[ksalvagno]

Hatching has started. The original hen that was sitting on the nest got kicked out and this black hen took over. 🐣🙂

 

[FizzyGoats]

It’s so sweet to see the little yellow heads poking out from under the black hen. Those are some cuties. Is the white hen beside her the one that kicked out?

 

[ksalvagno]

No. She is actually an additional one. It was a white hen that sat on them for 2 weeks. Those 2 hens were mean enough that she came out of her broodiness.

 

[luvmyherd]

From this:

To:

And
This:

To
This:

Holy Cow!
Love it though.

 

[FizzyGoats]

No. She is actually an additional one. It was a white hen that sat on them for 2 weeks. Those 2 hens were mean enough that she came out of her broodiness.

Aw, poor hen does all the work and someone else swoops in at the last moment to take all the glory.

My best brooder turkey hen, HotRod, was annoyed (the hens weren’t mean to her) out of the nest after hatching the majority of the eggs and went and sat on a different nest. Now both hens and all the chicks have moved in to that nest with HotRod. I think she’s given up trying to have some me time.



[mention]luvmyherd [/mention] My gosh the chicks grew up quickly! And the poults look like they are doing great and growing strong.

 

[Jessica84]

Poor original hen!!! But I guess that’s one way to get them to stop being broody lol oh birds I tell ya!
I could use her to break my blue Turkey hen from being broody. She will NOT take the hint her eggs are no good! She now has a chicken hen with her trying to help
This morning I walked out and there was a cold poult on the front step. I brought it in and put a heat lamp on it and was going to give to the blue hen. We have 2 absolutely worthless cats. The one doesn’t hunt anything, he never has and is just a fat lazy cat. I keep the chicks in the bathroom that way when I leave the dogs in the house I can shut the door and keep them safe. Well this stupid cat decided that he was a hunter after all and got the poor little thing. He has gone in and sat on the counter and just watched them but has NEVER even moved towards them. Savanna, it’s her cat and that cat holds her heart, but she is so upset he did that.

 

[FizzyGoats]

Poor Savanna. It’s so hard when an animal you love kills another animal. I get it. It’s hard to look at them the same for a while, even if it was completely in their nature to do it.

 

[toth boer goats]

🤗

 

[FizzyGoats]

A few hens took the poults out for walks today. Of course when I walk up, they all run back to the coop. I heard one little one cheeping like crazy when I was cleaning the barn. It was lost in the pen and couldn’t figure out how to get back inside. Not one of the three mamas was out looking for it. I helped out of course, but this does make me question the mothering skills of my hens.

 

[ksalvagno]

So cute!

 

[Moers kiko boars]

Awwww look at those cute little guys! We all are new at mothering sometime. Lol shes just learning, with how many?😂🤣

 

[Boer Mama]

Anyone have any luck with their Guinea fowl hatching and being good mamas?
I haven’t even noticed mine nesting yet! My friend said he had one hatch out about 25 chicks. But the next day there was only 2 left 😑
So I’m worried if they do hatch out some I’ll end up losing them all to the cats…

 

[FizzyGoats]

So cute!

Thanks. Do you have any more new fluffy ones yet?

Awwww look at those cute little guys! We all are new at mothering sometime. Lol shes just learning, with how many?

True. There are 3 hens sharing mothering duties over 16 poults. One hen is very broody though and rarely leaves the nest (even though most the littles are ones she hatched out and now she’s trying her luck at another clutch that isn’t hers and probably isn’t going to hatch).

Anyone have any luck with their Guinea fowl hatching and being good mamas?
I haven’t even noticed mine nesting yet! My friend said he had one hatch out about 25 chicks. But the next day there was only 2 left
So I’m worried if they do hatch out some I’ll end up losing them all to the cats…

I’ve never raised guineas but I’ve heard stories. They are unique. I lost two poults to my chickens before I realized eggs were starting to hatch and then battened down the hatches. I was so mad at myself and felt so terrible for them. I imagine cats would get them quickly as well.

 

[ksalvagno]

I had 2 more hatch and found a cracked egg with a dead chick. So I now have 2 white, a buff and a black. 5 more eggs left to hatch.

 

[Cedarwinds Farm]

Anyone have any luck with their Guinea fowl hatching and being good mamas?
I haven’t even noticed mine nesting yet! My friend said he had one hatch out about 25 chicks. But the next day there was only 2 left 😑
So I’m worried if they do hatch out some I’ll end up losing them all to the cats…

We have had some guinea fowl hatch their own eggs. The tricky thing for them does not seem that they're bad setters, but that they like to make nests out in the brush, so predators often get the eggs, the guinea hen, or both. But the keets are very delicate, so if you want them to survive, you will most likely need to either gather up the eggs and incubate them or keep a careful eye out and catch them the day they hatch. They seem to not survive well if left with their mother.

 

[Boer Mama]

We have had some guinea fowl hatch their own eggs. The tricky thing for them does not seem that they're bad setters, but that they like to make nests out in the brush, so predators often get the eggs, the guinea hen, or both. But the keets are very delicate, so if you want them to survive, you will most likely need to either gather up the eggs and incubate them or keep a careful eye out and catch them the day they hatch. They seem to not survive well if left with their mother.

I’ve been trying to see if they are nesting somewhere at all… if they’ve started laying up their eggs, they aren’t sitting yet. They’re mostly just in my yard being little jerks to my chickens 😅

 

[FizzyGoats]

The group of poults venturing out of the coop and in to the pen is getting larger. The ones who don’t want to go out stay with the hen who is still broody and she somehow fits them and the eggs under her. I guess it’s nice that they have options. Wish I could say I planned it like this but this absolutely wasn’t my plan. Mine was to have all separate nests and little runs and keep each hen separated with her poults. I just ran out of time before I could get it built.

 

[ksalvagno]

So cute! I bet it is fun watching them.

I have 5 chicks hatched and 4 eggs left to hatch. The 2 hens are co-parenting.

 

[Boer Mama]

I’ve got a Muscovy hen who should be just about ready to hatch out her nest. She’s been sitting faithfully… I’ve a few others who are still building and haven’t started sitting yet.
With this weeks weather I hope she doesn’t hatch them out for 4-5 more days! 😅

 

[FizzyGoats]

They’re so round! They are pretty dang cute and I love that you have a variety.

I know this will make me sounds as inexperienced as I am, but I had no idea hens (turkey or chicken) would co parent. I thought it would be a disaster not having them separate but it seems to be working out for the better, at least so far. This is definitely a learning experience for me. And I’m glad I have people hear that talked me down when I was freaking out about them being together.