Setting 20 French Black Copper Maran eggs May 28, 2014 - Join up.

No harm in giving a very general idea of where eggs and the chicks inside come from. Things not to do: drawings, graphic descriptions and going against the parents wishes. At four his parents should be picking up his clues (the Lowe's comment) that he's ready for some basics.

huntseat said:

No harm in giving a very general idea of where eggs and the chicks inside come from. Things not to do: drawings, graphic descriptions and going against the parents wishes. At four his parents should be picking up his clues (the Lowe's comment) that he's ready for some basics.

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I bought a clear plastic tote and managed to get a screen wire top put together by the time the nephew arrived at 10:00 am. It was great fun watching him interact with the chicks. At first, he was interested but afraid; by the afternoon he had made about six trips to the little brooder. On the last trip or two, he wanted to hold one of the chicks in his lap, but he wanted a paper towel under the chick.

He showed no interest in the the three eggs that hadn't hatched (still in the incubator,) and didn't ask any questions about reproduction or anatomy. My only mistake was calling the chicks "fuzzy butts;" apparently, he is being taught that "butt" is a bad word.

Number 10 looked weak last night, and unwilling or unable to stand fully erect. The right leg looked fine, but he/she didn't seem to want to put weight on it. A quick look this morning indicated it is better; I was dreading the culling, and hope it won't be necessary.

The three unhatched eggs still haven't pipped, and I think they are a lost cause. If there is no sign of life by the afternoon, I will clean out the incubator.

Number 10 is definitely better. I can hardly tell him/her from the other nine chicks. No action on the the three unhatched eggs.

Here's a cellphone picture of the nephew and his first look at the chicks. I had moved only the first two from the incubator to the temporary brooder.

All ten chicks seem to be healthy, happy, and growing. I will have to have some leg bands in order to tell them apart.

My chicks are almost 9 days old, and they have grown tremendously. Tomorrow, they go back to Mississippi in the little brooder, and as soon as I get the coop predator-proof, I will put them there.

Today, the chicks are 11 days old, and I think I can begin to see gender indicators. If I had to guess today, I would say that I have 3 cockerels, 6 pullets, and 1 androgynous. This is based on three that have pronounced comb appearance and no tail feathers, 6 that have no comb showing and beginning tail feathers, and one that has no comb and no tail feathers. I hope I really do have at least 6 females out of 10 chicks, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I have been watching all the videos that I can find about vent sexing, and plan to try that as soon as my leg bands arrive. Once the leg bands are in place, I will try vent sexing, record my results, post them here, and then check them as the birds mature.

Well, the leg bands arrived and they are much too small. My chicks are growing so fast that I don't know what size to order. The ones I got we number 4, which were supposed to have been for baby chicks, but not for my baby chicks. And by the time more get here, they may also be too small.