Farm Journal -- Chicks & Turkeys Update
It's been a bit since I last posted, and not surprisingly quite a bit has happened. The little hen hatched out six of her remaining 10 eggs that she had been sitting on. I gave her a few extra days to make sure she wouldn't hatch any more before finally disposing of the dead eggs this morning.
To recap, she had originally managed to collect a clutch of some 14 eggs in tall grass behind the new coop I'm building. To keep her and her eggs from becoming a late night snack, acogswell and I moved her and the eggs to the greenhouse, where she dutifully sat for the next week or so. In that time, she had pushed out four of the eggs, leaving her with 10 underneath her to hatch. Now, six of those have finally hatched.
Sadly, one of the six did not make it. It died within the first 24 hours or so. I suspect it was underdeveloped and wouldn't have survived even if I had intervened. My neighbor grabbed the fifth chick, believing it was failing to thrive. I think it would have been fine, but, hey, she wanted it, and I certainly have enough chickens. So now it's lounging in her house in a shoebox under a heat lamp. The remaining four are doing well in the greenhouse with their mother. They're eating and drinking, and the mother hen is taking good care of them. I have them separated from the rest of the flock by some chicken wire, but the other hens and -- more importantly -- the main rooster can still see them and get close. I have found that this is the best way to introduce new birds to a flock by letting them get accustomed to each other through chicken wire. They can see each other; they just can beat on each other.
The turkeys are now a little over four months old. I can already see the largest male has taken on the role of the tom, while another smaller male is the jake. The tom has been courting one of the turkeys, which looks to be a hen. The tom is starting to strut and has even tried to get it on with the hen. They're still juveniles, though, and the hen doesn't appear to be interested in him in the slightest. I think there are two males and two hens, but I'm not sure. It's hard to tell at this stage, so I'll have to wait to see as they age.
I have video of the chicks and the turkeys, which I need to post. I should have a chance to get to it this weekend.
To recap, she had originally managed to collect a clutch of some 14 eggs in tall grass behind the new coop I'm building. To keep her and her eggs from becoming a late night snack, acogswell and I moved her and the eggs to the greenhouse, where she dutifully sat for the next week or so. In that time, she had pushed out four of the eggs, leaving her with 10 underneath her to hatch. Now, six of those have finally hatched.
Sadly, one of the six did not make it. It died within the first 24 hours or so. I suspect it was underdeveloped and wouldn't have survived even if I had intervened. My neighbor grabbed the fifth chick, believing it was failing to thrive. I think it would have been fine, but, hey, she wanted it, and I certainly have enough chickens. So now it's lounging in her house in a shoebox under a heat lamp. The remaining four are doing well in the greenhouse with their mother. They're eating and drinking, and the mother hen is taking good care of them. I have them separated from the rest of the flock by some chicken wire, but the other hens and -- more importantly -- the main rooster can still see them and get close. I have found that this is the best way to introduce new birds to a flock by letting them get accustomed to each other through chicken wire. They can see each other; they just can beat on each other.
The turkeys are now a little over four months old. I can already see the largest male has taken on the role of the tom, while another smaller male is the jake. The tom has been courting one of the turkeys, which looks to be a hen. The tom is starting to strut and has even tried to get it on with the hen. They're still juveniles, though, and the hen doesn't appear to be interested in him in the slightest. I think there are two males and two hens, but I'm not sure. It's hard to tell at this stage, so I'll have to wait to see as they age.
I have video of the chicks and the turkeys, which I need to post. I should have a chance to get to it this weekend.