We had a "community" nest going on, and I let a broody peahen take care of the eggs. Figured if they hatch they hatch, if not thats ok too. We only had a total of 8 eggs. After throughly checking the eggs 2 ended up being duck eggs, so that left me with 6 pea eggs. I know my broody bs midnight hen was laying, as well as my 2nd year pied female. The other two bs midnight hens I do not think were laying anymore.
Saw two chicks running around the pen yesterday evening! Looks like a regular India blue--so must have been from Jade my pied hen (There is a BS midnight male and a pied male..I've only seen the BS midnight male laying..so right now I am assuming chick is India blue split BS, Midnight, and Pied??) Also looks to be a bs midnight chick. However, it seems to be that the pied female has stolen the chicks. She is keeping them warm, showing them around the pen, and protecting them. Is it common for hens to "steal" chicks? The hen who was sitting on the eggs is upset, and has not went back to her nest. Just frantically follows the pied hen and the chicks.
We'll be pulling the chicks today, as I've seen the chicks getting stepped on here and there by someone.
Earlier I hatched out two BS midnight chicks out of the incubator..so 4 total chicks this season-- not horrible when you were expecting to get zero chicks!
Saw two chicks running around the pen yesterday evening! Looks like a regular India blue--so must have been from Jade my pied hen (There is a BS midnight male and a pied male..I've only seen the BS midnight male laying..so right now I am assuming chick is India blue split BS, Midnight, and Pied??) Also looks to be a bs midnight chick. However, it seems to be that the pied female has stolen the chicks. She is keeping them warm, showing them around the pen, and protecting them. Is it common for hens to "steal" chicks? The hen who was sitting on the eggs is upset, and has not went back to her nest. Just frantically follows the pied hen and the chicks.
We'll be pulling the chicks today, as I've seen the chicks getting stepped on here and there by someone.
Earlier I hatched out two BS midnight chicks out of the incubator..so 4 total chicks this season-- not horrible when you were expecting to get zero chicks!
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