chickens and eggs

Well chicken still has two living babies, It's nice to see her protecting them from the turkeys that like to pick on anything little.  Here she is with one of her biddies, settling into the woodpile for the night.

Cathouse chicken (Maj) was on the these eggs again last night until this morning.  I really hope she goes broody.

Also, the nest boxes that we built last weekend were a huge hit.  So far the girls have tried them all out.  One egg in each box.  I'm so relieved that the hens even want to still lay in the chicken house, after being free range for so long.

without a nest box.

This  easter egger hen hatched out 7 chicks sometime over the weekend. Because there were no nest boxes up in the chicken house (yet), she layed out somewhere near the creek, or under a building.  I'm glad she did, because this represents 7 less eggs to have to turn in the incubator.  Also it seems like chicks that are raised by a hen do a lot better, when it comes to survival.

Well chicken, on the other hand, is turning out to be a terrible mother.  She did fine hatching 14 babies, but is now down to 2 chicks.  The next time she goes broody we'll let her hatch and then steal her babies and take care of them in a brooder. 

well chicken

Well Chicken has been moved out of the well with her children.  She started out with 14, and hid the food from them and acted crazy.  Only 5 have survived.

more well chicken and her little ones.

All the sebrights that we tried to transplant under this hen died, I'm not sure if she recognized that they weren't hers, or if they were too stupid to learn what a mother is.  Maybe a combination of both.  When you're born in a hatchery and you have a long history of imbreeding and motherlessness, there are bound to be complications.

and finally a study in camouflage...obviously white/yellow isn't the best choice when trying to blend in with the leaf litter of the forest floor.

well chicken and her diddles

I think the final count was 14, plus 3 sebrights we've added. Seems like a lot of chicks to keep track of, But this hen seems to be keen to accept the task.  We've decided to leave her in the well for a couple weeks, until the diddles get up on their legs and maybe get a few feathers.  This plan should also prevent any dogs (or turkeys) from snacking on them.

chicks are here.

Sorry the photo is so dark, the hen in the well hatched more than a few eggs this weekend.  Last count there were 7 babies, and they all look different from one another.  We bought a few silver sebright chicks at Lucavsville this weekend. Perfect timing, I'll just throw those chicks under this hen and let her raise them.

looking for chicks

Take a simple, unsuspecting walk around the yard, looking for spring blooms.  Go ahead and take a seat on the wishing well.

What's that in the corner.?

Ta-Da!  the first broody hen of the season, She's been on eggs (14) for at least a week and half.  This banty hen has her work cut out for her.  When we pull into the drive way she runs to us immediately looking for corn, or any kind of food, then runs straigt back to her nest.  I hope this means winter is actually finally over.