The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: dixie on December 21, 2009, 01:03:33 pm

Title: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: dixie on December 21, 2009, 01:03:33 pm
One of our hens (this years hatch) decided to clear off everyday on her own, she wandered over the allotment, over the back fields etc, then never came back I thought a fox had got her   :(
Went to empty the barrow on Saturday morning when I heard cheeping, on closer inspection there was my hen, on the otherside of the ditch amongst the hedgerow with 10 newly hatched chicks and 4 more pipping!!! A few inches of snow on the ground and minus 4deg !!! and opposite the prints of the fox that passes through 
After clambering over barbed wire, trapsing through the ditch and cutting back the brambles I managed to get them into a box and re-house them in the shed!! sadly 5 died from the cold and the rest never hatched so she now has her 5 chicks to care for   ;D
Title: Re: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: sheila on December 21, 2009, 03:42:51 pm
Ah! merry christmas to them all.
Title: Re: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 21, 2009, 05:38:18 pm
What a silly bird to give it a go at this time of the year...what's up with her biorhythm  ;D ? I hope you'll manage to get the rest through this kind of weather! Looks like we might have a white Christmas this year  :chook: :&>
Title: Re: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: dixie on December 21, 2009, 06:35:17 pm
I suppose it was fairly mild when she decided to go broody, she was sat on 18 eggs!! her first time, maybe she got confused!  they all snuggy in the shed so fingers crossed they make it!
Title: Re: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: little blue on December 21, 2009, 08:35:39 pm
Mad chicken! How lovely though, hope they go on okay in this cold
Title: Re: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: MiriMaran on December 21, 2009, 08:42:38 pm
Hope the remaining 5 thrive.
Title: Re: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: Lavinia on December 29, 2009, 02:23:46 pm
what a  lovely story...  hope they are managing to survive the cold..........
Title: Re: Early Christmas present!!
Post by: Rosemary on December 29, 2009, 05:19:05 pm
I've just noticed this topic.

How are the cheeps doing?