Broody Hen's Eggs on Day 9 *HATCH COMPLETE* w/ PICS ~post #21~

[crazy huhn]

That is awesome. Sunday babies - yeah, congratulations. How many babies did you end up with?

 

[speckledhen]

She has three chicks and there are still four eggs, at least two of those pipped. We are entering Day 21 now.

When I went to check on Dusty, I saw that the BR chick is a pullet and upon reading the name on the egg, now I'm not surprised. Ivy seems to throw all pullets so far. The six week old pullet with my other broody is Ivy's daughter, Fern, also with my rooster, Dutch. So, Miss Fern has a full sister now.

 

[speckledhen]

Two more hatched, a BR (Lexie's baby) and an Orp (Skye's baby); that leaves two more eggs to go, but Dusty is guarding them pretty fiercely. It's chilly here this a.m., only 50 degrees and foggy, so I doubt she'll allow them out from under her for long.

 

[speckledhen]

Hatch complete!
Started with 8 eggs, one was crushed on Day 5 and removed.
Out of the 7 remaining, 6 hatched (one died about Day 14 or so)

So, final total consists of:

3 BBS Orps (2 blue, 1 splash)
2 Barred Rocks (one from Ivy and one from Lexie, my oldest girls)
1 Delaware (first from my young flock)

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Congratulations!

How long will a hen generally sit on eggs after the first one has hatched? Does she think "Okay, I'll wait two days.", or "I'll leave when they're all hatched." or whenever she feels like it?

 

[cassey40]

congrats on the new babies, Pics

 

[speckledhen]

She will sit till she is satisfied that no more will hatch or that her little ones need to eat and drink. The last egg we removed since it had not pipped, candled then opened it. It had died after we candled, probably about Day 14 or so. Didn't want her to sit on an egg that had no chance of hatching when she has six babies to take care of.

 

[insiderart]

Dusty get out in the yard with those chicks so we can see them!

 

[speckledhen]

They are not all coming out from under mama yet, but the Delaware is a brave little explorer. While the other five are hiding under mama's petticoats, he/she is running all over the place. Till I can get pics of the others, here are some of that little cutie.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW CUTE!