Australians - Where are you all????

[MyHaven]

Welcome back! I'm in Victoria. Have 1 cat, 5 hens and 5 chicks, all Orpingtons.

I caught that - 5 chicks. Yay. !!!!

 

[Happy Flock]

I caught that - 5 chicks. Yay. !!!!

Yes, MyHaven! We had a latecomer yesterday afternoon.

I couldn't believe it.

The young chick is doing well. The other 4 older chicks have been getting cheeky, eating and moving about. Mums are still sitting on the eggs so we thought we'd give them another day and see if any more hatch by tomorrow, Sunday.

 

[MyHaven]

Yes, MyHaven! We had a latecomer yesterday afternoon. I couldn't believe it. :yiipchick The young chick is doing well. The other 4 older chicks have been getting cheeky, eating and moving about. Mums are still sitting on the eggs so we thought we'd give them another day and see if any more hatch by tomorrow, Sunday.

Did you candle?

 

[Happy Flock]

Yes, I candled. Well, I tried. I couldn't see anything. It was pretty much all dark inside the eggs. These are brown eggs, so I'm not sure if the colour affects the candling. I used a little pocket flashlight and took the eggs inside my wardrobe, which was dark.

 

[MyHaven]

Yes, I candled. Well, I tried. I couldn't see anything. It was pretty much all dark inside the eggs. These are brown eggs, so I'm not sure if the colour affects the candling. I used a little pocket flashlight and took the eggs inside my wardrobe, which was dark.

I have found dark eggs harder. That doesn't sound promising. I do mine in the dark of night outside with a little LED. I candled my last lot and thought for sure the eggs under one hen which included 6 Orpingtons were no good. But they were all fertile. Young hen kept getting off and sitting in the wrong nest so I lost two.

Be careful when handling them. If they are rotten you know what they'll do.

Fingers crossed for you they'll be looking at you in the morning.

Cheers

 

[Happy Flock]

I have found dark eggs harder. That doesn't sound promising. I do mine in the dark of night outside with a little LED. I candled my last lot and thought for sure the eggs under one hen which included 6 Orpingtons were no good. But they were all fertile. Young hen kept getting off and sitting in the wrong nest so I lost two.

Be careful when handling them. If they are rotten you know what they'll do.

Fingers crossed for you they'll be looking at you in the morning.

Cheers

MyHaven,

Only 5 little bubs. No more chicks hatched. All the other eggs started smelling bad, so I removed them from the nest today. I decided to see how the two hens would go sharing the playpen with the chicks. They seem fine. Chicks have been moving from one hen to another, both are showing them how to eat, etc.

 

[MyHaven]

MyHaven, Only 5 little bubs. No more chicks hatched. All the other eggs started smelling bad, so I removed them from the nest today. I decided to see how the two hens would go sharing the playpen with the chicks. They seem fine. Chicks have been moving from one hen to another, both are showing them how to eat, etc.

Five is a good number. Did you check the eggs you removed. You can generally tell if they didn't develop and weren't fertile. I always like to know if the fault is the hen or the eggs. There was no hope of my last two girls working together. The Australorp - Fraidy would have but the Silkie was and still is vicious to the other chicks. They have grown. I will post pics when I can. Enjoy your babies. Cheers

 

[micatriance]

I'm An Aussie I'm from Victoria, just below NSW

 

[tillyita]

MyHaven, Only 5 little bubs. No more chicks hatched. All the other eggs started smelling bad, so I removed them from the nest today. I decided to see how the two hens would go sharing the playpen with the chicks. They seem fine. Chicks have been moving from one hen to another, both are showing them how to eat, etc.

Soooo cute. Well done on the hatchlings. I've often had two mums looking after a set of chicks. The only thing you really have to be careful of is them fighting when they settle at night. Usually if the hens get along there is no issue at all. My last lot of goose eggs are in the incubator now - due to hatch at the end of the week, I have 5 eggs left and they all look like they are developing so I have my fingers crossed.

 

[MyHaven]

Hi, from Qld - just above NSW.