BABY CHICK DILEMNA 911!!!!

[polecat]

Ok guys it finally happened!!!!!!2 of 6 eggs hatched during the night!!!....This is my first hatching ever!!!Have had many chicks b4 but always bought!!!..As u all know by past strings i also have 9 lethal predators runnin round..8 kittens & one mother cat...now the cats have never bothered the chickens ...ever!!! BUT!!!! my chickens ar true free range ..they go in their box at nite except 4 little red who built a nest behind my propane tanks..and hass been diligently awaiting the hatching....She went ballistic when i moved her and her 4 eggs and 2 chicks to the back porch where nothing can even get near her now.....

Here r my concerns!!!
can I take ehr chicks away as soon as they r all hatched ???

i was thinking of slipping a few new eggs to keep her laying...

my other 4 hens lay their eggs in different spots round the property but never really stay on them so i only have one "layer"!!!!!! one of the other hens lays her eggs under little red and ij have marked the originals with a sharpy so i know which ones are the original 6 and take the new eggs out....
will red stay on the nest till "all of them" are hatched if i slip in some new ones????
now chicks seem to b different than other birds if i am correct....they dont by any means seem to need the care of a "mopther " the way most ugly chicks do or am i wrong..
they are very active right now ...how do they get fed???by her??? or once all hatched do they fend for themselves under the wary eye of mom???.aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh help!!!

my real goal would b to slip in some new eggs and keep her on the nest...take away the chicks..and raise them without her......and by so doing....git more chicks...as she is my only layer....
I have not fed the chickens anything for 3 weeks or so as they scratch in the woods...grass,bugs, seedlings and all over the place and all seem to b fine....

Except 4 red who has been on her nest 4 3 weeks!!! i give her grain and water where she is nesting while the others r out foraging..so that she does't have to leave her nest area...i could take the chicks away and put her back to "sit" on new eggs if u think that'll work....slaughter all of the others and not have all of the rummaging round that i do...
should i grain the others hard 4 a few weeks to fatten them up???b4 slaughtering???
so many questions???what to fatten em up with..???

please help guys /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
am pumped though!!! this is so cool!!!! I have loved the fact that these chickens are scratching all round the place but am tired of chasin them off of the porch...its like puttin beef on pasture and then eatin it!!!.I want to thank all that helped me out in my " anyone have laying hens!!!!!

IE: GWS...MARK IN NH... BOONDOX....DLABRIE.....AND RICHZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

AND POPPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..I'm a proud"Grand poppa" now!!!!!!!

Git yer littluns chicks now!!!! Its so cool to watchem grow..6 were given to me late last summer ...have 1st eggs this spring....and now my first chicks born and layed here ever!!!

way too cool!!!!! i am phyched..and betta half has eggs sold at work..$2.00 a dozen!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
help please!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[polecat]

OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bbbbbbbbbbbooooooooooooooooyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jUST WENT OUT AND slipped her 2 more eggs layed in the past day or two!!!! the ones with the?????

and guess what !!!!!!!!!!!!2 more poking out!!!!!!!!!
in a matter of 6 hours MY CHICKEN POPULATION WILL JUST HAVE BOUT DOUBLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
YYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
DDDDOOOOOOOGGGGGGGGIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!

POPPA U GOTTA TRY THIS!!!!!!!!
I CAN C IT NOW!!!!
baked stuffed roasters!!!
barbecue!!!!!!!
chicken n dumplins
chicken n catchetori!!!!
grilled chicken
chickenn stew!!!
chicken pot pie!!!!!! lesssssss ccccc did i miss anything!!
ohh yeah !chicken n biscuits!!!!!!

and no bugs round her this year either!!!!..these things thrive on jap beetles!!!!!and figger out how to jump up and literally kick pole beans to knockem on the ground and then they jist gobblem up!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.will b back soon with updates!!!!!

so i'm gonna need answers quick guys...do i let her bond withem or takem away and (i jist slipped her 2 new eggs...so what to do now!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


oh yeah one more ???..my biggest hen lays a lot bigger eggs!!
and red will lay on anything!!! does bigger egg mean bigger ckns??...i have noticed a differenc in the eggs getting smaller???

