GrandMOM to be....

[CoraxAurata]

yup, not impressed with snow lol.

mealworms did it for mine they will still kill for them makes them very tame quickly

mine are a mix of marans 4 black ones mums were marans of some sort, i think one is a warren cross, and possibly the white one is a leghorn, ..... fathers are dubious, but there is copper black marans in there somewhere, (think cocoa may be) and think pingus dad may be a black sussex....... basically could be anything lol..... to be honest the boys are really sweet, and just as friendly as the girls, though they do push the girls off the perch

The black one with silver lacing on head and neck looks very similar to my Birchen Marans, apart from some 3 bantams for broodying (and extra eating eggs) mine are all marans the adult girls are wheatons, the next oldest group has 1 birchen, 1 black, 1 cuckoo, 1 golden cuckoo, and 2 copper blue hens plus 2 copper blue cockerals, the chirstmas chicks are blues and blue splashes and tiny (the paler of the two in my profile pic looks likely to be some sort of cuckoo (his dad is light cuckoo) my first home bred chick (had to buy in previous eggs) - the other chick is a fosterling for a freind and is a buff orpington.. I'm a little Marans mad <g>

[Nicos]

Tneck I'm a little Marans mad <g>

me too!!!

I'd love to get 2 or 3 POL in the summer- just worried about introducing 3 new gals into one big happy family!

How many chooks would you house overnight in a chook house 6ft x 6ft x 6ft high???


I'm off to check my baby now ( and the other 2 eggs) and let the boys out..bit warmer here today!

[di]

Excellent!!!Congratulations Grandom!!!(S)he is adorable!!!x
Any signs of movement/egg cracking with the other two yet???

[Nicos]

Just been to check- and babe has just had a little sip of water from me- all the scrambled egg had gone- but I suspect Bertha ate that cos once she'd had a taste she got all excited like she does with raisins!

I'll do another egg at lunch time when it's a bit warmer for bebe to be out of the nest.

Other 2 eggs???...nope- no sound as yet- the little one cheeping must certainly encourage them though.

Feel quite happy this am cos Alice is in laying as usual in the box containing Pheasant- so babe isn't being pushed around!

Poor boys won't leave them all indoors- and are hanging about the doorway like adolescent males waiting for something to do!Don't worry lads- Alice'll be out to play soon!

[CoraxAurata]

me too!!!

I'd love to get 2 or 3 POL in the summer- just worried about introducing 3 new gals into one big happy family!

How many chooks would you house overnight in a chook house 6ft x 6ft x 6ft high???

As long as you add them at night first, and preferably when you are about for the daytime at least the first bit, most hens should mix in fine - I try to add them a few weeks earlier than pol, because I think the mature birds accept younger ones more easily - but that could be all in my head....

WOW a palace! Well my 4x4 has 3 maran hens, 3 crossbred bantams and a cockeral and they are all content - some do tend to sleep in the nest box though, they don't like their perch so am going to give them a shelf instead to give them more options. The number (to me) is quite dependant on the birds lifestyle and tempraments... mine are free range and seem happier with as many birds as they can get in the house at night(keeps them cozy) though they don't approve of the duck who goes in there to lay!

I have a freind just starting with poultry who built her chooks a lovely big house and they wouldn't go into it at night until she divided it in half!

[lynda66]

The black one with silver lacing on head and neck looks very similar to my Birchen Marans, apart from some 3 bantams for broodying (and extra eating eggs) mine are all marans the adult girls are wheatons, the next oldest group has 1 birchen, 1 black, 1 cuckoo, 1 golden cuckoo, and 2 copper blue hens plus 2 copper blue cockerals, the chirstmas chicks are blues and blue splashes and tiny (the paler of the two in my profile pic looks likely to be some sort of cuckoo (his dad is light cuckoo) my first home bred chick (had to buy in previous eggs) - the other chick is a fosterling for a freind and is a buff orpington.. I'm a little Marans mad <g>

i asked the bloke i got the eggs off and he reckoned that mine were blue marans, copper black marans, or black sussex, but bear in mind they will be crossed, so as the mums were definitely marans (beautiful dark eggs) i suspect her dad is a black sussex, whatever they are they are all gorgeous to me

i may have to get some more eggs when i get the incubator back ... i do kinda like the black sussex colouring .... and the next lot will be meat/egg birds, with no names lol.

[CoraxAurata]

i asked the bloke i got the eggs off and he reckoned that mine were blue marans, copper black marans, or black sussex, but bear in mind they will be crossed, so as the mums were definitely marans (beautiful dark eggs) i suspect her dad is a black sussex, whatever they are they are all gorgeous to me

i may have to get some more eggs when i get the incubator back ... i do kinda like the black sussex colouring .... and the next lot will be meat/egg birds, with no names lol.

I have reason to beleive my Birchen came from a cuckoo hens eggs, and one of your birds appears to have cuckoo marking too, I find all the colour genetics fascinating but I'm only a beginner.....

and they ARE all gorgeous!

[Nicos]

No more news...little un is more lively today though..and is to be found under one of Bertha's wings now- not with the eggs!...aaahhhh...

[CoraxAurata]

awww!.....

[Nicos]

Update...2 eggs still due to hatch- but no sound from either as yet.
Little un tucked into scrambled egg today- and is now eating crumb.
Found the water - by falling into it!( hopefully not deep enough to drown)

Tis very active today- and very chirpy

[Nicos]

Oh dear...

Hmm....went to open them all up this morning to find Bertha on the floor of the coop with chick under wing- and 2 cold eggs in her nesting box

Looks like the chick has somehow got over the top of a 6" barrier and mum went over to keep it warm -having to abandon her eggs.

I've put them both back in the nest ...and to think they're due to hatch any minute too

Will have to redesign their accommodation I think

[frias]

Let's hope eggs are OK. What a good mum to go to be with her baby though.

[Nicos]

Cor blimey-they were out again!
I've popped her eggs under one of the other mums- I'll give them until Monday- they should have hatched by then- no ukky smell though- but I'll keep my eye on them.

Off to do some DIY now!

[lynda66]

chicks don't like hanging around much once they work out what their feet are for fingers crossed for the eggs though

[Nicos]

No wonder it's getting over the barrier!!!!!
Here are todays photos!