Virginia

[gbtwinsmommy]

We have eggs that go into lockdown tomorrow! Can't wait to see what hatches. Rooster is a GLW but there are several kinds of hens, GLW and Buff Orpington's and a few Black Australorp. We did hatch 6 chicks a few weeks ago and 5 were GLW and one GLW/Buff mix. Can't wait to see the babies!

 

[HaplessRunner]

It is always exciting to see what hatches whether they are pure breeds or barnyard mixes. I find that I am fascinated during hatching days. I am always trying to see what comes out and remaining aware of who might just need a little help getting out.

 

[canesisters]

Alright all you hatch-a-holics, I need a little advice.

Here's the setup. 8'x8' coop. Roost wall to wall along one side with shelf underneath. Simple screens closing in the 'nursery' area under the roost (2'x8'). One mama with babies in ground-level nest at one end of the nursery and one mama in the nestbox at the other end. There are 4 good, strong hatchlings with Sola on the ground - 1 questionable baby and 1 egg still to hatch with Nova in the nest.
There are a lot of steps to get into and out of the coop.









The two 5-week old(?) chicks are in the tractor on the other side of the yard.


Once all the eggs are hatched and Nova has either been moved out or onto a ground level nest of her own there will NOT be enough room in that 2'x8'space. Sola is TRASHING it daily trying to show the babies how to scratch and such.
There is a nasty-brat of a roo and 5 other hens in the coop/run.

SO - here's the question(s):
Once all the hatching is finished - Should I just let the mamas loose in the coop and hope that none of the babies make it up those steps and out before they're also able to make it back in?
OR - should I return 1 mama to the flock and move one mama to a nest set up in the bottom of the tractor and let her share the 3'x10' with the 2 bigger chicks?

I know that I tend to worry way too much over these things, and that whatever the situation the hens are most likely capable of handling it - but some opinions from folks who have hatched babies before would be helpful.

 

[KDbeads]

Me personally, I'd put both mommas in the tractor with the babies. I like to keep my new babies away from the rest for a month.

 

[SoManyHats]

Hello Virginians, I am having a huge poultry swap meet in Sharpsburg, MD on June 8th and wanted to let you know about it. Green Hill Farm 5329 Mondell Rd. Sharpsburg, MD. 21782 Website. http://mdpoultryswap.blogspot.com/ ..find us on Facebook too!

We close on our house in VA on June 7th, and plan to go to this swap the next day. It will be our first, and I am super excited!

 

[canesisters]

OK... mommas in the tractor WITH the 2 older chicks - not a great idea.
The mommas are happy, and the hatchlings are doing well. But I thought they were going to KILL Lido & Benzo!

At first, it looked like the hens were just going to chase them away from the itty-bittys so I ignored the occasional pecking and screaming. But then all of a sudden - when the hens & chicks were on one end of the tractor and the 2 older chicks were on the other - both hens just took off and attacked them! Lido & Benzo ran behind the tote I had put in for a nest and the hens split up and trapped them back there. There were feathers flying and the chicks were screaming - the hens were pecking and scratching at them... I dove in that door and snatched up Lido and stuffed her up in the top part. When I went back for Benzo, he had gotten his head and one wing stuck under the wire floor and both hens were trying to stomp a mudhole in him! I'm not sure who was more scared - the chicks or me.
I know, I know....Of course the hens would fiercely defend the chicks - I just didn't think that they would be quite so 'proactive' about it.
So for now, Lido & Benzo (none the worse for wear) are in the top part and the hens & babies have the bottom.

Oh - final chick count 4 live, healthy black & white chicks. All marked nearly the same - 2 with feathered legs. Wish there was some way to know which ones were male and which were female, I could take the males to the Hargraves swap on 6/22.

 

[DirtyAnkleAcres]

Poultry & Small Farm Animal Swap Meet


Please Come On Out & Join Us On:

JUNE 1st
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
RAIN OR SHINE

Culpeper Tractor Supply
588 Culpeper Town Square
Culpeper, VA 22701


There may be all kinds of Poultry, Water Fowl, Pea Fowl, Rabbits, Turkeys, Guineas, Goats, Cages and Much Much More!
For More Info Please Visit: www.petchickensofvirginia.com
You Can Also Follow Us On Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=121067257932498

 

[bowen012]

which swap was that?

of the 2, roanoke is the biggest (3rd saturdays) but christiansburg (1st saturdays) is pretty good too. i do both.

the swap at southern states in roanoke/troutville, i think this was the first one ever. there were 2 people there.

Dan will probably be in c'burg. he raises wheaten marans and welsummer (pm me for his phone # if you want to talk before the swap). he's usually at roanoke and c'burg.

I plan to be there, but not sure what i'll have, other than some EE chicks and maybe a couple young pairs of mille fleur bantam cochins.

Stopped by the Christiansburg swap early but didn't buy anything. One of the first vendors I came to had some silkies and one appeared pretty ill; couldn't walk, panting (but it was hot so hard to focus on the cause here). Either a significantly injured leg or some sort of paralyzing disease maybe. Whatever the culprit, I didn't want to bring any funk home to my birds so skipped on buying anything at the location completely. Maybe a bit overly cautious, but what ca you do. Sick birds commonplace at these swap style TSC meets?

 

[pysankigirl]

Stopped by the Christiansburg swap early but didn't buy anything. One of the first vendors I came to had some silkies and one appeared pretty ill; couldn't walk, panting (but it was hot so hard to focus on the cause here). Either a significantly injured leg or some sort of paralyzing disease maybe. Whatever the culprit, I didn't want to bring any funk home to my birds so skipped on buying anything at the location completely. Maybe a bit overly cautious, but what ca you do. Sick birds commonplace at these swap style TSC meets?

that is disturbing. I would not have brought anything home either.

 

[bowen012]

that is disturbing. I would not have brought anything home either.

Giving up hope of a quality swap in my area really. Once I'm ready to thin down a couple of my potential cockerels, I'll likely just suck it up ad pay shipping for birds that are hopefully not going to arrive with some sort of crud that will infect my flock. Definitely a irritating way to spend a Saturday (about 80 minutes round trip commute just to see potentially contagious birds).

Edit

Unfortunately just learned that a friend wound up with said sick silkie. Vendor give it to them for free "because he wanted to find it a good home." Guy claims it's just a gimpy walk and it wouldn't move around in the cage because it didn't like the cage. No doubt it was lame for one reason or another; but a bad leg doesn't seem on par with how the chicken was behaving. Will update and try to get photos of the chicken next time Im at his house if the chicken survives that long.