OK, yes, I'm stuck on mama chickens and their babies. I'm in a rut and I'm probably coming off as one fantastic bore. But, transplanted urbanite that I am, I've never actually watched broody mama pullets hatch AND rear their own young, and I find it fascinating. I obtained my flock initially by purchasing and brooding them in, well, a brooder and acting as substitute mama to them...but now, having observed these little ones with their mama pullets (and they are just pullets themselves - only seven-and-a-half months old) over the last few days, I am very nearly convinced that the best way to add to a flock is the old-fashioned way - by allowing the broody pullet/hen to hatch and rear the chicks herself. The babies live naturally and learn from their mothers how to forage, dust themselves, preen, drink - everything a young chicken needs to know. Broodies are fiercely protective and will even take down a rooster who gets too close to their precious offspring.
As far as the work is concerned - there isn't much to do. I keep them safe and provide food and water, but I don't have to worry about whether the temperature in the brooder is too warm or too cool; mama keeps those babies toasty warm under her downy feathers. She does everything else, too! I draw up a chair and watch the Buff Orpington (Belle) mama clucking to her chicks, dropping food in front of them, calling to them and teaching them; believe me, they imitate her every move. Belle is a good mama; she will definitely be allowed to hatch more babies in the future.
One of the babies in the protected run today. Notice how quickly her feathers are growing!
The two babies Sarah hatched have been out and active, although still on the nest. I imagine she will want to get them outside tomorrow, so I'll have to watch to make sure the barn cats give her a wide berth and that the other ladies aren't hostile to the chicks. She has been in the coop with her babies, so the others are more aware of her than they are of Belle's chicks, although Belle is now in an area adjacent to the run, so they see her everyday. I am employing this method of re-integrating Belle, hoping that her chicks will eventually be integrated as well with as little disruption to the pecking order as possible.
All four of the chicks are black and buff/silver, and both Sarah and Belle each have a black chick with a buff patch under her beak - so cute! Sarah's other chick has more buff/silver patches; it will be interesting to see how her color pattern develops with age, especially given that this guy is the father:
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