It has been a crazy few days. Crazy, I say! The barnyard has been in full tilt change since last Thursday when I received my three cute Olive Egger chicks via mail and then Ms. Rapunzel hatched one chick out of four eggs. (One died and the other two never hatched.)
Rapunzel with “her” baby.
In the midst of all of this, I spent three days wonderful days with Excellent Son Sawyer in Durango. I cannot say enough good things about that little town. Except maybe some smart, polite young men might want to shower more. 🙂 Yet I digress. This is about chickens. This round of chicks, my fourth, taught me a few things. I think I’ve changed my mind about how I’ll add chicks to the barnyard from here on out. I’ve ordered baby chicks via mail every year and I’ve been very happy. But what about the chicks? Here’s the timeline, all speeded up. Three baby chicks arrived on Thursday and went into the brooder box in the garage. Rapunzel’s baby chick hatched on Saturday in the nesting box in the coop. I left on Sunday. (Great timing, huh?) Excellent Next Door Neighbor Joy took special care of the animals. I got back on Tuesday.
Garage chicks. VERY cute, but kinda confused.
Like a crazy ninja, I moved Rapunzel and her chick into the new shed mid-afternoon. All good – they settled in immediately. And because it felt like the universe was singing a happy song, at dusk I grabbed those week-old garage chicks and stuck them under Rapunzel and removed the two eggs that weren’t going to hatch. AND IT WORKED!!!!
Rapunzel has been a bit of a loner. Looks like she’s found her family!
A mama jungle gym! Up and over!
Then I sat and watched as those garage chicks transformed from weird little things that roamed aimlessly in the brooder box into babies with a mama. Rapunzel looked at them once and then tucked them under her wing. I saw it up close and personal, and the difference was amazing. The question to myself was, “Should I continue to order baby chicks, even if I don’t have a broody hen, and raise them in the garage or should I make sure all my babies have the chance to be raised by a mother?”
A little blurry, but I accidentally moved too fast and whoosh, they were next to mama so quickly.
Mama vs. garage orphanage? Mama wins by a mile.
All tuckered out from scratching and pecking. So good to have a mama to nap with!
(Shared at HomeAcre Hop, Backyard Farming Connection, Tuesdays With A Twist, Maple Hill Hop, Homestead Barn Hop, Clever Chicks Hop, Homesteaders Hop, Simple Saturdays, Farmgirl Friday, From The Farm Hop, Old Fashioned Friday, Little House Friday and HomeAcre Hop)
Ahhh, Joan, you make me smile! LOVELOVELOVE your blog, how you love your whole family – furry, feathered, four-legged and two!!!!
I am one lucky mama – chicken and otherwise 🙂
What a wonderful experience! If only my four little new ones had a Mama – they do wander confused and seemingly frightened around in their section of the hen house. My previous four little ones are four months old now and just starting to get used to the larger flock. They are not truly accepted by the older hens at night in the hen house yet. None of the ladies will let the girls have roosting space. It’s like they are all saying – ‘This seat is saved!’ Only time will help with the integration. I worry about them so – what’s a mother human hen to do? Thanks for sharing your obvious success!
Thanks Ellen! Those “mature” hens are sometimes less than polite, aren’t they? My Lucy (and Ethel, may she rest in peace) never integrated into the coop and decided roosting with the goats was better! Hopefully Rapunzel will help them get along with the others when the time comes 🙂
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Yay for babies and a good mama. I have a broody hen and will be going down to our feed store to pick up a few chicks to stick under this weekend. Just need to build her area and we’ll be good to go. Love all the Joy in your barnyard right now, makes me smile… 🙂
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Oh, good luck! Has she been broody for long? I’ve got another broody girl, but she’s only been sitting consistently for about a week. I was going to go grab her some eggs tomorrow, but if I count out 21 days…you guessed it, I’m back visiting down in Durango. Maybe I’ll wait a few more days 🙂
I’m with you 100% about the placing the chicks with the broody hen. So much better for everyone; Rapunzel, the chickies and you too. I’m delighted that you have such success with your little blended family and the pics of them are wonderful.
Ten weeks ago I picked up 18 chicks from our feed store and raised them. I had the same thoughts you did about the oddness of chicks not having a Momma hen, even though I was meeting their “needs”. All I can say is I won’t do that again, a broody hen is a welcome hen when there are chicks to be raised.
Every day is a learning day around here! Life is better with a real chicken mama 🙂
Oh, I so agree. I was asked to hatch 6 eggs for a friend recently and only two hatched. I watched as they cheeped sadly and snuggled up to each other. I gave them a feather duster to snuggle into which worked to some extent but it is the same as having a mummy? No!!
I really hope from my current nearly adult flock I get at least one who wants to go broody …
Oh, I love the feather duster idea 🙂 Good luck on getting a broody next summer!
This post warmed my heart so much! I had a broody earlier this spring, but alas, I had no chicks at that time. I want to try this too.
Everyone needs a mama – even chicks! Soooo cute! Thanks for my smile today.
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