This black sexlink has been broody for three weeks,she had two golf balls under her and last night the chick fairy came and put four buff orpington chicks under her.Went out this morning early to see how they were making out as I was worried (first time I have done this) but all seems fine,she was talking to them but would not let them come out as its cold so I turned on the heat lamp hope to get better pictures later.Who says sexlinks don`t go broody
That's funny - hatching golf balls. She never knew the difference! So cute!
So cute. Sounds like you've made a hole in one...Pic's will be nice. Hay
All four are doing well
Congrats on the golf ball babies! In the last pic mom looks like she saying 'You just try and touch my baby...come on! try it!' LOL!
I think she is saying....just what DID you do?
I must say that is the cutest golf ball I have ever seen. And what a pretty mama hen.
oh that is to funny but you made your hen very happy
Number four is under her
number four is under her,forgot to send picture first time
They are darling!
You did take the golf balls away right? LOL
Yep I took them first that night and then put the babies under her
We put her and the babies outside yesterday and they have the dog kennel for there home,I lock it up at night so nothing gets them.She took them right in last night when it started getting cold,I put a blanket over the door to keep out the cold,she is much happier outside,she was getting nasty in that cage.She is such a good mommy.When the other chickens get near her fence she gets some protective,but she and the babies are safe,hopfully with her and the babies right in the same run it will easier to intergrate them into the flock later on.
oh how wonderful. Glad she is happy about the move
Chickens are a lot like cats in that after a few days they really, really, want to move their chicks. I suppose it is good protection from predators.
Tonight my Penedesenca/Nankin cross tried to lure her two foster Buff Orpington chicks up into the lower branches of the eucalyptus tree, about 15 feet above the ground. Problem is, the chicks are only about 10 days old and can't possibly fly that high. It is her first hatch and she sat up in the tree screeching and screeching while they ran around peeping in the raised bed. I was getting worried, but I just went out and she is with them in the lavender bushes. I think she is spooked by the new feral black cat that is wandering around. I watched him pretty closely, poor skinny thing, and I don't think he is at all interested in the chickens. I had to let her out of the dog crate she hatched the chicks after a week because she was so frantic to move the chicks. I may go and cover them with a scratch pen to keep them safe tonight.
Penedesenca/Nankin cross? Wow, that must have been a little challenging in view of their sizes. The scratch pen sounds like a good plan. Or might she not go back to the crate to sleep?
DrDoolotz, welcome to DavesGarden!
But you look strangely familiar. Surely we have met somewhere before?
Penedesencas are a lot like Leghorns, i.e. scrawny, so I don't think it was terribly traumatic. And my Nankins are remarkabley philosophical about how they acquire progeny.
Penny made it through the night and is shepherding her little charges around the yard. They are exactly the same colour as their step-mum and look very natural with her. But in time they will be great blousy Orpingtons.
Her mother, Rankin the Nankin, hatched some BCM and Silver Dorkings at the same time. But I am not letting them roam. I mean it is only my 5th or 6th attempt at Silver Dorking. Happily, due to a benificent DGer, I am well endowed with Coloured Dorkings which should start to lay very soon:0)
Well thank you Catscan...somehow this place does seem strangely familiar.... :-)
I had some penedesencas but that was before the winter of the great chicken death, and they did not make it, so I never saw them attain full size. I have two hens with self-hatched chicks right now, but they only have one each. One is a jet black Thai rescue hen and the other is a red one - perhaps an RIR mix. Anyway, they both have one chick that is pale yellow fluffed and could end up being white, which I found amusing, given their colours. Of course, who knows what eggs they were sitting on.
I have one other RIR sort who is sitting on 14 eggs right now. This year I became smart and drew lines around the eggs with a black wax pencil. Now I know when other hens try to tuck theirs in with the group of eggs, and I collect them. I hope she hatches more than one though.
Dorkings...hmmm...how mysterious...
She is one mean mama,anyone gets near them and she attacks,she is a good mother,I hope her nastyness does not make the buff orpingtons nasty like her,I have some others that I raised and they are so nice.
This message was edited Jun 13, 2010 8:32 PM
I don't think it is possible to make a Buff Orpington nasty. Noisy, yes, nasty, no.
Yeah, most Buffs are very sweet. We do have one that is a pecker, but not a mean pecker, if that makes sense.
We have a mean momma too, she is a cross between am Australorp and a Polish Roo, she will attack if you come near her or the babies.
Mama brought the babies in to roost with the big girls it was so cute,but she got nervous and took them back out before it got dark and went back to the dog crate.She brings them into the coop of and on during the day and she wants to stay in the coop but she can`t do it yet,she is so protective of those babies.Mama was preening her feathers and the little girl next to her was so tired from getting all the way up there she fell asleep and then mama made her get up and go to the crate.
This message was edited Jun 13, 2010 8:28 PM
That is so cute! I had no idea chickens could be like that.
