Calico Crele No Longer on Lock Down

[neferset]

Calico Hen has been trying to sit on a clutch since before Easter. Poor thing, something always keeps happening (starting with her diabolical plan to raise chicks in the laundry room which was accidentally thwarted by a closed door).

Last night I thought I heard peeping, but I wasn't sure, what with all the other peeping going on. Today, Steve told me to come look and there were 8 fluffy little peeps. He transferred them into a nice cozy cage with a lot of hay for her to nest in and their own feeder/waterer. He also brought over the two unhatched eggs. Calico seemed very happy to sit back on them. If I see her abandoning nest, I'll bring them in for the incubator.

I will have to get a picture later. Right now, I don't want to disturb her too much more.

 

[Kittymomma]

Yeah, I can't wait for the pictures. The laundry room? Silly chickens.

 

[neferset]

Well, she's still on the two eggs, but happy to have food and water there. The other 8 chicks are looking good. I will keep you updated.

Yes, Calico tried to set eggs in the laundry room the first time. I didn't realize until she'd been off the nest for two days that she was separated from her eggs. After that, she tried setting on a glue bottle, which got her the nick name Glue Bottle Mama. Then her sister Geraldine let her borrow two eggs in their last week. The two brooded the chicks together for a while until Geraldine decided she couldn't stay anymore. After that, she tried to set eggs for one week and lost interest when they didn't hatch as quickly as Geraldine's. (Three weeks? The last chicks only took ONE week!) Then, she tried to nest twice in a corner made by stacks of hay bails. That led to eggs shattered on the floor each time she did it.

I was really hoping for this little hen. She wanted these babies pretty badly.

 

[neferset]

I stole the eggs, which made her all upset. I candled and it looks like they are a bit younger than the chicks that hatched. So, into the bator they go. I want to wait until tonight to make any decisions on them. If I see healthy chicks forming, I'll keep them. I can just see better into the eggs at night. (I don't have a dark room.)

 

[Kittymomma]

Best of luck with them. I so need to get an incubator! My BR keeps trying to go broody, but does it in the most ridicules places, then won't settle back down on them when I have to move her

Did you ever get any pics of the little fuzzies? I'm living vicariously thru byc until I get that bator or one of my hens becomes a little more reasonable about nesting locations.

 

[neferset]

Not yet. I'm waiting for her to settle down before I upset her again. Probably I'll get them tomorrow.

 

[neferset]

Here she is:

Only 6 chicks are visible, but it's because she's hiding the other two.

 

[eggsrcool]

Beautiful chicks! Congrats!

 

[Bantimna]

Beau-ti-ful

congrats Is she a OEG? What breed are her chickies?

 

[mulia24]

adorable chicks.

great.