the allotments today abit after 9am to find Fret and her two chicks wandering around the run. Not only has she got them down the ramp but the chicksn have made the six inch jump over the front base board of the coop extension. As soon as I opened the coop run gate Fret was out with her chicks and hunting for stuff to eat. I put some chick feed down which she completely ignored. I put some bird seed down which she encourage the chicks to eat. Fret won't take anything from my hand and neither will the chicks. They did go back to the chick feed a few times in the day but it was obvious that it was aback up measure.
I opened the alltment run gate and Fret marched the chicks to my plot. They are two days old! During the day, Fret has scratched and dug and clucked and marched the chicks around with the occasional rest all day. It was only when it started to rain and she with a bit of encouragement, returned to the shelter of the coop extension.
What was left of the shrimps and some mixed whole grain. Carbon is very careful to give the chicks a wide berth when foods involved.
Henry back in the bath. I get the feeling he needs more relaxing than usual
Fret just finished showing the chicks the fruit bushes.
I was lucky to get this shot. I was watching Fret with my camera in my hand when Fret made the run for cover call and the chicks ran for the nettles. There was alarge crow on the otherside of the plot heading towards Fret. Fret went for it.
Fret collecting the chicks after seeing off the crow.
There were a couple of other rather interesting events. I had tea at my eldests and forgot my phone which she very kindly brount down to the allotments when walking her dog. Henry, Fret and Carbon all know the dog Spoko and while not exactly friends (the eldest ties the dog to one of the raised beds well away from the coop and run) this time Henry went towards Spoko, past eh eldes who was by then at the run and stood guard. Henry didn't stand down until the eldest was at the bottom of the allotments about to go out the gate.
C came to the altotments and Fret called her chicks under her and fluffed up.
Usaully Fret along with the rest will go towards C because usually when C comes they've got food. Not Henry, Fret or Carbon moved towards C.
Most broody hens I've known will let me lay my hand on the ground with an upturned palm with food on it and not react if the chiks stand on it. Usually if I lift my hand the chicks give a distress call and mum goes for me. No worries, fair enough. I've needed to give the chicks a lift a few times during the day; they couldn't make the jump over the base board of the coop extension by the end of day because they were tired. I lifted the over. Not a sound from them or a reaction from Fret.
The one big event is at the end of the day on the chicks first few days out as they learn how to follow mum up the ramp. I've been attacked by mums so often trying to herd chicks up ramps that I just accept I'm likely to get a few scratches and peck marks for a couple of days. I wasn't looking forward to getting the chicks in this evening, especially as there isn't a lot of room to work with and I would be in direct line of an irrate mum firng out of the coop when the chicks make the distress call whe I try to get them in after mum.
It was raining and had been for a couple of hours or more when Henry called go to roost. He went in, then Carbon. I'm pretty wet and tired after the past two days and wasn't looking forward to dealing with an irate Fret at roost time.
I slid my hand under the pair this evening, both in one hand and lifted them into the coop. Not a murmur from the chicks and Fret walked calmly up after.
Once in the coop Fret jumped onto the roost bar expecting the chicks to jump up beside her. Not a chance they could make the jump at their age. Fret got up and down a few times and I thought she would go back to the nest box. Nope, she's done with nest boxes it seems. She settled in the corner the chicks got underneath and I didn't hear another peep out of them, completely knackered I would assume.
I'll put some bedding down for her tomorrow.
I've had only two other broody mums like this, Donk and Fay. Both hatched in a maternity units and the moment the chicks were mobile they marchhed them straight back to their tribe coops and occupied a corner until the chicks could make it on to the roost bar.
I've got three more full days I estimate and then I can have a lay in, although I've enjoyed the full days so much I think I'll be doing at least full afternoons for the forseeable future.
Fret, what a surprise. No I don't really care about the imported eggs. I would rather have Henry's and Fret's chicks. Fret has done an amazing job. If she broke the imported eggs then that's part of letting a broody make the decisions about who she raises.
All the plans (?) well I should know better.
. It's sad you lost them so far ahead, and in a really bad way. Henry seems like a really good father
