Aunty e Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 We've been talking about letting the chick and Penny free range with the others as chick is now pretty big at four weeks. So dearly beloved lets them all out into the garden together. Bit of pecking at first from Penny's arch-nemesis Purdy, but Maggie soon stops that. So then my brilliant husband thinks that it's all fine and leaves them all alone together. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! (I know nothing of this by the way as I had said that I wouldn't let them free-range together unless i could supervise and I've had no time to this week). Anyway, Penny and Chick get into the eglu run and won't come out for love nor money, and then the others pile into Penny (I wasn't there but I suspect it was Purdy as she has removed a bit of Penny's comb before) and when I got home it was to Penny COVERED in blood. Blood everywhere. All over her face and Chick screaming its little head off. And OH says to me 'well, shall we leave them in there now they're over the worst of it?'. I nearly hit him. I know I have a laissez-faire attitude towards introducing new chooks, but this does not include blood and partial loss of combs. Anyway, rant over. Penny and Chick are back on their own and I've patched up the comb as best I can with antiseptic. Poor Chick keeps jumping on Penny in a frantic little way, so I don't plan to let them free range together for a week or so (and even then I wil supervise) so that the scab can heal and Chick can forget the shock. I was going to take pictures of Chick for you all, but as Penny now looks like Quasimodo, I may wait until she heals up a bit so you don't think I'm the worst chicken mummy EVER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Oh Aunty E - I was just thinking about Chick and hoping for some photos and an update - this was not what I wanted to hear!!!! I hope your OH has been suitably admonished - MEN!!!!!! That said, it is a good idea to allow them to mix (supervised) while Mum still loves Chick, because when she's had enough of motherhood, she won't protect Chick at all. How about some mingling WITHOUT Purdy when Penny's wounds have healed? This chick rearing business isn't easy is it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 What an Eejit! Poor little chick must be traumatised and is lucky to still be alive. I bet that Penny got injured trying to protect him. I want to let mine freerange in the next few weeks, but i am worried about the other chooks, and also about the kitten, who has had his eyes firmly on the chickies I hope that you told your chap that he's going straight to bed without any dinner tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted October 12, 2006 Author Share Posted October 12, 2006 Well Penny is lots better and seems to be ok under the scab, I'm going to supervise them out together this weekend (when I have the time) and make sure that Purdy is locked in the run and that Penny and Chick can't get into it. I think some of the problem was that the eglu run has nowhere to hide, so if they ran in and couldn't get out, they would have had no option but to cower and get pecked. OH was suitably admonished, and is under no illusions about what he is and isn't supposed to do. Compared to Penny the chick is now huge, but still tiny compared to my big fat hybrids. Mind you they're all pretty docile, it's the araucana you have to watch out for! Anyway, I'm at home tomorrow, so I'll take some pickies of Chick and Penny now that she's looking a bit less horrifying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 Looking forward to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted October 13, 2006 Author Share Posted October 13, 2006 New piccies of chick here. http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f225/AuntyE/Chick/?sc=1&addtype=local Kitty seems to have decided she is also Chick's mummy and hovers near them protectively. V cute. No trouble so far, but I've made sure there are no confined areas they can get into....I still can't work out if chick is a boy or a girl. It hatched nearly five weeks ago and has a little tiny comb, but other than that, I have no idea. I suppose it would help if we had two different sexes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Awww, what a gorgeous little cutie auntye. Try the theory that Lesley read for sexing chooks - open out the wing - if the feathers are all more or less one length, then it's a boy, if there is a definite step i.e. the primary feathers are longer, then it's a girl. This is only a theory and I have tried it out on my babies - the truth will out as they get bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 it's the araucana you have to watch out for! You can see her watching the chick closely in the last photo... He/she is very cute, I like the pictures on the nest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 That is one cute Chick and a very proud Mum you have there! My fingers are crossed that you have Chick and not Chuck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 S/he looks lovely Auntie E! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Awww, it's gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Lovely photos Aunty e - obviously just a waiting game We've got a few where we are just waiting. There is something to be said for hatching autosexing chicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Or Marans . They're supposed to sexable(??) at day olds, then again at 1-2 weeks, but it's easy at between 3 and 4 weeks as the boys start looking lighter than the girls. Am I biased?? Yep!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 North Holland Blues can be sex-linked and so can Welsummers too. I like both!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
