Colorado

[suncatcher]

I woke this morning to a genuine surprise - one of the eggs I set two weeks ago yesterday had hatched, and another is pipped. I guess if an egg is meant to hatch it doesn't matter how many rules get broken. This is an egg I picked up from Greathorse two weeks ago, so it was in a carton, transported from Berthoud to Pueblo, and in the turner with no humidity boost through hatch, and still hatched. Another has pipped so I moved the chick and the pipped egg into another incubator quickly fired up with water added and no turner, no idea whether the pipped egg will hatch but I do have a lovely SLW chick just about completely dry Hoping the other one does hatch. I plan on slipping the one under a Silkie hen tonight with chicks that just hatched this past Friday. If the other hatches, I will slip them both under.

My Silkie family has been very interesting to watch - this is a group consisting of a cock bird and 4 hens. One went broody just over 4 weeks ago, another a week later, and a third a few days after that. They have shuffled nests three times. The first nest hatched under the third broody a week ago, the second under the first broody Friday. As I was watching them the other day, one had come off a nest to stretch and eat, and the fourth hen raced over and plunked herself down on the eggs. At this point I am not sure how many more eggs they are sitting on, shouldn't be that many since they stop laying as they go broody. I have to try and determine where any eggs that have a chance to hatch are, remove those I know aren't going to, and figure out where the chicks are sleeping at night so I know where to slip the SLW tonight - so far all the hens have participated in chick raising, although one is the primary feeder. She spends the majority of her time taking bits of FF out of the dish and breaking it into tiny pieces for the chicks. I am enjoying the way they behave as a family, all participating in raising the chicks. Fun, fun

Amazing on the egg hatching! Congrats!

 

[Pozees]

So happy to hear the Black Forest fire is over fifty percent contained! We had a few rain showers yesterday and the day before, so hopefully this have had rain in the Black Forest area too. I hope everyone in the mandatory evac area gets to go home soon. Very nice that some of you in the area are able to help at the local resuces that took in animals displaced by the fire, wish I lived closer!

Pozee love your decriptions of how your Silkie family chips in and takes care of the chicks! It is amazing to watch them in action, they know exactly what to do! Even with their little chicken brains!

Did anyone make it to the Chicken/Rabbit show in Pueblo this weekend? I was there on Friday, and everyone was getting their chickens ready for the show, saw LOTS of cages ready for chickens. Wish I could have gone yesterday too, would have been a great experience as I have never seen a chicken or rabbit show. Hope I can join them one day!

I had planned on going, just wound up with too much to do and had to forego it. Work has been busy, I went to a five day week (used to have Fridays off) a few weeks ago and feel as if I will never be caught up or rested again. Don't get me wrong, the extra $ in the paycheck will be a huge help, I just need to adjust and meet the challenge

 

[Pozees]

Amazing on the egg hatching! Congrats!

Thanks I have noted movement in the pipped egg in the last hour, so fingers crossed. Now I feel as if I'd better keep checking the rest of the eggs in the incubator for pips, in case any more decide to surprise me!

 

[suncatcher]

Quote: I am curious, how did the egg developed before you picked it up two weeks ago??? Was it under a hen? Yep, we all hate change, you will adjust, takes time.

With the amount of empty cages ready for chickens, I think it was going to be a big show. Hope Shylee did well! She had the biggest Silkie roo I have ever seen, he was in the for sale section, not being shown.

 

[Minchi]

If anyone is heading out to the farm, I will be there a bit late. Found someone who had produce to donate.

 

[Pozees]

I am curious, how did the egg developed before you picked it up two weeks ago??? Was it under a hen? Yep, we all hate change, you will adjust, takes time.

With the amount of empty cages ready for chickens, I think it was going to be a big show. Hope Shylee did well! She had the biggest Silkie roo I have ever seen, he was in the for sale section, not being shown.

Paul told me while I was there that many of his SLW hens had been constantly broody so my guess is he collected unmarked eggs that had actually been under a hen for a week. What kills me is what it went through and that it still hatched, and another looks as if it will. Just incredible.

 

[suncatcher]

Quote: I agree! That is amazing! You must have put them right in the bator when you got home. Hope you get a few more early surprises!!!

 

[Pozees]

I agree! That is amazing! You must have put them right in the bator when you got home. Hope you get a few more early surprises!!!

I did put them right in, actually - thought about resting them, and couldn't think of a good reason, their trip was only a few hours in the back seat with bubble wrap under them - although my great plan was partially foiled when some of them fell out of their carton - if I do this again I will bring rubber bands and band the cartons closed, they wouldn't stay closed with bubble wrap under the eggs - which I definitely should have realized before I left, as soon as I tried to close the cartons I thought, duh Judi, of course they won't stay closed! I am sure I could have borrowed some rubber bands from Paul but I thought they would stay put, some did, some did not. The ones that fell are the ones that showed no sign of development when I candled. Lesson learned. Still looks like I will have a few SLW and some RIR chicks to raise.

I am starting to make decisions on Speckled Sussex cockerels - not what I will keep, but what I know I won't. There's one with a tipped serration in his comb who of course is the first to crow. The comb issue is one I know I don't want to chance in the future chicks, which is too bad because he is a fast maturing boy and I think will be pretty once he's finished his juvenile molt. Right now he shows a lot of white, but Tony said his cockerels typically show a lot of white in baby feather, and they molt out correct. I've noticed the pullets are molting in much darker mahogany feathers, starting around the neck, the cockerels are starting to as well, and the tail feathers are coming in with that beautiful green sheen. The other thing I will select against right up front is small size. The Sussex is a dual purpose breed originally developed as a table bird, so should have plenty of size. If anyone wants a Speckled Sussex cockerel, I should have 3 or 4 selected that won't be staying in the next week or so. I have 11 or 12 total, want to keep probably 3, and have offered a couple to someone who has hens for which he needs a male, so if he accepts my offer I will still have a half dozen that can go to homes. If they don't I will process for the freezer. These are from the hatch of 4/1/13 and the week prior, so they're 2.5 months old right now. PM me if you are interested.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

It's raining pretty well here "up the pass" from Colorado Springs. I hope it's raining on the fire too.

 

[suncatcher]

Quote: Good that you put them right in the bator, they must be hardy!!!! Live and learn on the ones that fell out of the carton. I always have some twine in my car, you just never know!?!

I too had a few rain showers come through, and looks like more on the way! Really cooled things down, sun is back out for now.