Ribh's D'Coopage

[BDutch]

The chicks are growing nicely though there is some confusion about who exactly is mama.​

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The frizzling is showing up nicely here.​

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Aren’t they fully co-parenting? Mine do this (almost) all the times I had chicks. Last spring I even had a hen who started to join as a mother without brooding.

All the big girls are willing to mate with Leonard. None of the bantams are. He did try with Wrold but she gave him what for & he hasn't tried again.

Good to hear this. Bc my Whisky is way too big for my Dutch bantams. He tried to mate with Pearl a few times. But she gets pissed / angry. I was thinking to separate the 3 juveniles in the playhouse/second run. And the 6 older ladies in the main coop + party run. But if this is not necessary to protect the tiny Dutch I rather give them all the space to walk around.

The 6 ladies in front of the main coop + party run. The second run and playhouse coop are directly behind it but hardly visible.

I am also seeing far more fighting. I have put this down to shifting dynamics in the pecking order due to the arrival of the chicks.

Are you sure this has noting to do with Leonard? I never noticed any shifting because of chicks in my flock.
Only problem I had, was that the chicks when they were ready to roost, weren’t allowed in the roost area of the hens. The got bullied away so mammas and chicks went back to the nest-boxes. Imo it’s important to offer an alternative spot to roost at night when they start practising to roost during the day.

What I would suggest is you consider making/have made a maternity/isolation coop at this stage. It will give you much more felexibilty in how you deal with the broodies. They can be reasonably cheap to make.

A rabbit house with run (second hand) or prefab/flat pack coop/run combination are great options too if you don’t have tools to make one.

 

[Ribh]

Are you sure this has noting to do with Leonard?

Pretty sure. It's mostly Alpia [Wyandotte bantam & one of the mamas] against China & India [Aracauna & Aracauna X] & below her in the pecking order.

 

[Ribh]

Aren’t they fully co-parenting?

You'd probably need to give me more detail. Due to the currawong I can't just open up the coop & let everyone free range. I'd be chickless in no time. Usually Wrold & Alpia opt to go out, leaving Tootsie & Chavi in charge of the babies in the coop. However they all forage & call the chicks. They all nest together @ night. It's just that as the senior hens Alpia & Wrold get 1st dibs on self care. The chicks do show a preference for Chavi & Tootsie. My take on this is that as true bantams they are more chick sized. Tootsie is closest to the colouring of the smallest chick, plus she has the feathered feet. At night, naturally the bigger hens are preferred. I open up the coop for about an hour in the afternoon, just before roosting, & while I have time to rooster with Leonard, & all the mamas range together with the chicks so I'm not sure in what sense you think they aren't fully co~parenting. Even when outside the coop the senior mamas are never far from the chicks & are constantly talking to them.

 

[BY Bob]

Sunrise from high in the air this morning.

 

[BY Bob]

Yes ~ & no. Tootsie has turned into an absolute harridan, screaming @ the mere sight of me & attacking me out of nowhere. Chavi is her usual sweet self. Alpia has become a little more aggressive, while Wrold has calmed down. To my surprise Wrold never objected to me checking on the babies. It is usually Chavi who is left to babysit if the others want to go out. Wrold is very much a "keep up there Tiger mum" sort of mother. Tootsie is a helicopeter mum, Chavi is a nuturer & Alpia falls somewhere between all these. Wrold is a good sitter. She hatched nearly all her eggs but she seems less keen on the mothering aspect of things. Tootsie & Chavi are absolutely wrapt @ being mums & are doing a good job.

Sounds like a division of labor is developing. I wonder if this will break any of them from wanting to sit again? Sydney never went broody again after raising Ned and Lucky.

 

[BDutch]

You'd probably need to give me more detail. Due to the currawong I can't just open up the coop & let everyone free range. I'd be chickless in no time. Usually Wrold & Alpia opt to go out, leaving Tootsie & Chavi in charge of the babies in the coop. However they all forage & call the chicks. They all nest together @ night. It's just that as the senior hens Alpia & Wrold get 1st dibs on self care. The chicks do show a preference for Chavi & Tootsie. My take on this is that as true bantams they are more chick sized. Tootsie is closest to the colouring of the smallest chick, plus she has the feathered feet. At night, naturally the bigger hens are preferred. I open up the coop for about an hour in the afternoon, just before roosting, & while I have time to rooster with Leonard, & all the mamas range together with the chicks so I'm not sure in what sense you think they aren't fully co~parenting. Even when outside the coop the senior mamas are never far from the chicks & are constantly talking to them.

I must have misunderstood. Thanks for the explanation.
The mamma’s do a great job!

 

[LozzyR]

Sunrise from high in the air this morning.

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That’s gorgeous.

 

[Ribh]

Sunrise from high in the air this morning.

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Thanks, Bob. I love getting these little surprises in my thread.

 

[Ribh]

Chavi & chick.​

They are starting to grow up...​

 

[LozzyR]

Chavi & chick.​

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They are starting to grow up...​

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They are adorable!