is this because they are getting less food??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[polecat]

this makes /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[polecat]

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif!!!!!!!!#3!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


How long b4 these guys eat on their own??/or does she regurgitate food 4 them..like a wild bird does..or can they eat the small chicken /poultry food now???? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[polecat]

here comes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

LlIDDLE RED HAS ALWAYS been my favorite chicken...she is always the first to come up to me during the day and she always never bit or pecked at me when i remove the unmarked eggs that some of the other ckns laid in her nest while she ran around 4 a few mins during her laying...she is a little more protective now that her chicks are hatching but i have always tried to spend a little time with her throughout her laying and she senses that i'm jist there to keep her company!!
The miracleof life/birth/hatching is a really cool thing to be seeing like this!!!........i dont have any children but 4 me this is really cool!!!

 

[polecat]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


and thier first peek at a whole new world!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

AIN'T THAT COOL POPPA!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SO ANOTHER ??? GUYS

I heard it said that a hen will not lay on her eggs till there r enuff to lay on and so that they will all hatch at the same time
????????????i think i under stood that part????
so if i have been taking the eggs and leaving one or two...then maybe that is the reason that liddl red is the only one laying??? am i correct??? so if i leave bout +/- 6 eggs will one of the other hens decide to lay??? one of my other hens layed a third egg which i slipped under red..so she has 2 unhatched originals...3 fresh..and 4 chicks...talk to me bout that ??? please??? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

THE NEW POPPA!!!!!! TODD HALL FROM MAINE....
and jist so u guys dont't misconstrue my elation at what's going on !!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifNO THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME A
CHICKEN!!!!! if'n u guys thought i wass gonna leave that one wide open !!!!!!! well then i guess i know ya'll too well
WONDER WHAT THAT SAY'S BOUT ME THO!!!!!!!
MAYB I'M IN GOOD COMPANY!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
B BACK SOON!!!!!!!!!!! POPPA TOO!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Boondox]

Congratulations, Dad! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

In my experience chickens have one brain cell. Never seen a chick get broken up over being taken away from a hen. In fact, given a nice warm light to hunker under, I think they appreciate not getting stepped on by Mom!

And those cats aren't your only problem. Keep the chicks away from the other chickens. Very cannibalistic little wonders!

Pete

 

[Boondox]

By the way, DON"T help the chicks get out of their shells! Major leg deformities happened last time we tried to be helpful! Keep them warm, free of drafts and predators, and get them drinking soon. Just dip their beaks in water and they get the idea. If it's chilly you might slip a little chik starter into the water...or a tad of sugar if you don't have Quik Chik.

Enjoy the fun! Pete

 

[polecat]

OK ???????????/so as soon as all hatchedthen separate and box raisem while liddle red waits for her nxt few"replacement eggs to hatch????.................AND THANX FOR BEING SO PROMPT!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif U GUYS R AWESOME

BOONDOX...DLABRIE...GWS..RICH Z..I OWE U ALL A CKN!!!!!

MAYBE U GUYS CAN B GOD DADS!!!!!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifLMAO!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif


AND OH YEAH??? WHAT TO FEEDEM...JIST THE GRANULATED STUFF THAT I FEED THE OTHERS??.....AND HOW SOON ???DOES SHE EVER REGURGITATE AND FEEDEM????? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SO TAKEM AWAY NOW????? OR WAIT A FEW HOURS??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[mdbarb]

We are awaiting our third round of hatching right now. We have just left all of them alone, the chicks stay with the hen for a week or two then they seem to be kicked out on their own . We let them wander around all day then put them in at night. They don't seem to bother each other so I was surprised to hear about the cannabalism. The only time we had problems was when the boys grew up to be roosters. Definetly can only have one boss in the yard. The only other problem was when we forgot to close the door to the pen and a racoon got in. Wiped out 7 chicks. Traumatic for my 10 yr. old daughter. odd too as the racoon didn't eat them, it just killed them and stacked them in a pile.
Our cats dont bother the chicks either, they stay way clear, maybe the rooster has explained the rules to them....