Mama hatching chick chronicals!!!

OkapisRule

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This is the first time we have had a mama hatch chicks!!! We were in Florida (from georgia)when they started to hatch.
tongue.png
The neighbor, who was watching our animals, called us to tell us this. We didn't want to force anything upon her, and she didn't know much about chickens, so we let her let them be. After we got home at 5:00 the next day, we checked on them. Thank goodness, they were all fine. First, we put the 3 chicks, 9 eggs, and the hen (Parsley) in a container:
chickeneggsandchicks.JPG

But she wasn't covering the eggs completely, and, not knowing that she would get to the correct position, we moved her to a larger cage with a box of cardboard that looks like a nesting box:
Parsleyinnestingbox.JPG

so she would be in a similar environment that she was in before. We cut part of it off because the chicks needed to go in and out for water and food. That's all there is so far. Here are a couple pictures of her chicks. The first is with me, and the second is with my sister.
NateandParsleyschick.JPG
EllieandParsleyschick.JPG
 
And today she rejected two eggs (which weren't from her, but were from our other hen) I'm think I should probably candle them. Should I?
 
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a mix between a rose comb legorn and some game chicken that isn't a certain breed, so yes, they definitely aren't a certain breed.
 
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candle em.

If they are developing, try putting em back under her, maybe in the middle of the bunch. Or if you have an incubator, you can throw them in there.
 
To candle simply, if you have a small flashlight (or I guess a regular size would work) take the egg and flashlight into a completely dark area (closet, pantry) and make a circle with your index finger and thumb (like an ok sign) and lay the egg on top of this circle, and shine the flashlight thru the egg from underneath. If it is an infertile egg, you will be able to see that it is clear--nothing in it. If it is dark in there, there should be a chick--either dead or alive--inside. Turn the egg a bit, and you should be able to see the air pocket on the large end.
Usually you candle the first time at 1 week, and if the egg is fertile, you will be able to see a little "dot" in t here, with small red bloodveins radiating out from it. When you candle the 2nd week, you will see a larger dark mass. Good luck.
 
okapisrule, go look under "incubating and hatching eggs" lots of candling info and pics there for you.
Congrats on your new little family they are so cute.
 

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