- Dec 17, 2012
- 118
- 0
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Hey chicken-people,
I've just come home from a week and a half vacation, and I did notice one of my bantam hens had gone broody a week or two before the trip...and... I got home today and found two baby chicks under her! They are dry and fluffy, hard to say how long they've been out of their eggs! I doubt more than 36 hours. She's got about 6 or 7 more eggs under her as well- there could be more arrivals any time!
I have 9 bantams, 5 cochin and 4 japanese. 2 cochin roosers, 1 japanese. Most hatched 10/31/15, the mama hen is 2 years old, from my older flock. I acquired the young ones in March. 8x8 coop, large grassy run.
I've never had chicks in this fashion, I've only raised incubator babies a handful of times. All 'organically'. What should I do?
So far I've set the mama hen in a new & clean ground-level nesting box with her babies and eggs. I made a private space for them separated by chicken wire, about 2x6, lined with fresh pine shavings, inside the coop. I mashed some pellets for them, and set a shallow waterer in there as well. I plan to acquire chick starter tomorrow when the stores are open. Any suggestions?
I've just come home from a week and a half vacation, and I did notice one of my bantam hens had gone broody a week or two before the trip...and... I got home today and found two baby chicks under her! They are dry and fluffy, hard to say how long they've been out of their eggs! I doubt more than 36 hours. She's got about 6 or 7 more eggs under her as well- there could be more arrivals any time!
I have 9 bantams, 5 cochin and 4 japanese. 2 cochin roosers, 1 japanese. Most hatched 10/31/15, the mama hen is 2 years old, from my older flock. I acquired the young ones in March. 8x8 coop, large grassy run.
I've never had chicks in this fashion, I've only raised incubator babies a handful of times. All 'organically'. What should I do?
So far I've set the mama hen in a new & clean ground-level nesting box with her babies and eggs. I made a private space for them separated by chicken wire, about 2x6, lined with fresh pine shavings, inside the coop. I mashed some pellets for them, and set a shallow waterer in there as well. I plan to acquire chick starter tomorrow when the stores are open. Any suggestions?
