Tuesday 23 February 2010

Leghorn chick

The lone Leghorn chick is doing remarkably well. It is always sad to see just one offspring of any animal, but it is being fussed over by its devoted mother and is making good progress. It is readily taking the chick crumbs provided and its wing feathers are, even after so few days, showing through.
For now both mother hen and chick are still in the pen in the shed as the weather is so cold and so very wet. As soon as I think suitable , maybe in a week or so time (possibly a little longer) I will transfer them to the small ark outside. There is an area of grass between the shed and greenhouse that is sheltered from the worst of the weather, which will be suitable for the first week or two, after that they can be moved into a larger run in the layers pen.

The Ixworth and Australorp hen have settled in immediately with the Indian Game trio and now form a nice little breeding flock. Once they have been together for three weeks I shall collect their eggs, along with the Welsummer eggs and try out a hatch in the incubator, unless of course we have any broodies by then.

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