# 100% hatch (chick update)



## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I have a broody who went on lock down yesterday or at least is day 18, the problem is I have had to lock her in a nest box not due to her fault but I have a second broody that kept attempting to steal her eggs and broke 3 of them after being almost two weeks along  I've tried moving either broody but there was always a problem so long story short I take her out of the box twice a day to poop, drink and eat. I have water in there for her but she never touches it. So my question is, now that she is on lock down, do I still take her out? I've tried leaving food and she just tips it over. Once the eggs hatch she will be moved into my second coop but when I have done it while she was broody she was too nervous and wouldn't sit.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

She's going to have to come out or you're going to need to figure out how to make her space larger. If she defecates on the eggs it could threaten any peeps that hatch. And there's no way she can be confined for two days without food and water. 

If you can give her some floor space so that food and water can be set up for her then she should be OK for a few days. 

Or lock the other broody into the coop you were planning to put her in until the peeps hatch. Or close the main coop door so no one can get in during the day.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Will it hurt the eggs for me to just continue to take her out? The other broody is pretty mean and I have my 10 week old ones in that one and sadly no way to give her more space, do you know maybe a better way to move this one over to the second coop?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You can't move the one sitting on the eggs, I was talking about the other that keeps disturbing her. 

She's going to have to come off the nest whether under her own power or with your help.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

The other one that's being mean can't be moved she's the bully that will definitely attack the younger ones


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There is a flock hierarchy, if the "mean" one isn't doing physical harm then what you're seeing is natural.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

That nest box is way too small. Once the chicks hatch she will crush them moving around in that tight space. You need to expand that space. Attach a plastic dog crate to it or add wood to make it bigger. Thats not fair for the chicks that hatch to not have a chance for survival


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Ive moved hen and eggs its very tricky. Some hens will break broodinrss if moved,so you better have an incubator set up and running in case. Get a larger box and put straw in it. Carefully put the hen and the eggs in the box and move them to a bigger brooder alone.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I left her be (taking out for food and water still) 8/8 hatched this morning! Everyone is happy and healthy!








And moving them after they all hatched and dried went perfectly mom and babies are doing great and have a small coop to themselves with food and water and the ramp closed for now, their momma is so wonderful and keeps all chicks tucked under her and toasty


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Whoa, congratulations to you and Momma on such a successful hatch. I want the light colored one. 

Does ramp up mean they can still get out? Or do you have it closed off so they can't follow Mom out of the door?


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Awesome news!!!


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

And good to keep ramp closed. You dont want any chicks getting stuck outside the ramp as momma wont be able to pick up chick and bring it back inside


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I love the white one! She's an Easter Egger x black Ameraucana and her full sibling is pure black  I'm amazed at how giant the maran crosses are they're so much bigger and chunkier

I have the ramp closed currently so they have to stay in the house part but they have access to food water and all the nesting boxes  and hopefully in about a week I'll start letting them down for a little bit a day. This is my first time letting a broody do her thing vs incubating so any suggestions are welcome


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Here's their individual pictures!
Ameraucana x maran 1








Ameraucana x maran 2








Ameraucana x maran 3








Ameraucana x maran 4








Blue Ameraucana x black Ameraucana 1








Blue Ameraucana x black Ameraucana 2








Blue Ameraucana x black Ameraucana 3








Ameraucana x Easter egger 1








And adopted baby polish (cause who can resist)


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Just like any toddler they will find ways to get into trouble. Getting into places they can't get out of, ramp training is always tons of fun. Not really, not if you have a very protective Momma hen and she keeps rocketing down the ramp to attack you to protect her babies and then those that were in follow her back out again. 

Getting out of where you want them to be is a biggie too.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Watch those zip ties carefully, you want to get them off before they grow too much and you aren't able to snip it off. 

Black and white birds are my weakness. Then there's all white as you tell by my avatar.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Thank you! I already took all but one chicks off since I can identify the rest of the breed it was just to tell who went to who. I currently only have one white hen an austrawhite (the broody mom) but interested to see how these ones turn out.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I put one on my 14 year old when she was still a pullet. And it stayed on her until she was about 12 years old. I realized it was stupid to leave it on her because there was no way she would accidently be sold or given away. After that many years I knew my girl. 

