redsunset Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 Thank you luvackicken . It makes it so much easier when you know where they are going and as I do this particular ladies hair every week, she taught me a lot in my early days of chickens and puts up with my inane (slightly obsessive ramblings) every week, lol. And I will get weekly updates. Her last few cockerels were aggressive so have assured her my boys are nice......hope he behaves! As he is half Brahma I hope so as very docile breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Well at last the weather has dried up a little and beautiful day yesterday and today was ok. A client at work said today 'did you know we only had 7 dry days this winter?!?' That explains the water logged garden! Found one of the doodles broody, right by my back door tucked under a New Zealand flax! Think she has been there a while so who knows what she will hatch, if anything/or what mix? Very nearly missed her as so well concealed! Will get the broody coop washed down just incase. Drainage works to commence soon, so may have to restrict the chooks to an 1/8th, or much less of an acre for a couple of months. Not ideal, but need to keep them away while I sort the damage they have done and returfing with mesh over it as determined I will have some grass for them again. Some has survived, but 70% hasn't. Might be a waste of time but if drained well, it 'might survive under mesh '?? Girls are laying well and everyone healthy for now, considering quite a few are coming up for 2.5-3 yrs in the hybrid section Lady who took one of my cockerels and two sisters is delighted with them so happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 Hello, late as usual but been busy with baby chooks! One of the doodles became a mama so have 7 babies in my utility room for now. Have another couple of broodies on the nest so may be more yet.... Hope everyone's chooks are doing well, had snow here yesterday, then sunshine.....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Oh how lovely, but what bad timing with the weather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 My oh my redsunset it looks like your flock is getting bigger by the month! Lets hope the majority are hens. Any chance of a picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 I know, the weather has been lousy this last few days so was glad I got mum and babies indoors last week. When I put her in the cat box with her few chicks I then went to get the remaining eggs and put them in a basket to put back under her. Could hear cheeping and couldn't find a missing chick until I realised it was coming from the basket!! A baby was obviously hard at work making its way out of the shell will see how the other broodies do as its hatching eggs they are on, speckled Sussex, jubilee Orpington and a couple of cream legbars.......fingers crossed! and also for lots of girls! will take a pic soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 This is a very sneaky way of getting around the 'no more chooks' rule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 How are they now? Our weather has been horrible so I'm guessing yours too. Any pics yet? Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Och,the no more hens rule has well and truly gone oot the windae as we say!!! The wee doodles are doing just fine, and in less than a week can spot the tiny little start of wing feathers on a couple already! 3 little black and smokey grey ones, 1 yellow, 1 yellow with black wings?, one sort of brown and yellow and a yellow with a black splash on its head? Be an interesting mix, and they have their moms semi feathered legs. Have ordered a second broody coop with run, plus I have the big shed for any other additions! Don't worry I won't keep them all, will sell some down the line if I get some nice chooks........really wish I had a few acres! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Weather still pants as in far to cold. Should improve by this weekend but won't put the new doodles into broody coop until I see double figures sustained. It was only 8.5 degrees tonight. Once it reaches 12 plus then out they go as cosy coop within the wee run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Not a great pic but some of the little ones... This was a natural hatch almost at my back door, kept inside for about ten days, now out in a wee broody coop with mum. Her sister is sitting on speckled Sussex and exchequer leghorn eggs in her own wee coop....see what happens? Bit of a learning curve for me. Eggs I gave to a Wyandotte in regular coop, the brahma kept stealing some to sit on and other hens trying to lay.....mistake on my part so not expecting anything there. Gonna be a busy summer making pens for them all until old enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 Lovely day finally, which I was delighted with as momma hen managed to dislodge the lid of the wee broody coop and escaped with two babies, lifted the other five out yesterday so at two weeks + old they are now pottering with the big girls . They went into the big shed by their own last night and mum initially forgot she had babies and went up to a roost 4ft up! Lifted her down to remind her and she then remembered 'oh yeah, the kids?!' and nestled down in the straw with them! Exemplary mum through the day teaching them to forage for the chick crumb I scattered under bushes and hide when told to. Was totally delighted today to get a call from a client asking if I still had cockerels, she then passed phone to friend who just got 20 hens recently and she's going to take two. So pleased and so glad I've put off taking them to the vet I can keep the remaining brother no problem. Catching them now will be my job for the weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 That is good news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 What lucky boys And all those chicks too, that's certainly an easy way to getting more chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 21, 2015 Author Share Posted May 21, 2015 Two cockerels boxed late tonight ready for their new home tomorrow with 20 girls 3 wk old baby chooks running around the garden with mum and can't believe how much they have grown and lots of feathering already! Looked at a broody today, heard a wee cheep and got two deep bruises and a cut for being determined to look under her! Never had such an angry broody in my life! Seriously peed of at me going near her, never mind looking at her one chick! Will need oven gloves if I decide to look again but was wanting to see if any eBay eggs hatched! Did give her one of my own so need to know if that was it, or are the rest doing anything. .....need to be patient I guess but did put chick crumb and shallow dish of water out at tea time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 How exciting! You need a broody cam What eggs did you buy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 23, 2015 Author Share Posted May 23, 2015 I bought speckled Sussex and exchequer leghorn. It's now Saturday and no more chicks did put one of my own random ones with her too and have a feeling that may be what hatched? That one she was sitting on for a day or so prior and am mad with myself for not noting the date I put the others under her but did them all at once and know the tiny chick is not a speckled Sussex or leghorn as its a very pale yellow with pale blue/silver? Will give it till Monday before I decide they are probably not viable? Not easy going near the little buff doodle of a mum, need oven gloves! She gets mad as hell!! am almost sure they would be due yesterday? Anyone have luck with eBay eggs through the post? We do get very fast delivery up here, pretty much one day from purchase but know things can get rattled about? The other chicks are almost fully feathered at 3 and a half weeks old now. Weather just terrible, windy, cold, wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 So chuffed. Went out with oven gloves still expecting to see only one chick under the broody and a wee baby exchequer leghorn all fluffed up Will leave her well alone now and hope some more hatch in the next 24 hours. So pleased Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Ah how lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Oh that's brilliant news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 Thanks, am ridiculously happy as first batches of eBay eggs failed so will be chuffed if I get a few from each set under this girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Still only one baby from the eBay eggs. Need I be worried as guessing this one was born early hours of Sunday morning? Should others if viable have appeared by now or am I being impatient? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Anymore babies redsunset?? Hatching can be nerve racking at times I think I read somewhere cold weather can have an effect on the duration of hatches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 No, sadly just the two chicks. Other eggs were rotten and one had died in shell at almost full term as yolk was still to be absorbed. Hen had abandoned the eggs by Monday afternoon so yes, mother hen knows best. I'm glad I gave her one of my own eggs or that would have been a lonely wee chook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsunset Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Been a busy few weeks with one thing and another and yes morehens struck again! Have a big box of little peepers I hatched in an incubator......mix of buff orps, wellsummer, speckled Sussex and a little vorwerk! (Yup, all eBay but mostly Scottish so less time in the postal System) Just tonight I found a little chook that hatched just last summer hidden in a terracotta Alibaba pot that was in its side in some shrubs and noticed a little yellow fluffball peeping out from under her! Luckily I have two weeks off soon so will be busy sorting out coops and some runs for the newbies. Well and truly clucking mad up here now. ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...