After Mama Hen initially took to the chicks we bought her to round out her family, she decided the two little Midnight Marans were hers, but the Americaunas and Easter Eggers were not. For a couple of nights after the divider netting was installed, I could get them back under her, but after a couple of days, it was obvious she wanted no part of them and didn’t want them near “her” chicks. The 4 light colored chicks managed somehow to get on the other side of the net from her and the other hens were okay with that, but not motherly to them either. The divider net was pulled down so they had the run of the coop and for two nights, Mama Hen put her 4 in a nesting box with her and the other 4 huddled together in an adjacent nesting box. Fortunately, I guess, it has been very hot and they have done okay.
Today, she urged her 4 little dark chicks out of the coup into the run and ultimately farther away from the coop over toward the relative shelter of the grape arbor and wood pile.
She does her best to keep herself between the chicks and me, but I did catch this photo. I tried putting one of the Americana’s that is more darkly marked down near them and she ran her off and tried to peck her. And one of the very light Easter Eggers must have followed her out of the coop or fallen out of the coop and was hiding in the Comfrey plant nearby, loudly protesting.
It looks like she will raise 4 and I will raise 4. The light colored ones are now safely in a large dog crate with wood chips, food and water in the garage.
Next week the temperature is supposed to drop back to something more comfortable for humans and I may have to add one of the heat tables in there with them for a week or so. The 6 we bought seem to be of different ages. The Americana’s look like they may be a week older than the Easter Eggers and Midnight Marans, and they are almost a week older than the two she managed to hatch. The Americana’s are almost feathered out and have long feathered wings. When the Easter Eggers are about 6 weeks old, I will try to reintroduce these to the coop or put the dog crate out in the run or yard so the hens can readapt to them.
Three of the chicks we purchased are going to the friend that gave me the eggs when they are old enough. And with any luck, the remaining 5 will add to our flock to be egg producers late fall or next spring.