The difference between what I did and what you did is it went on very loosely, just snug enough it didn't slip over her five toes.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Just thought I'd do an update on chicks! Starting to figure out genders but at 3 weeks most of them are still a mystery. I will update every Wednesday and feel free to guess genders I think so far I have two for sure roosters and one for sure pullet 
Mottled Houdan (Bleu): hatch to 4 weeks















Maran x Ameraucana (Java) hatch to 3 weeks















Maran x Ameraucana (Frappe) hatch to 3 weeks















Maran x Ameraucana (Latte) hatch to 3 weeks















Blue Ameraucana (mouse) hatch to 3 weeks





















Black Ameraucana (Ruby) hatch to 3 weeks
















Black Ameraucana (Finbar) hatch to 3 weeks















Easter egger x Black Ameraucana (Pierce) hatch to 3 weeks















Easter egger x Black Ameraucana (Wren) 6-7 weeks (full sibling to Pierce ) 








Olive egger x black Ameraucana (Fran) hatch to 2 weeks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, the first one was my absolute favorite, then I scrolled down. Maybe that one, or that one.

I'm looking forward to the before and after pics.

And that one with the topknot is a hoot!


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Thank you! I love that one hoping it's a pullet  but it is very sassy  I'm at least going to be keeping them until they start crowing  so hopefully a few more weeks of updates


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Don't write it off as a boy because it's sassy. I've got a sassy Silkie hen that at 8 years old hasn't changed a bit from when she was first hatched.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

That houdan chick omg im.in love


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Chick update! Pictures are showing up redder today do sadly not completely accurate but I do see a few for sure roosters 
Fran (olive egger x Ameraucana) 3 weeks








Java (maran x Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Frappe (maran x Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Latte (maran x Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Pierce (Easter egger x Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Mouse(pure Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Ruby (pure Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Finbar (pure Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Bleu (mottled Houdan) 5 weeks








Wren (Easter egger x Ameraucana) 9 weeks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If you haven't already, it's time to get that band off Fran before it gets too snug to get it off easily. 

Even me, who is breed challenged, recognizes the trait for an EE in Wren. 

Blue has to hurry up and get into it's big bird feathers. Bet it's going to be a sight to see.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Yeah I replaced her band today actually lol it's nice and loose now I'm trying to keep track of Fran since she's already sold

I want to see Bleu grown soooo badly I'm just hoping she is a she!

I was completely shocked at wrens looks and her sister Pierce both have the exact same parents 
The dad of all of the chicks Dwayne the cock Johnson








And the mom of the two Easter eggers Hawkeye








I'm hoping Wren gets a little more color to her she has one brown feather growing by her eye and white feathers growing on her chin so hoping she gets a little more color. I'm also super excited to see Pierce grown but I'm starting to think a rooster for her


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Great minds and all that. 

That's that whole thing with hidden genetics and not knowing which is going to pop up when. Since EE's are an amalgam of other breeds no telling what different pairings will result in.

If Wren turns out to be male, another place I'm bad at when it's not a Silkie, you can breed him back to his mother to see if the chicks keep those EE looks. But don't make a habit of back breeding because it does cause issues when done too often.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Yeah I'm in love with Wren but almost positive she is a she  she was hatched with 3 others that were clearly roosters she had the tiny little legs and had the single pea comb over the other three having a 3 pea comb. So I'm still really hoping a hen! But maybe if Pierce is a rooster I'll see if he's nice enough to keep  I already have two other roosters and both are pure bred boys but maybe if one of them is mean


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I had forgotten that's how you sex young EE's. Everyone I ever read that mentioned this sexing technique swore by it. 

And you can do the same thing with Wren and the father to see what happens. You could end up with some stunning EE's or a bunch of dogs.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I know it's kinda difficult to be 100% sure with the pea comb thing but it seems to work pretty well I've only had one pullet and one rooster not follow the 3 or single one I hope it follows for most of them but Pierce is looking 3 rows 

I currently was thinking of breeding Wren to my other rooster, a bantam Easter egger but I'm loving his color, and think they would make an interesting combo. But I might breed her back to dad or maybe even Pierce once but I'm worried they might be too genetically close


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's why you don't do it multiple times. Many breeders will have a male and a related female with stunning looks, they will try breeding the two together to see if they can keep or improve the looks. But from there they have to use caution on how far to carry that back breeding. 

