If you like watching soap operas, then the farm is no stranger to dramatic events, especially when it comes to hens and their chicks. This past week has been quite busy with hatching after 5 broody hens did their time in the dark hen house for 3 weeks or more. I am happy that each mom now has 1-2 chicks. Fortunately, all the broody hens sat together in the hen house and are now getting along pretty well in the chicken coop. I remember years ago having to lock up hens away from the flock and then use benches and hay bales between them. Now, that was drama!

I’m starting back a few months ago when broody hens hatched 3 chicks which was late winter/early spring. Two cockerels are white/grey, and the pullet is black. The boys have not gotten their voices yet. Any day!

Next, we have 4 5-week olds and 1 4-week old cared for by one hen. A random black chick basically was hatched by a different mamma. This little chick got bored in the dark hen house and joined this merry band. Also, the black pullet mentioned above decided to join and become the big sister to the group. So, we have a nurturing orange hen, a black pullet sister, and four young ones. They stay together and prefer to lay low in the big run away from the busy food area with broody hens and chicks everywhere.

Hatched

Now at 4-5 weeks

This week we have 5 hens with 8 chicks. The black frizzle is still sitting on a bunch of eggs and has a 2-day old chick who is up and about next to her. If this chick continues to chirp with a broody mom more interested in staying on her eggs, I could try to put the chick with a different mom. It may just happen that the chick jumps down from the nesting box on it’s own, and a hen adopts it. I have candled the eggs and they are well developed, 2 already have small cracks so I’m keeping an eye out for more chicks.

I’ve noticed that some hens are more focused on the eggs rather than the chicks, and it has been interesting seeing the chicks adopted by other hens. I have noticed if a hen has 2 black chicks, it will accept another black chick. It will not accept a cream-colored chick.

Life in the Coop

Mr. Tarzan, proud pappa!