In my larger coop I have:
A broody SF due to hatch on Thursday. I recently learned that salmon faverolles is french for "goes broody, lays 2 eggs, goes broody again". One of her eggs was no good and got broken today. And you thought broody poo was the worst smell in the world.
A silkie hen with a single 3 day old chick. She's yet to bring the baby off the nest and I had to force food and water on her today.
Another SF that has 5 week old chicks. She's still taking care of the chicks sometimes, but mostly they are on their own.
Yet another SF that is due to hatch who knows when. We were gone on vacation and DSD failed to note what day she gave the hen eggs.
Three 3 month old cockerels from one of the SFs that is broody again.
It's been pouring rain all day, but the chickens wanted out.
The cockerels always wait until all the adults are in the coop before entering. Then there's alot of squabbling while they try to find a place out of the way to roost.
The 5 week olds wait until just before it's dark to enter. I stood out in the downpour trying to convince them to go in, but nope. My lecture about being coyote bait did nothing. Finally mama came out and convinced them to go in. This is where the problems start.
The chicks want to roost with mama, but they waited too late to go in and couldn't see well enough to jump up to the roost. One chick decided to roost under one of the cockerels. He was not amused. One chick went under a broody, the other under the other broody.
Soaking wet I got down on my hands and knees, risked life and limb to remove the chicks from under the broodies. They are now settled under the correct SF for the night.
Never again will I allow more than one broody at a time. (Do you hear that Sourland??? NEVER!)
A broody SF due to hatch on Thursday. I recently learned that salmon faverolles is french for "goes broody, lays 2 eggs, goes broody again". One of her eggs was no good and got broken today. And you thought broody poo was the worst smell in the world.
A silkie hen with a single 3 day old chick. She's yet to bring the baby off the nest and I had to force food and water on her today.
Another SF that has 5 week old chicks. She's still taking care of the chicks sometimes, but mostly they are on their own.
Yet another SF that is due to hatch who knows when. We were gone on vacation and DSD failed to note what day she gave the hen eggs.
Three 3 month old cockerels from one of the SFs that is broody again.
It's been pouring rain all day, but the chickens wanted out.
The cockerels always wait until all the adults are in the coop before entering. Then there's alot of squabbling while they try to find a place out of the way to roost.
The 5 week olds wait until just before it's dark to enter. I stood out in the downpour trying to convince them to go in, but nope. My lecture about being coyote bait did nothing. Finally mama came out and convinced them to go in. This is where the problems start.
The chicks want to roost with mama, but they waited too late to go in and couldn't see well enough to jump up to the roost. One chick decided to roost under one of the cockerels. He was not amused. One chick went under a broody, the other under the other broody.
Soaking wet I got down on my hands and knees, risked life and limb to remove the chicks from under the broodies. They are now settled under the correct SF for the night.
Never again will I allow more than one broody at a time. (Do you hear that Sourland??? NEVER!)
