first timer

lisavw · **Posted:** Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:34 am

Today my husband and I chose three bantams, $5. each, heinz variety the woman said. The owner had so many chooks it was out of her control, she did not know how old or who was who... also all the chooks were petrified when the owner walked in with us to their huge enclosure with her net. I have seen other enclosures and when the owner walks in they usually come up to them, but not these poor things. I noticed there were baby chics walking around too. I rang the lady and told her the black one was really timid and she thought it may have been one with a baby, but said not to worry.
If we have torn them away from their babies would it be best to go back and get whatever baby is wandering around on its own...or do the other hens just look after them?
If the others look after the babies I can leave it, but do you think I should at least let the hens sit on whatever eggs they lay, if any,to have another baby each? The tractor size could easily handle it as they are three small hens.
how long till they hatch? and if they don't hatch are they best thrown away cos been there too long?

nevit · **Posted:** Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:15 pm

Hi lisavw,
just wonder if she thinks it MAY be it's one which had a baby, and isn't sure, and that she has chooks everywhere in that inclosure, how will you find it's babies even if you wanted to, if it did have a clutch, I would say it would be more then 1 chick, which you would have to save, you may end up with another 6. Sounds to me like the owner has hand raised some and the others she has just left to do what they do and sell off cheap, my inlaws have a property out at Kanungra (think thats how you spell it) and they have bantams everywhere, beautiful chooks running around as they please, never feed or watered or housed, they have a creek and bush and thats where they hang. These chooks won't let you anywhere near them, and run for their lives if you try to approach, even with food. Your little black chook may just be a bit shy in that wild way till she gets used to being fed and pampered by you. In regards to you hatching some more chicks with her, best of luck, hope they do well for you, it's amazing how much joy these little creatures can bring you, just a tip, don't forget about your hubby, I sometimes have to really work hard to get my wife's attention when she is in chook mode. I reckon I be better of dressing up in feathers and flapping, hehehehe.
Thang

Egglive · **Joined:** Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:58 am **Posts:** 267

The chicken will not sit on eggs at any time. She must go 'broody' first. Also, the chickens must be being mated by a rooster within a few days of laying an egg for it to be fertile. If your little hens lay eggs after a few days of being away from a rooster, they won't hatch anyway.

If your little hen was a broody with chicks when you bought her, she won't lay any eggs for a while as they go off laying when looking after babies, and they usually go into a moult. This is usually about three months. Then she should start again. If you aren't sure when that started you don't really know when to expect eggs again, just don't be worried if they don't come straight away. Chickens are very resilient, and if she's just lost her babies, she will forget them very quickly. All you can do is keep her healthy and happy now.

lisavw · **Posted:** Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:07 pm

Thanks guys, It was friday we got the chooks and today (two days later) there was an egg. I have left it there and marked it with a texta...as I want to see if it will hatch.
From what you said about chooks needing to be "broody", it probably won't hatch. However I have yet to sneak up on them to see if one is sitting on the egg. Today we got home and our two dogs came down to see the chooks with us ( to get used to eachother) so dunno if one had been sitting on it till they heard us coming.
Our neighbour recommends we try to handle the chooks every day so yesterday Scott sat for ages in the coop and then after a long time sitting quietly doing nothing so they would get used to the look of him, he managed to catch and hold each one.

....Any one know if they are thirsty will they find the water seeing it is in a completely different looking container than the stainless steel dog bowls that they had in their last home?
I put in a big upside down balloon thing with a saucer at the bottom.

County Lodge · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:20 am

They will be fine with the water and find it no problem.

Re broody chook. If the chook were broody hell and high water would not normally move them off the eggs so you guys going down to the pen even with the dogs should not disturb a broody chook. Sounds like no one is broody at thome as yet. When you put your hand in to collect the eggs the ehn willbe sitting if she is broody and she will fluff right up and make funny little sounds at you. Some can also be aggressive when broody and give you a good peck just to protect the eggs.

greenaus · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:20 pm

And, don't you find it amusing that if we want our chooks to go broody, we don't feel the least bit upset when they peck us, even when they draw blood.

The glee of "you're broody" overcomes the "ouch".

Lisa: You're doing fine. Keep browsing around APF learning as you go. Keep asking questions. It'll all work out.

nevit · **Posted:** Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:07 pm

uummmmmm, lisavw, I don't want to sound silly or make you sound silly, but ummm, you do have a mature bantam rooster there don't you, and he has done the deed hasn't he, cause if you don't and or he didn't, doesn't matter if she sits or not, that egg just won't hatch, again, not trying to have a stab at ya, just making sure, as when I help people with computers, it's amazing what is missed.

Thang.

silver duckwing · **Posted:** Wed Oct 01, 2008 2:29 am

Also, I wouldn't try to pick them up at this stage unless you really need to; just hanging out with them, giving them tidbits, talking quietly to them each day will get them used to you, and they'll soon come running to see what you have brought them! Sounds like they will be well-loved.

lisavw · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:01 pm

Thang, you have not made me feel silly at all, I appreciate you clarifying...one week ago we got these dear little bantams, from a lady who had chooks all sizes and roosters, tiny chics all getting around together. the woman had lost track of who had babies etc.
Because one laid an egg 2 days after they were relocated, I considered it may be fertile and if so, would it be the right thing to do to to let the little mother sit and hatch it. But you guys told me about (brooding?), and that was not the case, so I collected it, and since then, two more eggs and no sitting determinedly on them. So now we are out of the potential fertile egg time frame..i.e.a week with no roosters present.
I have been moving the tractor around approx every 2nd day. They have stopped huddling at the covered end of the tractor and now walk around regularly scratch the grass in the past two days. Today they are enjoying a few fresh lettuce leaves. They have a feeder trough (suspended from a bungy cord) full of darling downs layer pellets, finished that in a week, a big container too!
Should I keep the trough in or out when I give them green stuff? want to encourage a variety of food.

greenaus · **Posted:** Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:52 pm

I'd give them the choice by leaving the feeder trough in there. Let them decide what they want.

My feeder always has feed in it, but when I give them extras, they always get stuck into that. They seem to know it's a bonus...and if they don't eat it right away it mightn't be any good a few hours later.

Edit: took the "a" out of "has a feed".

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