For now they're either named 10, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20 and 22 or else Pip, Peep, Poop, Chip, Cheep, Choop and Lamarr. That's Lamarr/22 in the bottom right. He's the smallest, having just hatched out last night, while Pip/10 is the hulking thing in the middle. They'll get their permanent names as they feather out and exert their personalities.They're almost needing bigger digs. Fiona and I will be picking up a proper chick waterer today and we'll have to recycle a large cardboard box to house them for the next month or so until they're ready to be outside.
If anyone has any tips for introducing new chicks to an existing flock without too much hen-pecking trauma we're all ears.
CUTE! When i introduced mine, the older ones had a go at them for a few days, but they worked their pecking order out quickly without too much injury. it's a sad thing to watch though...
ReplyDeletewell, I must say! They all look like their papa! Congratulations again!
ReplyDeleteHi Miranda,
ReplyDeleteAbout the hens accepting the little ones.
If there would be one of the hens right now that are not laying eggs and kind of preparing to be a mama, preparing nest, etc.
That hen, if it would be let to sit for few days on eggs, and than one by one the little chicks to be sneaked under her - this would make her the adoptive mama, and she would protect the little ones.
Might also work to put the little ones together in a protected area with just one hen, providing enough amount food that she can eat the goodies what the little ones are eating. This might also trigger the "maternal" instinct.
(First method is practiced by my mother in Hungary, and it does work.)
Good luck,
S
S, I'd love to try the first method but unfortunately we don't have any broody hens right now. We'll keep the second method in mind. The chicks are too little, and the weather too cold, to be outside just yet, so to some extent what method we use will depend on how big they are when we need to integrate them.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, they do look like their papa, don't they! I love the suspense of watching to see how Ameraucanas feather out. There is such variety possible.
ReplyDelete