Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

I Hope Olive is okay...it amazes me how they can just become such bullies when they see any weakness. I got really angry when I saw that happen with my own girls. Normally all is fine though. I let my girls out today while being outside and they had me laughing as the sky just suddenly opened up and it rained. I went to go put them away and had to hunt them down. All 8 of them dry as could be tucked underneath the protection of a tree. I on the other hand was dripping wet from head to toe. My husband and I had to show them back to the coop and they all ran in very quickly. My broody is still getting off the nest once a day....we are tempted to give her the chicks tomorrow...suggestions? He started to build them their own box or something today and I just keep going back and forth. They can't go in the townhouse because I am afraid they wont be able to navigate the three floors without getting hurt and then I don't want them to be cramped in just one floor of it and then...I just keep going back and forth...if I put them in the big coop and section off one of the runs for them it might work if I move broody but the whole point in letting her have them was to get the new chicks with the older flock of four, not with the younger flock of eight. Of course I could always keep them inside too until the shed is done...

For tonight they are my little snuggle babies. I am really shocked and surprised at how different they are from the shipped chicks I received. They came out of the incubator ready to go...just full of energy and vigor. My shipped chicks just took like four or five days of 'settling' before showing this much energy. The little black one already climbs on top of the brooder and sits up there chirping for my husband. The little yellow one already has little feathers. It just seems so fast.
For the little bit I know about chicks I reccommend keeping them separate from the older birds until they at least have feathers. My broody was not able to protect them. She is too low in the pecking order. And Roger threw her chick to the wolves. So I don't think mine would have made it without being separated. My reason for building the "broody pen". Will be simple next time to separate them
 
I agree that they should be separated. that being said... you will know immediately if broody will take the chicks by her behavior and by her clucking.

when Peach was mourning the loss of her chicks that got rehomed too fast...and I got the white EE and the 2 Marans... it was immediate. they didn't understand her call, but I did, and I knew it would be fine.

because you haven't had the experience yet, it might not be as easy to distinguish her "derps" as different, but you might... it's just exactly that, "derp". and she should approach them, circle them, inspect them... all the while "derping" I hope you try it.

as for pecking order, that's important... especially when you free range the chicks, broody and the rest of the flock, Peach does do really well on her own despite the fact that she's half the size of everyone else... and she was able to protect her chicks while outside, right from the beginning with Pebble... but she does live in her own pen with her chicks, so it's only during free range that it's an issue, and they are always supervised...

So I say do it, if you have a separate pen for them.
 
glad y'all enjoyed the photo album!  cracks me up... boys are still out free ranging (since early this morning), my legs hurt, I don't feel like doing much walking today, but I can't deprive the girls of such a lovely afternoon...  

I took my friend Ruth to visit Bird yesterday, got some fun pics of her with 2 parrots perched on her... but Bird was really cute, showing off his "wife" to us, it's wonderful to see him so happy!  we talked at length, I was able to convince her that it's in Bird's best interest to stay put.  it would only confuse him and Houdini (the female) to take him away, even if she brought him back and forth... it's not "consistent".  I know she misses him, but she really doesn't have the time or the ability to care for him the way he needs anymore, and while she promised him to me... to give him a life with a mate is way better than anything I can think of... besides, he's so close by, she can visit him anytime she wants, if she doesn't feel up to driving, I will take her... it's going to work out fine, Houdini's owner was thrilled to give him a permanent home.  (and hopefully a new name... Bird is a terrible name.)
:thumbsup Good work!
 
I Hope Olive is okay...it amazes me how they can just become such bullies when they see any weakness. I got really angry when I saw that happen with my own girls. Normally all is fine though. I let my girls out today while being outside and they had me laughing as the sky just suddenly opened up and it rained. I went to go put them away and had to hunt them down. All 8 of them dry as could be tucked underneath the protection of a tree. I on the other hand was dripping wet from head to toe. My husband and I had to show them back to the coop and they all ran in very quickly. My broody is still getting off the nest once a day....we are tempted to give her the chicks tomorrow...suggestions? He started to build them their own box or something today and I just keep going back and forth. They can't go in the townhouse because I am afraid they wont be able to navigate the three floors without getting hurt and then I don't want them to be cramped in just one floor of it and then...I just keep going back and forth...if I put them in the big coop and section off one of the runs for them it might work if I move broody but the whole point in letting her have them was to get the new chicks with the older flock of four, not with the younger flock of eight. Of course I could always keep them inside too until the shed is done...

For tonight they are my little snuggle babies. I am really shocked and surprised at how different they are from the shipped chicks I received. They came out of the incubator ready to go...just full of energy and vigor. My shipped chicks just took like four or five days of 'settling' before showing this much energy. The little black one already climbs on top of the brooder and sits up there chirping for my husband. The little yellow one already has little feathers. It just seems so fast.

Adorable pics. I am 90% sure the yellow is female.
 
Thanks for the info all :)
MC, I kept thinking it was a boy by behavior but since I never had a boy
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The black one on the other hand...OMG she is such a little booger lol...in a cute way. She chirps until my husband talks, when he is talking all is well. If I go over and try to talk to her...she continues to chirp. I honestly wondered if something was wrong with her and then apparently my husband found the cure. They are very very cute and curious....want to come out and play etc.
 
I am going by her feathers. I see them coming in on her wing.
Anyone ever use DE inside the house to get rid of fleas? The article (Mother Earth News) said to sprinkle on the carpet, and work in with a broom. I know what it does to hands if you touch it too much (dry dry hands!). I am not a slipper wearer, but will if that is what it takes... When I remember.
Anyone have any helpful info?
 
I buy a flea collar, activate it, and put it in the vacuum chamber (or bag, it works in all vacuums) and then vacuum like crazy. I've not used DE inside, but my friend who had the parrot did, and she always walks around in bare feet, no complaints... fleas aren't so bad in the altitude, I'm not that elevated that they pop, like Denver (no fleas!) but it's definitely noticeable from other places I've lived. lots of ticks here tho'...
 

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