Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote:

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote: I agree she has done well. To get that chick up there she has had to teach it four different jumps or "hops" that I have watch her repeat over and over till the chick learned to follow her. First she hops up on the nest box perch. Then on top of the feeder. Then hops over on the "chicken ladder" about two thirds up. Then up the last third of the ladder to the poop board. Then the final little hop to the roost pole. Most chickens just walk up the ladder but this has been Rogers routine and what works for her. I think she is different......

You know, Roger may just be smarter than the average bird. She has obviously worked out how to get what she wants, including a chick of her own! I'm curious to see if the behaviors continue with junior since the two aren't genetically related. Chicks learn by watching each other, but there's always that first one who dares to try something new, like the first terrifying piece of cabbage, and then the others follow suit. Can Roger's "difference" be passed down behaviorally, or will her little protege end up being like other normal RIRs, who have no interest in pulling Santa's sleigh? My money's on Roger!

 

[cheeka]

my $$ is on Nurture. you wait and see... junior will be the smartest and the bossiest of the flock!

I had to dig around under Peach... but I found a very wiggly adorable #3 tucked way up in the fluff! I also found another egg! Peaches egg! so ONE day after her chicks are hatched, she is laying again!!! she's an old pro at this now I guess... and she's not quite a full year old yet. (next week she will be 1)

so, after 1 egg breaking, and 1 rejected somewhere around day 16... she's 3 for 3 on the remaining eggs!

 

[BullChick]

After thinking and planning, I came up with a solution at the last minute. I put up a canvas tarp between Baby's box and the other one, and stretched it to the wall. I then put down fresh bedding to keep Baby from being afraid of the tarp laying on the floor or slipping on it (though it is canvas, not plastic). She has her food and water, and I don't see anyone figuring out how to get into her area.
I did clean Midnight's pen. She was standing up when I checked her. She seems to resort back to injured every time I move her (I cleaned her bottom). I am hoping she was acting odd because I was making her nervous with the cleaning, adding bedding, etc. Hoping she can go back to the big pen before the chicks are born Next Sunday.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

my $$ is on Nurture. you wait and see... junior will be the smartest and the bossiest of the flock!

I had to dig around under Peach... but I found a very wiggly adorable #3 tucked way up in the fluff! I also found another egg! Peaches egg! so ONE day after her chicks are hatched, she is laying again!!! she's an old pro at this now I guess... and she's not quite a full year old yet. (next week she will be 1)

so, after 1 egg breaking, and 1 rejected somewhere around day 16... she's 3 for 3 on the remaining eggs!

Broodys are cool. Broke ground today on the new broody compound. Will post pictures tomorrow. Got dark on me tonight

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Quote: I agree she has done well. To get that chick up there she has had to teach it four different jumps or "hops" that I have watch her repeat over and over till the chick learned to follow her. First she hops up on the nest box perch. Then on top of the feeder. Then hops over on the "chicken ladder" about two thirds up. Then up the last third of the ladder to the poop board. Then the final little hop to the roost pole. Most chickens just walk up the ladder but this has been Rogers routine and what works for her. I think she is different......

You know, Roger may just be smarter than the average bird. She has obviously worked out how to get what she wants, including a chick of her own! I'm curious to see if the behaviors continue with junior since the two aren't genetically related. Chicks learn by watching each other, but there's always that first one who dares to try something new, like the first terrifying piece of cabbage, and then the others follow suit. Can Roger's "difference" be passed down behaviorally, or will her little protege end up being like other normal RIRs, who have no interest in pulling Santa's sleigh? My money's on Roger!
All indications are pointing to Little Roger being a "chip off the old block". I predict they will BOTH be on the "Meat Bird" list before Little Roger hits 5 weeks

 

[Reina Rana]

Kiddos are 17 weeks several of the girls have doubled in girth and fluffiness. Nest boxes are up and waiting...now it's all about them getting in gear. At least one of the boys has been attempting to cover a few...so I figure it won't be long.

 

[kian]

Congrats Cheeka on the new chicks!

Well, we lost one chick while we were away from the house. Apparently my LIVESTOCK GUARD DOG got it. Good guarding there. He didn't eat it, but I figured it was him as it was covered in dried slobber ( it actually looked as you'd expect to see from a chick that had drowned and was fished out of the water then dried off in the sun. Odd.) We weren't 100% sure it was him but yesterday he attempted it again. No harm done, just a slightly slobbery chick.

I let the nolongershallbecalledhelper hen out of jail today, and once in the run, went right after that baby again. She didn't get it, but while we were trying to catch her she went after a couple more of them. So very weird how she went from being a second Mama to a nutjob overnight! So she's back in jail. Mama has the remaining 6 chicks out and about and in the thick of things with no issues at all. 8 other chickens around them and no one pays them any mind. Only the nutjob. Hope she likes isolation. She still hasn't laid either, it's going on 2 weeks. She's not sitting on a nest or anything during the day.

I think I have 3 boys, 3 girls. 2 blacks and a blue have thicker legs and tail feathers already (2 weeks old today). The other two blues and that little splash have no tail feathers yet. I thought the little splash had a noticable comb when it hatched but not anymore really. 50-50 isn't too bad (though I'm sure that the one that was killed had to be a girl).

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Kiddos are 17 weeks several of the girls have doubled in girth and fluffiness. Nest boxes are up and waiting...now it's all about them getting in gear. At least one of the boys has been attempting to cover a few...so I figure it won't be long.

They're looking good, but I think you still have a bit of a wait for the girls. None of them are red yet and no wattles. Maybe 4 more weeks or so. The roosters mature more quickly. Your fella is going to be quite stunning, I think. Is he an EE?

 

[Reina Rana]

You k,now, I am not really sure what breed this cockerel is...I thought SS for a while, but he has slate legs. My other fella is "Araucana" and is very handsome also, but kind of a tool. Those pics are a week or 2 old. I have one white girl who changed overnight to a giant ball of fluff, but no red...she has a horn-colored bill and sort-of-green legs. I need a new pic of her. One of my NN is red-faced and wattles are developing, and my BO is pining up as well.




Fran the Tool