Being EE's there is just no way to say you will get stunning markings or not. Wren is showing color other than solid black so you might end up with something completely different from the parents.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I hope so!


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Chick update!
Fran (olive egger x Ameraucana) 4 weeks








Pierce (Easter egger x Ameraucana) 5 weeks








Java (maran x Ameraucana) 5 weeks








Frappe, now named Macchiato (maran x Ameraucana) 5 weeks








Latte now named Bean (maran x Ameraucana) 5 weeks








Bethany now named Ken (Ameraucana) 5 weeks








Alex now named Robert (Ameraucana) 5 weeks








Martha now named Cooper (Ameraucana) 5 weeks








Blue (mottled Houdan) 6 weeks








Wren (Easter egger x Ameraucana) 10 weeks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, which way are you spelling Blue's name. Bleu or blue? Doesn't really matter because that bird is absolutely stunning. I don't think I've ever seen a bird with that pattern. 

It looks like Pierce is going to keep that color. It needs another molt to know for certain but it would be stunning if it stayed that way.

Huh, Wren is the only one with the possibility of muffs. That's surprising. Is Wren also the one that has a new home coming?


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Haha sorry Bleu 

Yeah I'm really excited to see if Pierce has any other markings or if she/he is going to stay solid.

Not the best pictures but all of them have cheeks they're just in the weird feathering stage. As long as Wren stays a hen she's one of the few staying  I'm thinking I'm keeping Wren, Bleu, Java and possibly Coffee Bean if they're all hens. Fran has a home as well as the two black Ameraucanas.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Too bad about Bethany/Ken, that blue is really nice. 

Did you catch that Bleu has an extra toe?


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Yeah, I'm definitely interested in keeping Ken to replace one of my other roosters! 
Motled houdans tend to have 5 toes that's how I actually figured out her breed because of that. I was told she was a polish but she was clearly not!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I want a pic of the Houdan when it molts. I'll bet that's going to be a sight to see.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Of course


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Chick update! 
Fran 5 weeks








Ken 6 weeks








Cooper 6 weeks








Downy 6 weeks








Pierce 6 weeks








Macchiato 6 weeks








Coffee Bean 6 weeks








Java 6 weeks








Bleu 7 weeks








Wren 11 weeks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Bleu and Wren are definitely keepers. Ken and Pierce are pretty high on my list too.

Java has excellent wing structure. If Bleu wasn't marked the way he is I'd say no because of his wings. 

If Ken keeps those markings he'd be stunning.

I notice that more and more of them are carrying male names. How many males hatched to females?


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Haha  I'm not positive on male to female ratio but I'm thinking males so far is Ken, Macchiato, copper, Pierce, and probably Downy? Downey is the only one I'm on the fence with but I'm thinking it's 5/5

Bleu, java, Wren, and coffee bean is staying as long as they're all females and I'm thinking Ken is staying as well! Fran will be leaving next week but the rest are staying untill I find them a home.

I've always loved Pierce from the beginning but personality wise he is the most standoffish.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Not to scare you or anything but years ago I had 17 eggs hatch. 15 of them were males. Luckily they were a rare color so it was fairly easy to rehome the boys.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Haha yeah I'm fine with boys, this is just my prediction so far.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Good, because it's always a possibility. But you have to have a boy or two around, they are so entertaining when they're doing rooster stuff.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Chick update!

Possible final weekly update? 
I will try to do one when they're all grown but most are leaving for their new homes this week 
I think I have figured everyone's gender out but one. Any opinions welcome 

Fran 6 weeks old olive egger x Ameraucana








Mocchiatto 7 weeks old FBCM x Ameraucana








Java 7 weeks FBCM x Ameraucana








Coco Bean 7 weeks FBCM x Ameraucana








Ken 7 weeks BBS Ameraucana








Cooper 7 weeks BBS Ameraucana








Downey 7 weeks BBS Ameraucana








Pierce 7 weeks Easter Egger x Ameraucana








Bleu 8 weeks old mottled Houdan








Wren 12 weeks old Easter egger x Ameraucana


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Pierce, Pierce is absolutely stunning.

