Griffin Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I love my Tiger so much! She's my best broody and just when I think I couldn't possibly be more proud of her she goes and excells herself again. Bit of a long story but basically she's not the most sociable chicken and after rearing her last brood had difficulties rejoining the gang. Things reached a head, pardon the pun, when one morning she walked out of the coop with a completely bald head. She's a white Silkie so you can imagine how awful it was for her. I was shocked because my girls have never ever been that spiteful. I penned her seperately elsewhere in the garden but she just paced up and down. She hated being on her own so she was offered the chance of babysitting my growers in the garage. They were Pekins and Silkies aged about 12 weeks. She loved it being in there with them. They were sweet natured, so is she, it was a match made in heaven. She went broody at the start of the year and I ignored her. She was determined so I arranged some eggs for her. Of course by the time they arrived she'd changed her mind! So I bought more to fill up the incy and those are the chicks that hatched 12 days ago. Tiger has been broody again for about five days. The chicks have been in my brooder in the kitchen, Tiger was still in the garage. Today I moved her so that she's on her own in there in a small broody coop. I ventured out there with the smallest chick, ginger Poot, and she immediately was interested in the noise he was making! I put him underneath her and she looked very confused. Bless her socks. He soon settled down and she was talking to him. After an hour or so I put chickwotisnotadutch under her and again, she's accepted it. The lights are off in there now and I hope to sneak in another one or two tonight. If she's still happy and is looking after them as she should tomorrow night I'll get the remaining ones in with her. I hope it all continues to go well and if so they can have a bigger coop at the weekend. Fingers crossed! She's not happy unless she's being a mum and I really really hope this works out. I wouldn't dare try it with the Brahmas and I know the chicks are older than is ideal but the initial signs certainly are that my Tiger can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Plenty seem to have done it on other forums and it's worked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 The first two chicks were lovely and toasty warm asleep under her so I've shoved another two in. That'll do for now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Ahhh - how cute. Can we have a pic of foster mummy & chicks tomorrow please? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Aww Clever girlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 4 happy chicks & a Tiger this morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 lovely story - nature at its finest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Aww can we have some cutie pics pretty please? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 I didn't want to disturb her too much but here's one I took quickly. Ginger Poot poking his head out in the corner, chickwotisnotadutch is hidden under Tiger and the other two were out having something to eat Apologies for the massive amount of dust on the cage Everything in my garage is covered in a thick layer of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 N'aww Don't know how a chicken can look proud ... but she does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Lovely picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Keep your fingers crossed, she's got all seven for the night now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 *crosses my fingers* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 Mission accomplished Seven fat happy chicks and Tiger is beside herself with joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Oh bless her - she will be such a good mummy! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 I'm so pleased for her. I guess this way her health will not suffer as it does when she sits on eggs, she's not lost weight and hopefully she'll not go through her post-broody moult. Obviously it's better for the chicks too to be raised by her and my electricity bill will see the benefits I'm re-arranging my chooks on Sunday, weather permitting, and Tiger can then move to a bigger run. I still can't decide if to put them outside or keep them in the garage though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Any up to date photos of the brood Griffin? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 I've just been to tuck them all in I'll take photos tomorrow, they're four weeks old now. And you were right to think maybe the partridge Silkies were a girl and a boy, I know for sure one is definitely a boy because of the comb so I'm hoping the other is a girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 What a fab story this has been. Can't wait to see pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 How's the bluey one turned out? Oh & not forgetting that cute Dutch one. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Bluey one is a sort of greyish colour with minky browny bits and is now growing what looks to be a black hair do! Chickwotisnotadutch is still very leggy. Jumps and flies well too, it escaped it's pen and I found it perched next to my Silkie lad who is evading the chop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Amazing story, well done Griffin and Tiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Here they all are Chickwotisnotadutch: Buff mottled poot, boy judging by the wattles it's sprouting: Partridge Silkie. Girl hopefully. Porcelain Poot was very unhappy because I'd just had to wash her feet & trousers after a very nasty broody poop incident Girl hopefully. White Silkie. Not sure about what this one is, it's comb is quite wide but no bumps on it yet. The other Partridge Silkie. Boy judging by that comb already. And now the blueish brownish Silkie If it was a cat I'd say it was a blue smoke tortie but it's not so it's just pretty and unusual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
