Kinda a bad start to the day, considering we way overslept. I get woke up enough that my eyes weren't crossed and decide it's time to go out and deal with my broodies. I get DH to stop what he's doing and come help me. I needed to force my three broodies off their nests and get them out for a bit to stretch their legs. I also needed to remove the bottom of a nestbox (kitty litter box) from under the nest of my one broody. She's due to hatch em this week and I didn't want the chicks to get stuck between the box bottom and the side of the crate.
I have to babysit the nests while my broodies are out, because my meaties are very curious about the broodies nests.
So I get the broodies out, change their food and water, check their nests, etc. Since everything seemed to be fine and the meaties weren't paying much attention the nests, I decided to go to another building for just a minute. Outside the coop I find my adult birds being very mean to the one broody silkie, Jethro. They've previously all gotten along well. It must have been Jethro's broody 'tude that set them off. I chase the adult birds away and rescue Jethro, returning her to her crate.
I go about my business and return to the baby/broody coop. I find the one broody, a SF named Doe, standing outside her crate, screaming. My previously broody meatie, Mercy, in on Doe's nest. She was making herself very comfortable. I went to remove her, she hissed and bit me. Oh no you don't Mercy! You had your shot at broodiness!
Get everyone settled back down and head to the house. On my way I look over at my adult coop and see five of my hens circling their coop, being very loud. Their dumb chicky mama (that would be me) had let them out thru the human door this morning and closed it behind me; forgetting to open their pop door. The girls were doing their best to figure out how to get in to lay their eggs. I ran out and opened the door and they all filed in.
I'm losing my mind. What little I had to lose!
I have to babysit the nests while my broodies are out, because my meaties are very curious about the broodies nests.
So I get the broodies out, change their food and water, check their nests, etc. Since everything seemed to be fine and the meaties weren't paying much attention the nests, I decided to go to another building for just a minute. Outside the coop I find my adult birds being very mean to the one broody silkie, Jethro. They've previously all gotten along well. It must have been Jethro's broody 'tude that set them off. I chase the adult birds away and rescue Jethro, returning her to her crate.
I go about my business and return to the baby/broody coop. I find the one broody, a SF named Doe, standing outside her crate, screaming. My previously broody meatie, Mercy, in on Doe's nest. She was making herself very comfortable. I went to remove her, she hissed and bit me. Oh no you don't Mercy! You had your shot at broodiness!
Get everyone settled back down and head to the house. On my way I look over at my adult coop and see five of my hens circling their coop, being very loud. Their dumb chicky mama (that would be me) had let them out thru the human door this morning and closed it behind me; forgetting to open their pop door. The girls were doing their best to figure out how to get in to lay their eggs. I ran out and opened the door and they all filed in.
I'm losing my mind. What little I had to lose!
