13th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-Along

[FoxySonia]

Well, seems Spring fever started early for my Bantam pullets as more started becoming broody soon after the 1st one. I now have 6 bantam pullets sitting on mixed eggs, 2 black Silkies, 2 splash Silkies, a golden neck OEGB and a white Sultan, and seems 1 of my mottled Cochins might also become broody soon. I don't know what I'm going to do if the majority of 31 of my pullets become broody.

Here are the 6 mamas-to-be.
Beautiful Coco the Silkie
View attachment 3058172
Goldie the OEGB and unnamed black Silkie
View attachment 3058198
Snow White the Sultan
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And the 2 splash Silkie sisters
View attachment 3058205

Every morning I take the out if the nest box for a few minutes so they can eat, drink, stretch their legs, dust bathe, scratch around and poop outside. So far That's been working to keep the nests and eggs clean. And I provide them with food and water they can eat while sitting on the eggs.

OMG, Coco's chicks started hatching 1 day early! Now I'm freaking out, wonderimg why I allowed 6 broodies to lay on eggs. How am I going to keep them separated from each other and from the frock so there is no fighting and no chick gets injured or killed? I have a 4' x 7' cage with no bottom, but the space between th e bars is about 1", that's too big, rats can go through a 3/4" space. I have 1" poultry wire but can't use that because of the holes actually being over an inch wide. I guess I can kick my Bantams out of their 5' x 7 1/2' coop and try to keep all 6 broodies and their chicks in there, but for how long? And what do I do if the mamas start fighting with each other?

Update: Coco is being such a good mom. Just 2 chicks have hatched today. The rest are due to hatch tomorrow. It's very cold and windy here in NYC today, tomorrow will be warmer.

Oh, 1 chick came out of a blue egg from my bantam Easter Egger. The other chick came out of a small white egg. It looks to me like both chicks are going to have a puffy crest. The possible father can be any of my 4 roosters, a buff Polish, a cream Brabanter and 2 golden neck Old English Game Bantams. The females I have that lay small white eggs are the Silkies, Sebright and Polish bantams, the Brabanters and Appenzeller Spitzhauben lay extra large white eggs. Can anyone make their best guess on the parentage of these 2 chicks?

 

[Josip]

I noticed in one poop Like blood its red but not like bleeding i Will take pic when i see it again. Chicks are 2 days old so i dont think iz can be coccidiosis beacuse incubating period is 4 to 8 days. What iz can be?

 

[craxyjaxy424]

I noticed in one poop Like blood its red but not like bleeding i Will take pic when i see it again. Chicks are 2 days old so i dont think iz can be coccidiosis beacuse incubating period is 4 to 8 days. What iz can be?

Maybe shed intestinal lining?

 

[Josip]

Maybe shed intestinal lining?

I just saw my food have medicine and Anti coccidiosis medicine so its not that.. what can cause shed intestinal lining, and what can i do??

 

[chickfused]

Baby hatching:

And we're out!

 

[craxyjaxy424]

I just saw my food have medicine and Anti coccidiosis medicine so its not that.. what can cause shed intestinal lining, and what can i do??

I honestly don't know much about it, but as far as I've ever heard, it's just a perfectly normal occurrence and nothing to worry about or for you to do. Here is a link to tell you a little about it. https://polystead.com/red-chicken-p...e one to,this happens through their droppings.

 

[Poodlemum]

I just saw my food have medicine and Anti coccidiosis medicine so its not that.. what can cause shed intestinal lining, and what can i do??

It’s not fool proof, my chicks got severe coccidiosis while on medicated feed. Apparently it’s really bad on our land I try so many different things, but we tend to get a mild case every change of seasons. But I do think it’s more intestinal shedding though

 

[chickfused]

2 babies now, 1 up in it's air cell, but no external pip yet. 1 pullet, 1 cockerel.

 

[FoxySonia]

2 babies now, 1 up in it's air cell, but no external pip yet. 1 pullet, 1 cockerel.

How do you know the sex of the newly hatched chicks?

 

[Sc_chickengirl]

How do you know the sex of the newly hatched chicks?

That's what I was wondering...