12th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[LadiesAndJane]

Since I only have one chick expected, I just HAD to order some chicks from Cackle to arrive same day as expected hatch.
Can't have the little one all by itself for at least a week, afterall.
Ordered a few red cochin bantams for myself and some Welsummers, Faverolles and Olive Eggers for others to cover shipping charges to Hawaii.

 

[ronott1]

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They are very cute!

 

[JCaseyHammond]

My puppies are hatching! My puppies are hatching! View attachment 2587747

Hatching puppies?! Seems legit. Here’s my broody kitty!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hatching puppies?! Seems legit. Here’s my broody kitty!

I love it!

 

[JCaseyHammond]

I love it!

She only did that once. So not a reliable broody and I’ve got a mama heating pad in a cage ready for the chicks. Also: She’s a cat

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Thanks everyone We have the generator going now so the brooders and incubators are all good and toasty. Here's the culprit:

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This one's in our front yard

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Lovely windy days

Wow! Glad power was restored!

We had strong winds in a storm last year. The weather people said we had no tornado but the way trees were twisted and fell, we had something. Maybe a downburst? Whatever it was, it ripped the tops out of four live pine trees and uprooted four live hardwood trees that were over 100 years old. One of the hardwoods crushed my dreams of restoring an antique car. The aim couldn't have been better. Crushed from back to front. And somehow our house and chicken house weren't affected. Damaged trees were down in a line and mysteriously stopped right before the chicken house, our house, and my dad's workshop, then started up again immediately that. I'm thankful all we lost was a car...

We have strong winds, and the power has gone out. It was only for a moment, but I didn’t even think about the incubator. It’s like a colicky baby. Once you know what to do, it’s not a worry. I have Hot Hands and towels, but I don’t think we would lose power for more than a few hours. Otherwise, I’d prepare by putting hot water in a carafe and travel mugs now.
Last night’s candle was pretty amusing as it looked like one had its bottom against the shell where the light was. Can we say, “male?”

That's good. The last time we lost it was only a few hours (when I had my last hatch in the incubator), but the time before that was more like a week (no chicks in the incubator then). Since we live in the middle of nowhere, the electric company usually doesn't get to us until after they get to all the cities, haha. The lights went out for about ten seconds today (bad storms through Arkansas) but that was it. Whew.

That's hilarious about the chick.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

5 Polkies hatched overnight and 5 more pips! This was a staggered hatch so the rest should start pipping sometime today or tomorrow! I'm not sure who's bright idea it was to do a staggered hatch and draw this out...oh wait, it was mine. Who needs sleep anyway? Lol

Mine is staggered too. Put in the incubator 13th - 24th. (The one on the 24th is from a hen who just started laying again and I wanted to see if it would work... I think it did? It's hard to see through the shell. It seems to be porous inside...?) Hopefully it's not too staggered. My last was only a week staggered. Congrats on your Polkies!

Got to love those staggered hatches. Somehow I always end up doing that!
I would love to see photos of your Polkies! I assume these are polish/silkie mixes? I have one that was an "accident" as I mistakenly added one of the polish eggs to a silkie hatch. This little chick is now one month old, super sweet and much friendlier than the pure silkies.

Is the polish accident a mix of silkie and polish? What does the little chick look like?

Edit: Just got to the silkie / polish mixes. SO CUTE.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

Yes! They're Polish/Silkies. This will be the only hatch of them since the Silkie hens have now been separated with a Silkie gentleman instead of the Polish, lol.

I haven't taken a bunch of pictures yet but here are a few of the first babies out to hold you over.

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MY HEEEEEEEEEART.

 

[BesideStillWaters]

So just tossed 12 out of 13 of the shipped eggs. One of these paints is developing well, has a slightly saddled air cell but looks good otherwise. Fingers crossed!

Hope the one makes it!

 

[BesideStillWaters]

My family always says patience is a virtue

I could have sworn I saw one of the eggs move yesterday, but they aren't due until the day before Easter....