PhantomSlayer
Songster
I know introductions are best done at night but weather and time sensitive situation probably wont allow it. So I took the risk and paid a friend for six, 3 day old BYM chicks. Both broodies had been sitting for over 21 days. None of their eggs hatched.
First off I gave each broody 3. I waited an hour and I was getting the eggs from under one broody gently and she left the nest and her chicks. I waited and watched for a bit before giving the chicks to the other broody. It took me putting fake eggs in there, picking her up and putting her back into the coop to go back to the box. I then gave two back to her putting them under her.. I was gonna do 3 but the other broody is being a biter and none of the other chicks were up front. I waited. Went back out to check on them.
A Yellow chick was outside the box. I thought "Weird" put it back under her and went back to indoor chores because its been off and on raining with possible storms tonight. Waited till the next break in weather and went back out and heard loud chirpings. Took a while found another chick on the other side of the coop. I thought maybe it was the other broodies and gave it to her. Went back in and came back after about 20 minutes with an idea to contain the escapee chicks but as I started to move the broodies box with 2 chicks she got up and went outside low and behold there was only 1 yellow chick and I got worried but I risked it and picked up the other broody and she had 5 chicks under her. She immediately settled back down onto the chicks and remaining eggs. So I gave her the 6th chick and the other broody came back and sat on the fake eggs.
Its weird the two chicks weren't staying under her unlike the other broody. I leave tomorrow night for 9 days. And honestly if these broodies are who I think they are. I think this one broody had a similar issue. One chick hatched but the next day i found it outside the box dead. (Both hens are black australorps).
As of right now the one broody is sitting on all 6 chicks.. The other is still on the fake eggs. Is it possible the one is just a good broody and not a good mom? Should I have kept trying to give her chicks or was it right to give them to the other one who wasn't causing issues?
First off I gave each broody 3. I waited an hour and I was getting the eggs from under one broody gently and she left the nest and her chicks. I waited and watched for a bit before giving the chicks to the other broody. It took me putting fake eggs in there, picking her up and putting her back into the coop to go back to the box. I then gave two back to her putting them under her.. I was gonna do 3 but the other broody is being a biter and none of the other chicks were up front. I waited. Went back out to check on them.
A Yellow chick was outside the box. I thought "Weird" put it back under her and went back to indoor chores because its been off and on raining with possible storms tonight. Waited till the next break in weather and went back out and heard loud chirpings. Took a while found another chick on the other side of the coop. I thought maybe it was the other broodies and gave it to her. Went back in and came back after about 20 minutes with an idea to contain the escapee chicks but as I started to move the broodies box with 2 chicks she got up and went outside low and behold there was only 1 yellow chick and I got worried but I risked it and picked up the other broody and she had 5 chicks under her. She immediately settled back down onto the chicks and remaining eggs. So I gave her the 6th chick and the other broody came back and sat on the fake eggs.
Its weird the two chicks weren't staying under her unlike the other broody. I leave tomorrow night for 9 days. And honestly if these broodies are who I think they are. I think this one broody had a similar issue. One chick hatched but the next day i found it outside the box dead. (Both hens are black australorps).
As of right now the one broody is sitting on all 6 chicks.. The other is still on the fake eggs. Is it possible the one is just a good broody and not a good mom? Should I have kept trying to give her chicks or was it right to give them to the other one who wasn't causing issues?