Bleu might need a trim around the eyes. Rule of thumb, if you can't see their eyes they can't see. He's still adorable with his black saddle.

I didn't realize most of them were going to new homes. I thought these were the ones you were keeping. Hard not to want to keep them all, isn't it?

I'm sending you a PM.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I am going to be keeping a few of them, Fran and Mocchiatto are leaving in the next day or two along with Downey and possibly Cooper if I decide she is a he .
Java and Bean will be staying here as will Bleu and Wren. Pierce and Ken are staying in the mean time but will probably be sold, I might end up using one as a replacement. 
I know Ken's a rooster he's already trying to breed  pretty positive Pierce is a rooster but the comb is much less prominent then my other definite roosters. If by some miracle Pierce ends up being a hen I'll definitely be keeping her. If not I'll keep him until I see how pretty he ends up and then sell him.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Part of why I like Pierce so much is his brilliant white color. But when I look past my penchant for liking white birds, I see one that is very well put together. He has tight wing placement, very nice body shape. Even if a male, he could make a very good breeder bird to try to pass his niceness onto his young. Paired with a female with the same characteristics you could end up with some stunning babies.

Fran maybe is a possibility. I'm not crazy about her wings at the moment. But, she appears to be a blue. It would be better if it was another white bird or possibly a black.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Thank you! I'm pretty please with how a lot of them turned out but Pierce has always been a favorite. Fran is sadly already in her new home and should stay black, I only got one blue in this hatch which was Ken and I'm so far liking Kens shape.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I could be opening a can of worms suggesting using a black because I'm accustomed to Silkies and what happens when a true black and white are paired up. That pairing gets all black chicks. 

But the white in other breeds is not recessive as it is with Silkies so I don't know what is liable to happen with that pairing. 

I'll be honest, I didn't look that closely at Ken because of his color. He does have very good wing placement. I know that they're all young and those with looser wings could tighten as they get older but these early positive tight wings give you something to count on later.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I've personally been wanting to keep Ken because if I breed him to one of my blue Ameraucana hens they have the possibility of producing a splash since he's blue as well and of course I'm liking his shape and his lines.

I would only be keeping Pierce as a breeder if she is a hen or if my other rooster steps out of line as he's been begining to test me like running twords me as I bend down, he's never done anything mean yet but I don't like the thought of having to watch my back when I'm in there

I'm excited to see what Pierce looks like in the end if he will either stay pure white or if he will be like his or her sister and Develop lacing later on in his life like Wren. It's hard to see in the pictures but Wren has lately been getting white lacing


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If we lived close, I'd take Pierce in a heartbeat. Don't let him go cheap if he turns out to be a he. And you're right, at the one year mark you could see some other colors begin to show up. I hope not. Although being pure white right now usually means they stay white. 

When you see other colors showing up in later moltings on other birds that's the gold or silver genes making themselves known.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

It's so wired when I've had white chicks the always started out yellow or white from the beginning but Pierce was an odd cream ish color that I almost thought he or she would be a really light buff color. I'd love if Pierce got a little color but also like the all white.

I'm starting to think that their mom has a strong Ameraucana Gene in her Easter eggerness which would make sense since she was a freebie with the Ameraucanas, but both of her chicks have had Ameraucana legs without any yellow tint unlike most Easter eggers I've seen instead they both have the white skin and slate blue/grey legs.

But I will definitely be keeping Pierce until S/he is mature to at least 20 weeks


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have a thing for black and white birds too, hence my liking Bleu so much. 

Yeah, if I remember right EE's are supposed to have green legs.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I have a thing for fluffy birds but all of my birds have a giant variety of colors  and breeds.

It's hard with Easter eggers since they are cross breeds they can really look like anything  but you're definitely right they all tend to have very green legs or sometimes even yellow, that's one of the tests to know Ameraucana vs Easter egger.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Me trying to talk genetics and what you might see later is dangerous because Silkies don't follow the same rules as every other breed out there.

