3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[hasnett]

Hi everyone,

 

We recently lost another chook to dastardly mr fox - he came and took her in the middle of the day , i had just run inside to get my mobile and by the time i came back she was gone leaving a pile of feathers. she didn't even make a sound!

 

Thankfully "Dotty" was broodily sitting in the cube. We immediately went out to get some more and the breeder suggested getting some chicks to place under our broody hen.

 

 

We waited until darkness fell and placed the 4 chicks under her, it all went well for 2 days then Dotty started rejecting them. i would wait until she was asleep and place them back under her. unfortunately we lost one chick who must've been shoved out in the night. i placed a large water and feeder in the nest with the babies so that Dotty didn't have easy access to them (she could easily get them if she wanted to and hasn't) The 3 babies refuse to go anywhere near her and she won't let them leave the nest?? She's not really broody anymore but is still sitting on the nest for parts of the day. I think she's too lonely in the run on her own. When i place the chicks in the main part of the house she pecks at them until they go back in the nest.

 

 

What do you think we should do? should we put the babies now 6 weeks old and have lost all their fluff in the run with her or leave them and let nature take its course?

 

 

any advice gratefully received i don't think we can face losing anymore chooks!

 

sx

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear that hasnett, are you able to borrow a brooder from anyone?

 

It's always a risk introducing 'outside' chicks to a broody, best to have a brooder on standby just in case. Perhaps someone on here can lend you one.

[Redwing]

Do you mean that the chicks that you gave to the broody are the six week old ones?

 

If so she wont ever accept them as chicks - they are too old, if a broody takes on outside chicks they need to be a day old, the breeder should have known that

 

They'll need a separate house until they are old enough (about 18 weeks) to be put back with her as a flock

 

They should be fine outside now as the weather has warmed up but if there is a cold spell be prepared to bring them in on the odd night

[The Dogmother]

I hadn't spotted that bit Redwing - looks like you might be right - blooming breeder - she'd never accept them!

 

Sorry, I missed that bit first time around.

[hasnett]

thank you! i have a small cat box, i'll move them to that for the moment! sx