All my Chicks, gather around Mama's apron
6 years ago
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5 years ago
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adding 2 chicks to hen with 2 chicks
Comments (4)There are two methods that MAY work... although they are risky with that much difference in age between the chicks. Still, I successfully added a couple of chicks that were about five days younger than the others using what I like to call the "two for one" method. A kid thought this one up and his mother posted it on the forum a long time ago. One bright kid! Put the two orphaned chicks in a bucket (not a clear one) or similar container. Kidnap the hen's current babies and add them to the bucket. (A butterfly net works great for catching them.) The stolen chicks will set up a frantic peeping once they cannot see Mama... and Mama will fuss and scold and generally work herself up into a tizzy. The more upset she is, the better. When you get to the point when it looks like Mama's eyeballs will pop out of her head, lower the bucket and let out all four chicks. Typically Mama will be confused and know something is different, but will not be able to figure out what, since hens cannot count. And she is so relieved to have her babies back that she doesn't much care and accepts them all. But be ready to pull the younger chicks out if she starts hurting them. I've done this a few times and never had it fail. Hens are birdbrains. I THINK they can tell the difference between "one" and "more than one"... but not the difference between two and three or four. The more the chicks look alike, the better chance of success. The other method is the tried and true "wait until dark" method. You simply sneak them under her with her own when she is asleep and she assumes they are all hers when she wakes up. If it doesn't work, however, she may harm or kill the newcomers unless you are on the spot early to check on them. Forget the Vicks or other scent confusers. Chickens don't use scent to identify their young. They rely on sound and sight and situation. "They are under my wings so they must be mine." Good luck! And please post an update so we know how it turns out!...See MoreMama Hen Murdered -- Now What?
Comments (7)I'm sorry you lost your mama hen. :( You might want to show the youngster a little extra attention for the next week or so, I'm sure it's stressed. Echoing what everyone else has said here...but I'll add that it's likely, especially with raccoons, that not only will it come back, but it will tell it's friends and family where to find a chicken dinner and bring THEM along, too. Protect your birds ASAP. We use welded wire hardware cloth for our chicken coop & run. It has very small openings that no predator can reach through or squeeze through (keeps out mice, rats and sparrows too--while they aren't necessarily predators, they ARE disease vectors). The way to think about your chicken housing being secure enough is this: if you think that you can run headlong at it and either knock it down or tear it down with your bare hands...so can a predator. You should be able to stand back and kick the wire repeatedly, as hard as you can, with no damage or major bending to the wire. We've had many a story told on this forum of the neighbor's big dog jumping the fence and tearing apart the chicken run to get at the chickens. :( Also, where the fencing touches the ground, dig a trench and extend the wire about six inches below ground and bend it outward. This foils any predator that tries to dig under the wire to get to your birds. Velvet ~:>...See MoreStill no Mama Martin; we witnessed a fledge-in-progress!
Comments (4)Lisa, how exciting! Purple Martins need every informed and dedicated landlord they can get to keep them from the brink of extinction. As do all our native bluebirds, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and other cavity nesters so threatened and decimated by lack of habitat and predation by EHSs and EUST (non-native European House Sparrows and European Starlings). If you could manage even a colony of only four gourds, or the large (new specs) 4 house colony, it would do wonders for the species in your area. I always try to encourage new "landlords" to go slow, study everything, and start with fewer, but much larger cavities, such as the gourds or houses with 7"x7"x12" compartments. The ASYs and SYs I referred to with the martins are just more Martins. The initials refer to their age/breeding/plumage status. Yes, PMs will allow other PMs to help feed their young. Sometimes the SY males help feed; sometimes they just harass the nestlings, hoping to encourage the female to renest with them. They little home-wreckers! The martins don't mind when the doves, gold finches, hummingbirds (!), etc. perch on the rack. They fight with the Tree Swallows; I can send you info on how to manage Tree Swallows and Bluebirds so you can have one pair of each, nesting in harmony about 50 ft. from a PM colony. That stops the fighting and everyone wins. My pair had a couple knock-down drag-outs with the wrens, but since the wrens now have a box near the large white spruce tree, everyone is happy once again. Next year the wrens will be in the back yard. Since they, too, are native birds, it takes careful management, but they can be safely and legally persuaded to move. Had my colony been full of breeding pairs, or even half-full; the wrens would have never ventured up there. Since I'm began all over in a new location this year, and had only one pair, I've had extra problems, more challenges, and even more interaction with them. It's been a great year. The fledglings will stay around and sleep in the gourds for a couple weeks, or longer. If I had a "full" colony they'd hang around, with their parents, until all the chicks were fledged and the entire colony was ready to begin the migration together. It's a wonderful pandamonium when several nests are fledging. Grackles, the messy, noisy things can be a big help to a PM colony, too. We have only a few pair here during the summer, hundreds during the short spring and fall migrations, and none in the winter. When I hear the PMs' "HAWK" scream (once you hear it you'll never mis-understand it again!) all the martins in the area swarm high and fast. Hot on their heels are the grackles and everyone attacks the hawk. He won't stand a chance. I've not seen a grackle in two months, except for the couple of times a hawk passed by; then I see dozens. You can email me through "My Page" if you want to talk about PMs. I can share what's worked for my birds. Check out the PMCA; they have all sorts of PDF links on the bottom of their main page. That's a great place to start. Linda...how big is your yard and how close are the neighbors? Is there an open area, at least 50' from very large trees? Are your neighbors nature-minded? You might have room for a small house or gourd rack, if you were so inclined. Do you have power lines? How do they run from your house. Martins like to use them as perching areas if they are close to the rack. As long as the lines don't pass right over your car, there will not be any "mess" problem. My birds perch only on the gourd rack (no power lines here). PMs feed on the wing and range up to 10 miles away. They're never on the ground or perching on furniture, plants, etc. They don't even land in the trees except when they are building their nests and need green leaves to line them. They're stickly birds of the air, they even drink their water on the wing while skimming above ponds or lakes. Here is a link that might be useful: PMCA...See MoreSANDY and gather around my friends
Comments (18)Sandy, the eye cream is delightful..so far I LOVE it. It goes on silky without feeling greasy..I'm using it nightly..ohhh ohhh and most creams make my eyes burn or water, but not this one which is a huge bonus. I love the Amazing Grace Coconut Oil bath bar..lightly scented and makes this old dry skin feel nice and smooth. The Dead Sea Jasmine Whipped soap is awesome, it smells terrific and lathers well and again silky skin. Tim has been using the man soap and shampoo bar..and really enjoys it, he's a kid so I always smell his head out of the shower and it smells very clean and fresh. Amiee took control of the Bamboo Mint Shampoo bar and LOVES it, I notice more of a smoothness to her hair. She keeps feeling her hair after a shampoo and says its softer. Shes also using the carrot orange bath bar and says she can't live without it lol...were all using the coconut orange body lotion and we all like it a lot, the scent is perfect for summer and already made a dramatic change to my dry elbows. Thank you Sandy for giving us these products to try, everything smells great and works sooo much better than store bought. I will keep you informed as we use more of them...and again a HUGE Thank You...See MoreRelated Professionals
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Missing you so much MamaP! My deepest condolences to your family and loved ones. Thank you for sharing your light and your "voice"
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