Some may remember that from time to time I buy 2-3 day old chickens and I raise them. I also have one particular hen that goes broody frequently and this time round, I tracked down a clutch of fertile eggs to put under her.
She was very diligent and sat on her clutch until they hatched, and then continued on to be a very good mum.
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This old dog kennel is a great spot for situations like this. It is located in The Pullet Palace which our son-in-law built for me when I had my last batch of baby chickens. It is well netted and entirely enclosed so they are safe and I can keep track of them all.
And getting a little more gangly. I was being quite the control freak at the start. Shutting the rest of the flock outside (once they'd laid all their eggs!) and letting this family out of The Pullet Palace into the Chook Yard to scratch around.
I have spent the whole time I have had Mama Hen (I inherited her) encouraging her NOT to be broody. She lays hard out for 3-4 weeks, then just wants to sit on them - with no rooster, the eggs will never hatch. I usually put her in the Naughty Box, just a cage where she can't really nest, for a few days and then she's fine again. Until the next time.
Now I feel like Mama Hen is living her very best life - she's been so looking forward to having her own family. However I'm not sure if I will raise my babies this way again....Mrs Mama Hen has never been able to be handled and she has brought up her babies to be the same - I've not been able to get near them!!
After a while I gave in and let them out into the big wide world. Mama Hen once again guarded them really well and they haven't come to any harm. Not long after I snapped the photo below, she swarmed on that hen off to the side and shooed her away!
I.Do.Not.Want.Roosters!!!!
And I do not want Five roosters and only Two new hens.
I'll wait until I am completely sure and then see if I can give them away. YD also had the thought that we could establish a rooster colony in an area on the farm we are replanting. We'll see.
These guys here went through the stage of having a rooster-looking fight over in this corner, several days in a row. Wings outstretched, feet kicking and a real face off.
They seem to like this hay bale for sitting on. They head here every day when I let them out.
Another face-off starting to happen on the bale!
OK, bed time now, I'm hoping for some sewing tomorrow,
'til then,
happy stitches,
Raewyn
It sounds like your chicken hatching has been a fun exercise, if not 100% successful. At least Mama Hen has had one set of chicks to care for.
ReplyDeleteWas fun watching mother hen with her chicks but you definitely don’t want 5 roosters.
ReplyDeleteMaybe chicken dinner!
Maria lifeontheblock.
Young roosters remind me of teenage boys! Hopefully you can find new homes for them or you could eat them.
ReplyDeleteMomma hen is so pretty with her babies!!! Yes...no roosters!!!
ReplyDeleteI have never tried to raise chickens those little ones sure are cute!
ReplyDeleteI'm caught up on your posts now Raewyn. Love the little Owl ornament and the photos of flowering going on in your land. Very interesting reading about the chickens. What a good mom that hen is! And you must really enjoy the fresh eggs. We have lots of farms in our area with signs out for fresh eggs. I usually get my eggs that way and appreciate the effort that has gone into providing them.
ReplyDeleteYour hens certainly show they have a natural instinct for wanting to be moms and are great at it. The flock is growing, but I too understand why you don't want roosters. Still, I understand they are good about eating bugs so maybe the Rooster Colony setup far away from the Hens may be a good organic way to go.
ReplyDeleteI raised chickens for many years, and was told that you can tell roosters from hens by the way they stand. Roosters stand more upright and their backs slope down between neck and tail; hens' backs are more horizontal. My own experience with raising chicks bore this out.
ReplyDeleteI really miss keeping chickens...
It's been interesting to read about your chicken raising adventures. What to o with the boys, that's a problem.
ReplyDeleteOh, this post takes me back several decades to my grandpa's chicken farm. He was actually a cattle breeder, but his avocation was breeding chickens, and he won many awards. I loved so many things about being with the chickens--feeding, gathering eggs, watching the babies hatch and fluff out under the heat lamps, and getting to hold the little balls of fluff.
ReplyDeleteAnd I recall the fights between the strutting roosters, and their damaged combs afterward. Good luck lowering the male population there.
Lots of nice pictures - hope you are wrong! xx
ReplyDeletewe got some day old chicks years ago and the majority were roosters, so they were named, curry, soup, stew etc
ReplyDeleteMy goodness raising chickens is not an easy job is it!! If they go to the new area ( the roosters) will they form their one colony? Kind of like the ones you see in the rest areas in the gorge past Waihi?
ReplyDeleteLove your chicken and hen photos
ReplyDeleteFun having chickens but I hope you were wrong on the rooster numbers.......
ReplyDelete