Buk Buk, I wanted to share this with you and everyone because it is so funny! We have had 5 chickens symoltaneously (spelled bad I know)have baby chicks on there own. Now our farm is a fixer upper and they were laying in places we did not know where, one in a hollow of a tree, one on a building (we moved her the day they started hatching), one under some tin, 2 in bushes where we could not find them. They would disappear and we would see them very little till 4 weeks later or so.

Anyway they would just be there walking around with their chicks. Right now horror of horrors they are all walking around unprotected. We have been busy with goat problems. There are 2 chickens and a rooster running loose also.

The funny part is that they ALL gather in the same eating areas occaisonally and come out with different amount of chicks than when they went in. My daughters sware that Ms Gobble (chicken not turkey) tries to take the other chicks by getting real close to the other mommies! She started out with 10, then had 13, now has 11. Some times we hold our breath when they are passing to see who will end up with who.

We have been truly blessed with chicks as these chickens were given to us by a previous owner and we did not have a clue they would be mommies! If we lived close enough I would give you a baby! I feel for your mommy! Can you get a chick from someone?

Lynn

-- Lynn (johnnypfc@yahoo.com), July 28, 2001

Answers

Response to Buk Buk this is for you

Oh, i can't imagine! So far i've only had 2 momma hens at one time. And nothing but bad luck when i attempt to integrate everyone when the chicks are less than 2 wks old.

Couple of months ago i had a similar situation. 2 momma's, and i had everyone out & about when the youngest chicks were 1 wk old. I was outside supervising this situation not sure i should leave. Lucky i didn't as 1 momma attacked the other and while they were going at it,the other chickens got riled up & started attacking the week old babies!! Fortunately i was out there to save everyone!

I should've learned my lesson. But this one hen had only ONE chick and i was sure it couldn't be difficult defending 1 chick. And they were so happy to be out & about, scratching around......

Oh well, such is life. Thanks for your kind words! By the time i could make it to the feed store to see if they have bantam chicks on monday, i imagine my sad momma hen will have moved on to her other "hen duties".

I wish my momma hens were like yours. I'm paranoid now, tho. I'm sticking to my "2-wk old rule"!

:-)

-- Buk Buk (bukabuk@hotmail.com), July 28, 2001.