The Front Porch Swing

[PrairieChicks]

It's much better, thank you! Still sore but the bruising has went away and much of the pain. That toe's been broken so many times it's twice the size of the same toe on the left side...

One chick, two didn't make it through the shell but were cheeping the day before.

I do leave a broody alone a couple of days to see if she is dedicated before giving her eggs. She won't need eggs to encourage it if she is truly broody but you can give her a couple to keep her happy until you decide what eggs you want to give her and where you will move her.

You can move her to her own place, away from the other hens, under cover of darkness...don't use much light at all if you can. I just cover her with a towel, pick her up under it and move her to the new nest. Then I load her up with eggs and upturn a cardboard box over her nest to block out light, cut a flap in one end but keep it down and half way through the next day I'll fasten her flap back and place food and water nearby...but don't force her off the nest to eat and drink. She knows what to do and doesn't need to be shown how.

If she stays on that nest all day and stays flattened out in pancake mode, I'll remove her box...if that seems to agitate her, I'll put her box back and let her "hide" if she wants. Some do, some don't.

Good luck with your broody! It's always fun.

Thanks for the advice!! I'll wait a few days and see what she does. I'm trying not to get excited yet.

Those chicks are sooo cute, Lindz! Is that a thermometer on the left side, hanging on the wall? I'm praying for your little girl. (and you).

I'm sorry about losing Lucy, Lovingmyhens. Time spent playing skippo with your daughter is probably just what she needs. And I can hardly wait to see how your chicken math works out!

 

[lindz8504]

Thanks for the advice!! I'll wait a few days and see what she does. I'm trying not to get excited yet.

Those chicks are sooo cute, Lindz! Is that a thermometer on the left side, hanging on the wall? I'm praying for your little girl. (and you).

I'm sorry about losing Lucy, Lovingmyhens. Time spent playing skippo with your daughter is probably just what she needs. And I can hardly wait to see how your chicken math works out!

Yes it is a thermometer.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Acurite-Wireless-Thermometer/16888921

I like that I can have it down at the coop, and still be able to see the temp while I am in the house!

 

[LindaB220]

Ok, got a funny for you. My grandson AJ is 20. Today I put some (store bought) leg quarters out to make stock and for casseroles, etc. My DD Aimee passed by and said why not just bake them and add BBQ sauce. Ok, fine by me. Later I'm in the kitchen doing stuff and AJ goes to his mom and said why is SHE cooking that dark meat WITH bones. She knows I'll never eat anything but boneless white meat.
Later Aimee comes into my room and said "Amazing, AJ said that this is some of the best chicken ever". Twenty years old and never tried dark meat. I'm not a real proponent of white boneless chicken. And that's all that ever is cooked in this house. Now I feel like all my planning for chickens is a blessing. AJ won't know what hit him when he gets a taste of real chicken.

 

[lovingmyhens]

Oh my they are so cute!

 

[lovingmyhens]

Thanks for the advice!!  I'll wait a few days and see what she does.  I'm trying not to get excited yet. 

Those chicks are sooo cute, Lindz!  Is that a thermometer on the left side, hanging on the wall?  I'm praying for your little girl.  (and you).

I'm sorry about losing Lucy, Lovingmyhens.  Time spent playing skippo with your daughter is probably just what she needs.  And I can hardly wait to see how your chicken math works out!

Thanks! My chicken math scares me

 

[lovingmyhens]

Welcome to the Front Porch Frances!  Would you like some Sweet or Unsweetened Tea?  Come anytime!

Yep, that is Johnny Crawford!  I loved Mr. Ed and Rifleman!!

I am so sorry you lost Lucy!  You are in my prayers!

Lindz, I am praying for you and your daughter!  I hope she gets better soon!

Lisa

Thanks Lisa-it was really the weirdest thing ever

 

[lovingmyhens]

I just figured it was a local saying.     Like "not nary a one" (none), "tearing up jake"(destroying something or making a big mess),  "drug through a knot hole"(ragged looking), "sucking hind tit"(left short changed or the loser), "that dog won't hunt" (worthless), etc.  

 

[Blooie]

Ok, got a funny for you. My grandson AJ is 20. Today I put some (store bought) leg quarters out to make stock and for casseroles, etc. My DD Aimee passed by and said why not just bake them and add BBQ sauce. Ok, fine by me. Later I'm in the kitchen doing stuff and AJ goes to his mom and said why is SHE cooking that dark meat WITH bones. She knows I'll never eat anything but boneless white meat.
Later Aimee comes into my room and said "Amazing, AJ said that this is some of the best chicken ever". Twenty years old and never tried dark meat. I'm not a real proponent of white boneless chicken. And that's all that ever is cooked in this house. Now I feel like all my planning for chickens is a blessing. AJ won't know what hit him when he gets a taste of real chicken.

Don't ya love it when that happens?

Loving, those chicks are so cute! Forgive me if I missed it earlier, but are they in a special brooder set-up outdoors? I'm so anxious to get this football team in here outside, but it was spitting snow while we were working on the coop. If I about froze out there in the wind, I know my babies sure would. I'm sorry about Lucy.

Bee, I still consider your "experiment" a success. You had an idea, and you tried it. Maybe some lessons were learned along the way, and that's always a good thing, even when the outcome is far from what we wanted. And I'm so relieved that your toe is getting better - I felt really bad about the prayer bomb. (I really didn't, but it seemed the polite thing to say. I'll bomb ya again if you need another one!)

Did I miss anyone? Been playing a bit of catch up, and obviously not doing very well. <sigh> But we got the roof and some of the walls up on the coop today, two loads of laundry done, ribs, coleslaw and rolls made for dinner and my stove cleaned up, so I've had a full one. Would someone explain to me how chicken dust got all over my stove from three rooms away? It's probably on more stuff than that, but the stove is black and stainless steel - if there's a dust particle anywhere in the county it's gonna show up on that stove!

 

[Blooie]

Oops, I did miss a couple - Lindz, I sure hope your little one is feeling better by now. Isn't it awful when they are sick or hurting and the best we can do is comfort, not cure?

And Leslie, sounds like your jailbreak had a better outcome than the one here at Oleo Acres did last week. I THOUGHT I had all the poopies cleaned up. Not sure how one ended up behind my guitar. I have learned that the nightlights I have for my benefit also give chicks just enough light to get into trouble with, so I figured when the coop is done and Ken gets my outlets put in out there I'm going to put a very dim one in there. Just enough to see to move if they need to.

While I'm thinking of it, I have had the lamp off on the chicks for two days now, and they are doing very well. The big girls keep the little ones warm and have no problem when the babies snuggle in close. This is all in preparation for getting them ready to go outside. Would it be a good idea, since the room is totally dark at night now, to also take out their feeder and then put it back in first thing in the morning so they get used to that? I don't want to leave their food sitting out all night when they're in the coop, and they aren't eating and drinking in the dark anyway. What do my chickey experts think?

 

[lindz8504]

Loving, those chicks are so cute! Forgive me if I missed it earlier, but are they in a special brooder set-up outdoors? I'm so anxious to this football team in here outside, but it was spitting snow while we were working on the coop. If I about froze out there in the wind, I know my babies sure would. I'm sorry about Lucy.

Yes they are in an outside coop. We boarded up the walls halfway and stuffed the wall cavities with feedsacks full of hay for insulation. Have the heatlamp pointed into the corner about 10-12 inches off the floor. They can move around the entire coop which is 5'x8' and move back under the light when they get chilly. I added a flowerpot turned on its side in the corner today because we are supposed to get back down into the 30's in the next couple of days. These chicks are 2&3 weeks old, and are just starting to get some feathers.