The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote: my 3 blue sumatra hens all went broody at the same time but then one got off of her nest and the others stole her eggs she did not sit for about 10 days but when the hatching started she became a momma broody hen so I ended up with 3 mothering hens. All of their chicks are in the larger flock and have no problems.

I think one of the 3 original broodies is going broody again. Every time I look out at their nest there is a blue hen on it. But with 3 hens it could just be they are laying one after the other.

My sumatras did not come from any hatchery though. They were from the breeder in Indiana. The black sumatra I got from Stony's chicken eggs still has her 4 very little chicks and she has them integrated with 7 other hens and a younger rooster.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks, Sally. I sent you a message too...I had forgotten to respond before. So... the mamma's don't attack the kids or behave mean toward the kids after they're done with them?

 

[lalaland]

Omg thats a funny story !!!

I don't know of she's thirsty or wants to take a bath in the rain barrel?

Here's a note of caution:

I have a rain barrel in the chicken run to collect the rain off the coop roof. A hen went missing one day - this was a few years ago - and even though I had screening tied on the barrel top, she fell in and drowned. I keep the screen netting on the barrel top, plus a bicycle wheel so any other hens that fly up there don't drown as well.

cute pic, though!

 

[LindaB220]

My broody hens have never turned on or attacked their young ones even when they got older. My current set of young ones have been intergrated into the flock for about 2 weeks now, the moms protected them the first few days, but they didn't need any protecting, really. They are part of the flock now and stand beak to beak w/ any of the others thinking they are just as big and bad. They also found a "rock star" to follow like little groupies.




Rudy, for some reason they have gravitated towards him and even w/ moms, they spend their time following the Rudester.

Love the Rudester. He's so cool

 

[Sally8]

I want to do a survey!  For those of you that have experienced using a broody hen to hatch and brood:

Is there any breed that has a tendency to help the new youngsters become part of the flock as they become "teenagers" and come into adolescence?  Have you experienced a hen that continued to help them become part of the flock as they are coming into adulthood rather than ditching them and even becoming aggressive toward them herself?


Is this a "breed tendency" or is it an "individual bird tendency".


 

My limited experience has shown that my Silkies are the best. Very protective, a great teacher and were able to raise many right along with the rest of the flock. I never worried. Next came my EE's. they were great mom's. maybe not the best at teaching the young un's to get along with the rest, kept to theirselves, but raised their little brood right along with the rest of the flock. Last came my BCM. Ate their children at birth the first year but every year after it's been ok. They co-hatched many eggs and split parenting until the young were 3-4 weeks old and one hen left the little family and went back to roosting with the others. The other hen stayed a few more weeks and then she went back to roosting at night but parented during the day for a short time later. The chicks still go to their little nest by themselves at night. The EE's were the only ones to teach the chicks how to roost. (My Silkies don't really roost anyway). I did have 1 EE that one day decided she was done and flew back into the fence with everyone else and never looked back. She had done a great job with the chicks but she was done. She also laid an egg that day she "flew the coop". In my experience it's been breed tendency. I really haven't seen any of the broodies pecking at the chicks once their done. Sometimes they hang out a little during the day. All is ok.

 

[onmelissa]

I picked up some new babies today...6 ameraucana chicks that are 3-4 days old. Let's start them off right! What do I do?
I'm giving them fermented feed. What else can I do at this age to encourage strong immune systems?
Yogurt? Garlic? ACV? How much and how often?
And how can I protect them from cocci? I have read that some people mix a little adult poo into the litter.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Quote:


Thanks everyone for the input on this so far. Wondering if @aoxa or @delisha or @stonykill may have a comment on this. Or anyone else!
I do not know since chickens change all the time. It is never cut and dry. I would say my males introduce the young into the pack an protect them from juveniles. I have never had adult birds bother chicks except other mothers attacking chicks that get to close to her own chicks unless they are co-brooding. Some of my mothers are mental when they have baby's.

 

[subhanalah]

Well from my experience with a broody once I do have to say they did chase the babies away & peck at them. But a couple weeks later I can't remember the moms pecking at the babies anymore to keep them away. They don't welcome them back as protectors of the babies either, they all just live peacefully together. Well except at roosting hence the reason the babies are sleeping in the nesting box.

The only hen I haven't seen peck at the babies is Edie. She of course tends to stay off a little ways from the big hens. Stella is her roosting buddy. Edie is just very laid back. Excepts everyone.

The babies only "predator" is Stella. Especially when it's time to feed them. She chases and pecks them babies horribly. The babies learned quick to stay away from her. I guess she knows she's not the baby anymore & not pleased with it.

I suspect this behavior stems from being near the bottom of the pecking order and trying furiously to protect that coveted spot. I have one that was like that.

 

[ben absalom]

hi i want to start selling eggs I have my chickens {6} in the huge barnyard by my barn my dad said I can build a bigger coup in our barn by the barnyard size is no issue by the way I can grow my on feed and bail hay to but anyway how many chickens should I get to turn a profit I may have to buy feed as last resort if I run out of corn also I want to get golden comets

 

[lazy gardener]

I think your best bet would be to check the local market. How many eggs do you think you could sell? I wish you the best.