MJ's little flock

[Shadrach]

This hatching, raising and integrating business, every time is different in my experience, even different with the same hen with a different batch. With the tribes the environment changed from hatch to hatch and that must have an impact on how well everyone finds their place. At the field, the changes are usually small due to be mainly kept in the run so choices are more limited,
I'm pretty sure that if Sylph was ranging and went to lay an egg it probably wouldn't be in the coop.

 

[MaryJanet]

This hatching, raising and integrating business, every time is different in my experience, even different with the same hen with a different batch. With the tribes the environment changed from hatch to hatch and that must have an impact on how well everyone finds their place. At the field, the changes are usually small due to be mainly kept in the run so choices are more limited,
I'm pretty sure that if Sylph was ranging and went to lay an egg it probably wouldn't be in the coop.

This batch is by far the easiest, so I've no doubt each batch is different.

 

[MaryJanet]

I just got climbed on by two chicks! I thought the video was running but I somehow knocked it off in my bewilderment the vulture was on my knee and an Australorp was on my head!!

 

[MaryJanet]

The chicks interrogated the notion of selfies and wisely decided once was enough. Thank you.

 

[MaryJanet]

Last night some experiments in staying out late commenced.

 

[MaryJanet]

I can only tell the Australorps apart by comparing their combs

 

[MaryJanet]

How is Snowy getting along @LozzyR ?

 

[MaryJanet]

Last night the chicks didn't use the heat plate at all. All the poops were beyond its range.

And today will be hot, so I've let the hens out to laze around under their favourite shady tree and I've set up the fan in the funrun for the chicks and anyone who needs to use the nest.

 

[LozzyR]

How is Snowy getting along @LozzyR ?

She was hot yesterday, either sitting around panting, or standing with her tail down. I gave her her anti-inflammatory a bit earlier, and it cooled down, and she was quite animated this morning.

Thanks for asking!

 

[MaryJanet]

@BY Bob and @RoyalChick I know you both have lots of experience with heat plates. I'm thinking of leaving the heat plate with the chicks until a week of them not using it has passed - I'll be able to tell from morning poop placement. Do you consider a week an adequate timeframe to ensure they're OK without heat? I would rather rely on what the chicks themselves indicate than guidelines like age, as they appear to be maturing at different rates.