First time: Incubation Lavender Orpington Rooster w/ Welsummer and EE

[Millsa]

One is touch and go… “on the knitted nest” the others are all SLEEEEEEEPING under the glory of the heat lamp.. i have one of those hot plates but its not nearly warm enough. Will use that in about 2 weeks and use the heat lamp in their nursery.

 

[Millsa]

Two are super feisty already - chest bumping and pecking and trying to hop out of the brooder.. moral of the story here is, Mother Nature is a lot stronger than all of the mistakes i made. Its amazing that these hatched and are so vibrant. I have another 12 eggs in the NR360 - all a lot bigger eggs.. no idea whats fertile - i notice my rooster gets lazy completing the deed. But we will see.. and they will join these loud mouths This summer.

 

[Millsa]

Day 24: my one who was struggling is up and walking today. I was reading about humanely culling chicks yesterday, and here he is standing. I guess prayer actually does work! Today is the day im introducing grower feed.. im choosing medicated… they are all trooping along. Super cute fluff balls. Im beyond happy to have them in my life.

 

[Millsa]

Chicks are now 7 days old. One of the biggest strongest chicks looks to be developing cross beak - reading up on that, incubator inconsistencies can be a factor in causing this. The birds are not inbred so that should be ruled out. right now we are monitoring her, she eats and drinks (her crop is usually full!) and it looks minor but it from what i have read, it can worsen… praying its just a minor case and that we can file her beak and she can live a happy normal life. I really cant have a special needs bird… not that i dont completely love her i just dont have the capacity to care for her if her case worsens and will have the other awful task of culling her. So far SO GOOD - in other news im incubating 12 eggs in the NR360 - and OH MY GOD…. This incubator is amazing - you basically SET IT and forget it - except for monitoring that it has enough water which it also keep VERY consistent humidity. Today is day 7. I candled all the eggs and im also weighing them… all 12 eggs have a clearly defined air sac. So we are off to a new start… i have people lined up that want these hatchlings for their spring flocks… super grateful ..

 

[Millsa]

Everyones happy and healthy!

 

[Chickengirl209]

I am wondering - @Millsa - you said that the eggs you took from your hens were VERY early eggs. How old were the hens? Did the eggs still hatch?
Also, I read that eggs from hens younger than 16mo old have a tendency to become males. Did you expirience this?
Thanks!

 

[Millsa]

I am wondering - @Millsa - you said that the eggs you took from your hens were VERY early eggs. How old were the hens? Did the eggs still hatch?
Also, I read that eggs from hens younger than 16mo old have a tendency to become males. Did you expirience this?
Thanks!

HI, thanks for your question. The hens were 6 months and had just started laying. I collected 7 eggs and 5 hatched. One had cross beak and i had to cull they them. I dont know who is male or female yet.. i think i def. have at least one female … very small comb and long tail. The others its too early to tell yet. But im hopeful that i have at least 2 henS, hopefully I’ll remember to update this once i know for certain who’s who. They are now 5 weeks old and im hoping to move them into the coop this weekend. We’ve been having visitation.

 

[Chickengirl209]

HI, thanks for your question. The hens were 6 months and had just started laying. I collected 7 eggs and 5 hatched. One had cross beak and i had to cull they them. I dont know who is male or female yet.. i think i def. have at least one female … very small comb and long tail. The others its too early to tell yet. But im hopeful that i have at least 2 henS, hopefully I’ll remember to update this once i know for certain who’s who. They are now 5 weeks old and im hoping to move them into the coop this weekend. We’ve been having visitation.

Thanks!

 

[Millsa]

Here are the chicks at 6.5 weeks old. We are working on integrating them to the flock now. It’s a hard job. Look and dont touch with an escape hatch for the chicks to come out and go back in when the hens peck at them and THE HENS PECK AT THEM. Will wait for them to be 8 weeks old before i remove all the fencing and let them get it over with..

 

[Millsa]

Integration complete. Tonight they learned how to go into the coop at dusk. My rooster played a BIG role in getting everyone into the coop. Im so proud of him AND my chicks. Here they are sitting ON TOP of their hot plate. The rooster is so loving. He broke up a few squabbles today and dragged the hens away from the chicks. I was so impressed. No one was hurt even tho there was a lot of sqwaking. He seems to have gotten it right away that He;s in charge of these babies too…