When my white Silkie chicks hatched, if they were a yellow/cream color they were carrying a gold gene. If they hatched out gray, they carried a silver gene.

I tried to find the pic of what a white silkie carrying the double silver gene looks like. I know it's on the forum somewhere.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

As long as he stays pretty and nice that's about all I care about at this point.  At least for Easter egger roosters they can be any color since they don't get shown  but of course I still look for confirmation and health as well as egg color.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I think while I'm in the shower and I happened to think that if Pierce does turn out to be a boy, he and Wren would be a good pairing.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

They would for sure they would have such pretty chicks! I'd love to keep both of them!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm sorry that I've been trying to convince you to keep him. It's just so rare to see a mixed breed in such an attractive body type. Pierce is pretty much the whole package.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Haha no problem I definitely understand I just have to decide if I'm going to keep two true Ameraucanas or one Ameraucana and one Easter egger rooster. I'm definitely hoping Pierce is a hen that would make it all much better!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I know. It's just hard to see one that stunning leave a breeding program. But that's how I ended up with 100 chickens.

Some smart alec termed it chicken math.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Haha yeah I hope if I do have to re-home then Pierce will go to a good home where they can produce some beautiful chicks  but at least I don't have to decide yet!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I was thinking about something, usually it's boys that are standoffish. But there are exceptions to that rule, I've got one I didn't know was a girl until she laid an egg at nine months and she's always been something of a diva.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

That would be great she's just pretty pink and it's scary lol


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Well, there's at least two of us wondering how this is going to turn out.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Sadly today my mottled Houdan Bleu was killed  I'm not sure what got her but everyone else is locked up and safe. I just wished I could have saved her but within an hour from letting them out she was dead when I got back


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm so sorry. I've had that happen and I know how awful you feel. 

Putting them up is a good idea until you can figure out what happened. Do they have an enclosed run? One that has wire on top so they can be outside but not free ranging?


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

robin416 said:


> I'm so sorry. I've had that happen and I know how awful you feel.
> 
> Putting them up is a good idea until you can figure out what happened. Do they have an enclosed run? One that has wire on top so they can be outside but not free ranging?


Yeah that's what they're in now but one of the two coops is sadly a pretty tiny run. It worked when I only had 4 but now that the chick have hatched there's 12 in there and they're pretty crowded. I have my run covered and without going into too much detail she was pretty intact but her neck was ripped almost off. Poor girl  or guy I guess I'll never know. 
I have no clue how to figure out what did it or how to prevent it but I think I'm going to put chicken wire along their real fence so smaller things can't get in either.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It is entirely possible the attack came from overhead. I had it happen, a red tail swooped down on my birds, my hamburg hen was having none of it and went after the hawk. That's while I was within feet of the bird making the attack. 

If a predator bird caused the damage you saw the others might have frightened it off. For now. So, you really need to look at expanding that run because this won't be the last time. I had one swoop down on my Guineas once, again while I was right there. I don't know if I frightened off or if it realized the Guinea was a poor target.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I have their whole free ranging run fenced in and I bought a netting for the top just haven't done it yet.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I would get that up. One thing I remembered that happened to me, I found one of my girls dead under a magnolia. Same thing, damage around the neck. The only way it could have happened was from overhead because my dogs were out there. She just happened to be very close to the tree and ended up under it either because of the attack or because she lived long enough to get under it. 

If it was a ground attack the attacker would have just gone under the tree to retrieve her body.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

Mine was under a tree too 

I hope it was something overhead. That way I can prevent it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

At least the overhead attacks. Do you have crows around you? I didn't at first but with my open fields they moved into the area and kept the hawks at bay.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

robin416 said:


> At least the overhead attacks. Do you have crows around you? I didn't at first but with my open fields they moved into the area and kept the hawks at bay.


Not many crows maybe one or two but not constantly


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

We didn't have them at first either. I think mostly because the fields hadn't been bush hogged in years. Even after we started taking care of it it took a while to start seeing the crows.


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