The looks I'm getting are priceless!

[gritsar]

The three chickateers are growing up and fitting in nicely in their flock. Problem is, they aren't content to sleep on a lower roost, like lower members of the pecking order should, they want to be right up there on the top roost.

Last night I went in to shut things up and found TJ and Rowdy already roosting, under one of my EEs wings. She is not the mama. She wasn't very happy, but I could tell she didn't have a clue what to do about it.

Cash, the roo chick, hadn't made it up on the roost and was running around peeping on the floor. He came running to me when I opened the coop door, so I scooped him up and put him up on the roost. He immediately dived under my roo Impy's wings. Impy was shocked and gave me his best stinkeye, like it was my fault.

Soon there will be 9 more chicks running around in the coop, bossing the big birds around. I can't wait!

 

[artsyrobin]

and where are the pics!!! ahhh- gotta love em- clueless to political correctness!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Personally, I'd have left Cash on the floor. At some point, children need to learn responsibility. Starting them young helps. Of course, I am a lot more cold-hearted that you.

Nine more. I've obviously missed some posts.

Sounds like there might be hope for Impy. Some roosters do help take care of chicks.

Having young chickens in the coop can be interesting. There is risk that the older ones will pick on them or even hurt them, but strange things happen. I had a fairly young rooster, somewhere around 17 weeks old, take over the dominant rooster's roosting spot by the window with the more dominant hens. During the day, the mature rooster was clearly dominant, keeping the young one a certain distance from the mature harem. But at night on the roost, he was a milquetoast.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:

Leave baby Cash on the floor to figure it out?!? I couldn't. His peeping would haunt me all night long.

Impy is being an excellent daddy to the chicks, taking care of them during the day. They climb all over him and he's not bothered by it, but at night he wants his beauty sleep (Lord knows he needs LOTS of beauty sleep).

Ridge, Doe's sister "Ray" is now sitting on nine brahma eggs. She couldn't make up her mind about this whole broody business so I stuck the pile of eggs under her. She hasn't moved since.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Aww, I love when they snuggle under the rooster.


I would have picked up little Cash also.

Becareful though it starts a horrible habbit

that some refuse to out-grow, you might want to start setting him on the ladder and encouraging him to climb.



I have an Orpington cross pullet (july 2010 hatch) who greets me every night at lock-up to be lifted to the roost. If I am late, late, late - she is bedded down on the floor

Only two nights in her life has she actually climbed the ladder and put herself to roost. I am not sure what happened, but she is back to running out the pop door when she sees me coming.

She is a night owl also, super low light and she is running around like it is daylight. Full moons, I can hardly get her into the coop.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
My Lil'Bit always waited for me to put her on the roost. I guess that's why I don't mind with the chickateers. For broody raised chicks they are the friendliest little things.

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

Awww. Father-son bonding