- Thread starter
- #11
- Jun 20, 2010
- 12
- 7
- 22
Chicks update
Well it has been an interesting hatch.
Day 20 came and went with zip action,
I was beginning to wonder about the fertility of the roo, although I had seen the bulls eye on an egg that had been slipped in and incubated for a couple of days.
In any event, I did not see my first chick until day 24! I left it with mom for 3 day, figuring that she would soon abandon the next. Well on day 27 another chick began to pip the egg and hatch. So I knew mom wouldn't leave. I had intended to let mom raise them but the one in the next was needing to leave but mom was showing no signs of abandoning the eggs. So I set up a rubbermaid as a brood box and watched chick two hatch. On day 29 two more hatch and day 30 another. So here it is day 31 with 5 chicks in the brooder almost a week apart in age, and mom is still on the next, although there are only about 4 eggs left.
They are cute little devils though. Roo is pure Austrolorp and hens are Buff Orpington. Here are some pics.
So 5 total chicks not bad for a first time out and who knows what today brings! I learned much on the broody hen deal and will transfer the hen early on next time.
But it is awful easy to see how addicting this can be!
![Smile :) :)](/styles/byc-smilies/smile.png)
Well it has been an interesting hatch.
Day 20 came and went with zip action,
I was beginning to wonder about the fertility of the roo, although I had seen the bulls eye on an egg that had been slipped in and incubated for a couple of days.
In any event, I did not see my first chick until day 24! I left it with mom for 3 day, figuring that she would soon abandon the next. Well on day 27 another chick began to pip the egg and hatch. So I knew mom wouldn't leave. I had intended to let mom raise them but the one in the next was needing to leave but mom was showing no signs of abandoning the eggs. So I set up a rubbermaid as a brood box and watched chick two hatch. On day 29 two more hatch and day 30 another. So here it is day 31 with 5 chicks in the brooder almost a week apart in age, and mom is still on the next, although there are only about 4 eggs left.
They are cute little devils though. Roo is pure Austrolorp and hens are Buff Orpington. Here are some pics.
![peeper015.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb388%2FWidgeonmanGH%2Fpeeper015.jpg&hash=95f1b16b0a9cd28f3afbe9f4e0b26c95)
![peeper010.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb388%2FWidgeonmanGH%2Fpeeper010.jpg&hash=b1200683e21fb56f1e45a84c7cbfe3e0)
![peeper011.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb388%2FWidgeonmanGH%2Fpeeper011.jpg&hash=ded41d1dd9c0035e60b4c310366c639f)
![peeper007.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi23.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fb388%2FWidgeonmanGH%2Fpeeper007.jpg&hash=83f33fe9db124a6e3270dfa90b80bf84)
So 5 total chicks not bad for a first time out and who knows what today brings! I learned much on the broody hen deal and will transfer the hen early on next time.
But it is awful easy to see how addicting this can be!
![Smile :) :)](/styles/byc-smilies/smile.png)