Encouraging a Broody-ish 7mo old BO

[Redhead Rae]

I got the Magicfly egg candler (link below). It works great, but the main drawback is that it needs to be plugged in. I brought my broody tote up to my porch and candled the eggs at deep twilight and was able see the developing chicks clearly and see well enough to carry the tote back to the run.

https://www.amazon.com/Magicfly-Bri...505827963&sr=8-1&keywords=magicfly+egg+candle

 

[Redhead Rae]

We have babies!!! Five already. 3 already fluffed out, two just hatched under Mama. Several more of the eggs have pips in them already. At 10:30 this morning we had two eggs with definite pips and I checked a little before 3 and I saw these three fuzzies! I picked up mama and saw one fresh hatched and another pushing out of its shell. Of the fuzzies, one is clearly a male and 2 are female (sex links are fun!!!) They seem to all have fuzzy feet like their dad, but I don't think they will be as feathered because he had more feathering of the feet as a chick. Eeee! So happy to have new babies!

 

[Redhead Rae]

All 10 eggs have hatched!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hopefully she can keep track of them all. Congratulations.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Hopefully she can keep track of them all. Congratulations.

Thanks! My last momma took care of 7 splendidly. Hopefully 10 isn't much harder. I'm worried about being able to do a head count on them since they are all black. My last chicks were white (one light grey) and easy to see from a distance

 

[aart]

I'm worried about being able to do a head count on them since they are all black.

I frequently lose my almost black dog in the dark.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Mama and babies are all out and about today. She is being such a good mama, showing them what to eat and drink and how to scratch. I think there are 5 pullets and 5 cockerels one "pullet" is questionable, her fluff is more dark grey than black and she looks like she has a few lighter wisps of fuzz on her head, but not a true dot.

I like this pic because you can see Mama showing all 10 babies how to scratch and peck.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What a good mom.