Silly chicken update
(I have so much I want to update here, and yet here I am, doing a fluffy update. Kinda literally.)
Background:
Last week one of our hens managed to hatch two chicks. One got lost (probably a hawk) two days later (*sniff*) and a day after that, cerulean_me asked around if anyone wanted three chicks - she inadvertently had 5 and only wanted 2. I said we could try them out, if they weren't too much bigger than ours, because apparently you can just slide baby chicks under a new mama and she'll just take them in as her own.
Introducing these new chicks to the mama, and the flock, has been a bit of a comedy.
The theory: Slide new chicks under a mama with her own chicks, while she's sleeping, and in the morning, they will all be one big family, and she'll watch out for them, like her own.
The fact: Although chickens DO go into a sort of stupor at night, mama hens are perfectly able to peck the bejesus out of your hand if you try to slide ANYTHING *near* their feathery butts while they are sitting on their babies.
The theory: New chicks will love their new mama.
The fact: If the new chicks have just spent several days being handled by people, they will be a little confused about the whole concept of "the mama."
The theory: Mama hen will consider the new chicks her own, in the morning.
The fact: This mostly worked out, actually. See above about chicks having confusion about this issue, however.
The theory: One person should be able to put the chickens to bed for the night.
The fact: It will take two people, a flashlight, and a big stick - just in case (we have an evil rooster.) One person will have to go rescue the new chicks from the corner in which they are peeping and bring them near the mama, who is NOT sleeping easily in the nest box because THREE OF HER CHICKS WON'T COME TO BED! It will take one person to VOLUNTARILY get attacked by the mama hen, by holding one of the chicks close enough to agitate her, because she MUST leave the nest box long enough for the OTHER person to (gently) fling the little guys into the nest box, BEHIND her, where she will return and triumphantly sit on them. This is necessary because if you try to fling the chicks in FRONT of her, she will peck them as if they are her own children, thinking they will realize that means "HEY! It's BEDTIME! Get under my feathers!" when instead, they will be all, "ACK! My head is being pecked! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!" If they are behind her, she won't peck them, and they'll ALL settle down.
This was pretty much the funniest bit, by far. There is a lot of "get two in, and another comes out" before it all works out and no one is getting pecked for being out of bed, and running away.
The theory: It won't take that long for two reasonably intelligent adults to figure that out.
The fact: It took almost a half hour last night. We were quicker at it tonight.
The theory: The stupid evil rooster will stay stupefied up in his perch while we are apparently molesting his hen, and her babies, on the floor of the coop, with our backs to him and the other hens.
The fact: I love it when theory works out like that! Phew!
So, 24 hours, there are still four chicks - 3 small, and one tiny!
Background:
Last week one of our hens managed to hatch two chicks. One got lost (probably a hawk) two days later (*sniff*) and a day after that, cerulean_me asked around if anyone wanted three chicks - she inadvertently had 5 and only wanted 2. I said we could try them out, if they weren't too much bigger than ours, because apparently you can just slide baby chicks under a new mama and she'll just take them in as her own.
Introducing these new chicks to the mama, and the flock, has been a bit of a comedy.
The theory: Slide new chicks under a mama with her own chicks, while she's sleeping, and in the morning, they will all be one big family, and she'll watch out for them, like her own.
The fact: Although chickens DO go into a sort of stupor at night, mama hens are perfectly able to peck the bejesus out of your hand if you try to slide ANYTHING *near* their feathery butts while they are sitting on their babies.
The theory: New chicks will love their new mama.
The fact: If the new chicks have just spent several days being handled by people, they will be a little confused about the whole concept of "the mama."
The theory: Mama hen will consider the new chicks her own, in the morning.
The fact: This mostly worked out, actually. See above about chicks having confusion about this issue, however.
The theory: One person should be able to put the chickens to bed for the night.
The fact: It will take two people, a flashlight, and a big stick - just in case (we have an evil rooster.) One person will have to go rescue the new chicks from the corner in which they are peeping and bring them near the mama, who is NOT sleeping easily in the nest box because THREE OF HER CHICKS WON'T COME TO BED! It will take one person to VOLUNTARILY get attacked by the mama hen, by holding one of the chicks close enough to agitate her, because she MUST leave the nest box long enough for the OTHER person to (gently) fling the little guys into the nest box, BEHIND her, where she will return and triumphantly sit on them. This is necessary because if you try to fling the chicks in FRONT of her, she will peck them as if they are her own children, thinking they will realize that means "HEY! It's BEDTIME! Get under my feathers!" when instead, they will be all, "ACK! My head is being pecked! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!" If they are behind her, she won't peck them, and they'll ALL settle down.
This was pretty much the funniest bit, by far. There is a lot of "get two in, and another comes out" before it all works out and no one is getting pecked for being out of bed, and running away.
The theory: It won't take that long for two reasonably intelligent adults to figure that out.
The fact: It took almost a half hour last night. We were quicker at it tonight.
The theory: The stupid evil rooster will stay stupefied up in his perch while we are apparently molesting his hen, and her babies, on the floor of the coop, with our backs to him and the other hens.
The fact: I love it when theory works out like that! Phew!
So, 24 hours, there are still four chicks - 3 small, and one tiny!