Back At The Chicken Shack

Lauravonsmurf · Apr 8, 2022

The baby chicks have arrived, hubby picked them up from the post office. Here is the photo he sent me.

I will be taking more photos when I get home from work.

Lauravonsmurf · Apr 8, 2022

Baby Chicks… one didn’t survive a Buckeye. I hope that is the only one, usually we don’t lose any from Cackle. I called them.

So the black ones are Jersey Giants.
The lighter red ones are Buckeyes.
The dark reds are Egyptian Fayoumi.
The yellow chicks are Saipan and Rhode Island Whites.

Lauravonsmurf · Apr 9, 2022

I put Cecile with the new chicks, I tried Eveena yesterday but she would not settle down. I think both hens will eventually turn out to be good mums, but Cecile might do better with just introducing the chicks. Eveena will need the sneak approach for sure. I will see how it goes with Cecile. This is an experiment to see how different hens react. We once had a RIR that thought every baby birdie was hers, even though she was never broody… she was hilarious trying to raise ducklings, they would jump in the kiddie pool and she would run around it squeaking in a panic.

One of the Olive Egger eggs when not covered with browning… it was laid this way. Chickens are so fascinating.

Lauravonsmurf · Apr 9, 2022

Pictures of the babies, they were hatched April 6th…

Saipan and Rhode Island Whites should be 5 Saipan and 3 RIW, but we have 9 not 8 so one extra of one of the breeds.

We are figuring the bigger chicks are Saipan… it will be interesting watching these breeds feather out, the Saipan should end up Wheaton and the Rhode Islands White. Also comb should be different between the breeds, Saipan pea, flat walnut, or maybe rose… the hatchery line RIW should be single comb even though breed SOP says rose.

Black Jersey Giants, ordered 3 got 3

Buckeyes, ordered 3 got shipped 3, but only 2 made it alive. I am very curious to see how these hatchery Buckeyes differ from th hatchery RIRs we are raising as well. They should have pea combs, slight difference in feather colour, and different body shape.

Below is the baby picture of our now much older RIR chicks… more pronounced chipmunk markings I think, between the breeds.

Finally the Egyptian FayoumI, we ordered 3, looks like they sent 4, I do love the down pattern and colour of this breed… the lighting does not do it justice… so crazy they turn into a completely different colour.

Lauravonsmurf · Apr 12, 2022

Two of the white chicks died, they were two that seemed less active since delivery… I am thinking they were RIW but not sure as two breeds have similar down patterns. It’s a bummer.

I decided to put Cecile out with her flock, she was not mean or interfering with the chicks, but she was also not interested in being mum either.

Lauravonsmurf · Apr 12, 2022

Lauravonsmurf · Apr 24, 2022

We got a chick! Here is hoping a few more hatch out of the two groups… I combined them as this incubator will be easer to keep humidity up. The other one has been a struggle just to keep in 40-50 range… I think hatch rates will be low but one from each group will be a win at this point.