April 1 chicks @ 17weeks UPDATED 7/31 - PIC HEAVY.

[ChickenCrazy8]

Beautiful birds

 

[hondo58]

Our bantam hen Elkie went broody on the same day that we hatched the 7 chicks in our home made incubator. Since she had just survived a hawk attack we thought it would be safe for her to stay in the nest box for awhile. She was sitting on 2 of the eggs from our White Plymouth Rock hens. In the batch of 7 that we hatched in the incubator none were from the White Plymouth Rocks as none of the 5 eggs from those hens were fertile. We thought the chances of these not being fertile were pretty good and that she could just sit on them and recover from the attack. After a week I candled the eggs and nothing was happening but I didn't want her to start roaming with the others just yet so I replaced the eggs with 2 new ones. I never bothered to candle the 2 new eggs. True to form I just went out and this is what I saw.

My question, since they are in the coop nest box and the rooster and hens will be coming in soon will they be OK? She is still sitting on the other egg so I imagine it might hatch as well since she didn't abandon it yet.​

 

[hondo58]

Sure enough, mom was out of the nest box with the new chick. Everything seems to be OK. I checked the other egg and it was never fertilized.​

 

[ChickenCrazy8]

Awww, mummy and chick are so cute

 

[hondo58]

She took the chick out for some morning sun by the coop door. Now I feel bad for the chicks we hatched in the incubator....they aren't getting any mommy time.





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[Maev]

GAH!!! Too cute! My second batch of chicks are already 4 weeks old! Time to get more fluffy butts!!! Talk about addicting! rofl!

 

[hondo58]

The chicks are now 5 weeks old. Yesterday they enjoyed a day outside in their new portable playpen. Meanwhile Elkie took her chick out for a stroll. Thankfully she stayed under the cover of the rhododendrons as Louie the rooster stood guard.

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[GSDBESTK9]

Simply adorable!!!

 

[hondo58]

Now I have to figure out the boys from the girls....

 

[mondotomhead]

Hondo: I was thinking about you and your chicks yesterday and wondered when you would be posting an update........and there it was! Your chicks are looking fantastic and seem to have gone past the gangly stage. My chicks are a week behind yours and they are at the part down/mostly feathers stage.

Oh, and I LOVE your portable pen. Did you make that with pcv and netting? I think I see alot of wire ties