The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

You know... I've been thinking about Stony's eggs myself (that sounds pretty personal

okay, there, I said it before LW got a chance) but since none of my girls are cooperating I either have to get an incubator or just wait for an "act of God".

I do have a hatchery BR that is walking around "clooking" a lot. This is not normal for her so I have been keeping an eye on her wondering if she's talking about having kids.

Maybe its like the old saying....*A watched pot doesn't boil* .............................*A watched chicken wont go broody?*

 

[brandislee]

She

   I have seen this many many times. Most often I just trust the broody that there was something wrong with the chick. But I have seen where one hatched really early and the hen kills it. Then is absolutely perfect with the new chicks when they hatch on time. Again I am trusting the broody. If she gets off of the nest to care for one chick she loses all of the rest of the growing chicks. 
    I always trust the broody. Chickens survived thousands of years without human interaction. IMESHO all we humans done is weaken chickens. Making them too relient on people. So I raise mine the way it would have been done 100 or more years ago. 

she pecked the next two as well. I agree with you, but within limits. This is a hatchery bird, and as such she is about the epitome of the weakened state you mention. But the eggs aren't hers, so I'm more invested in ten living than in her instincts. I can't really explain what I mean by that... I guess that letting a weakened bird kill the chicks of the improved(ing) line of EE's I'm working on doesn't do anything for strengthening the flock either. I don't trust this particular hen and I'm taking the chicks that she pecks away to at least give them a chance. She's still got four eggs, two of which are pipped. It's gonna be a long night.

The good news is that I have another broody due to hatch Thurs or Fri, so if any of the pecked chicks survive and look healthy I can just give them to her. And she's not a hatchery bird and was herself raised by a broody, so i have no worries about her. Astonishingly enough, the chicks don't look half bad. If they survive the night they're going to need some serious first aid, though.

 

[stonykill]

She
she pecked the next two as well. I agree with you, but within limits. This is a hatchery bird, and as such she is about the epitome of the weakened state you mention. But the eggs aren't hers, so I'm more invested in ten living than in her instincts. I can't really explain what I mean by that... I guess that letting a weakened bird kill the chicks of the improved(ing) line of EE's I'm working on doesn't do anything for strengthening the flock either. I don't trust this particular hen and I'm taking the chicks that she pecks away to at least give them a chance. She's still got four eggs, two of which are pipped. It's gonna be a long night.

The good news is that I have another broody due to hatch Thurs or Fri, so if any of the pecked chicks survive and look healthy I can just give them to her. And she's not a hatchery bird and was herself raised by a broody, so i have no worries about her. Astonishingly enough, the chicks don't look half bad. If they survive the night they're going to need some serious first aid, though.

no I get what you mean. Only you know your flock and your birds. And the plan is very sound to give any injury survivors to the born from a broody hen.

 

[aoxa]

You know... I've been thinking about Stony's eggs myself (that sounds pretty personal

okay, there, I said it before LW got a chance) but since none of my girls are cooperating I either have to get an incubator or just wait for an "act of God".

I do have a hatchery BR that is walking around "clooking" a lot. This is not normal for her so I have been keeping an eye on her wondering if she's talking about having kids.

That is always my first sign And than the funny "DON"T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" walk. Stony has a picture of that I'm sure.

You can also call it the turkey.. Marge did an amazing turkey impersonation when she was broody. She also got quite good at the dinosaur screech.

 

[stonykill]

That is always my first sign And than the funny "DON"T YOU DARE TOUCH ME!" walk. Stony has a picture of that I'm sure.

You can also call it the turkey.. Marge did an amazing turkey impersonation when she was broody. She also got quite good at the dinosaur screech.

the last 2 are Mama last spring. Some of the boys annoyed her so she flew on my roof

 

[brandislee]

Will she peck any chicks while it's dark? I mean, guess I can say pretty certainly that I'm not going to sit here all night so I guess it doesn't matter. I'll just come out just before sun up. But dang, sun up is early here!

 

[brandislee]

the last 2 are Mama last spring. Some of the boys annoyed her so she flew on my roof

Yep!

 

[aoxa]

the last 2 are Mama last spring. Some of the boys annoyed her so she flew on my roof

This walk is the best. Cracks me up. Mama does it flawlessly!

They get like this when just about anything walks by.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Okay - the turkey walk thing for a broody is new to me. Never knew that they did that. Is that pretty common? Do they all do it or just on occasion?

 

[starlingdaly]

sounds like my place. 4 running around with chicks, 6 more who are still sitting, difference is I don't mess with mama so I don't get pecked

I don't get pecked until mama hen has babies to protect. And even then it really isn't very damaging.
Even my turkey hen is a real dear when broody and has allowed me to move her multiple times without conflict. Guess she knows I'm the head of the flock?