Headed out to close the coop....broody Mera sitting safe. 8 of 9 babies still outside. Enigma NOT babysitting. She's in the coop roosting. Headcount in the coop: 25. Who's out babysitting? Cuckoo is missing. Back out to see. No babysitter. Egg basket into the house then start looking around. Broody? Still foraging? Gotten?

Found her under the deck where most of the crew was today. Weezing for air. She's been struggling with internal issues for quite a while: thin shells, shell-less....more than calcium deficiency. If she lasts the night, I will be surprised. I gathered her up, warmed her in my arms, then tucked her into one of the curtained nest boxes.

Internal issues, there is nothing I can do except put her with her family
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She was still in the spot in this picture. Near Cheetah, and below the log Twirp is perching on.

Even the babies came over to check on her once she was tucked in.
 
I’m
Hey everyone.

Well, it is time to break out old Bessie and set her up. Bessie by the way is my incubator. Some of you already know but a secret has been kept between @Ponypoor and myself. I may have hinted a bit the last month when she talked about her plans with hatching silkie eggs by her niece and my desire for a Teddy x Marty chick.

Look what arrived this morning
View attachment 3840364
All but 2 eggs safely made it, including 2 bonus Betty eggs. They are sitting now resting for 24 hours and at Noon tomorrow I will load up the incubator. I am also tossing in at least 5 of Poppets eggs as this will be my only hatch this year.

Cross your fingers and say a prayer everyone for a good hatch. I am not even going to pray for all pullets. A Teddy x Marty son would be welcome.
wow! What a fun surprise! I look forward to the hatch-along
 
Seems bad weather all over today.

whiskers is definitely broody the beast! She couldn’t have gone broody a couple weeks ago now couldn’t she sheesh!

I am toying with the idea of giving her a few eggs - if that one is Larry’s (didn’t get one like it today) but have to make sure it isn’t from Raven or Sharpie (highly unlikely).

Or…. Dare I risk trying to foster those 3 majesty Marans I have arriving Tuesday, on her next week….

I have a few days to make a decision.
I vote giving her the marans, because then she’ll have more time to think she’s sitting on actively growing eggs :)
 
Headed out to close the coop....broody Mera sitting safe. 8 of 9 babies still outside. Enigma NOT babysitting. She's in the coop roosting. Headcount in the coop: 25. Who's out babysitting? Cuckoo is missing. Back out to see. No babysitter. Egg basket into the house then start looking around. Broody? Still foraging? Gotten?

Found her under the deck where most of the crew was today. Weezing for air. She's been struggling with internal issues for quite a while: thin shells, shell-less....more than calcium deficiency. If she lasts the night, I will be surprised. I gathered her up, warmed her in my arms, then tucked her into one of the curtained nest boxes.

Internal issues, there is nothing I can do except put her with her familyView attachment 3840916She was still in the spot in this picture. Near Cheetah, and below the log Twirp is perching on.

Even the babies came over to check on her once she was tucked in.
Oh no Cuckoo 😔, if tonight is the end, may it be peaceful and fast. I’m glad you’re with your family.
 
Wattle Wednesday
5078276C-36C2-4FEF-A25C-74005A2FA7D8.jpeg


The Grayscale babies, who have a separate little run within the larger run, have been spending most of the daylight hours free to roam about. To stop the adults from downing unreasonable amounts of their chick feed, I have been going in and bringing the chick’s bowl of mash down from atop a ladder so that they can scarf every couple of hours and then I hide it again. Each time, this is the reception I get. All these adults are so hopeful! But there are the chicks, right there with the adults.

Anyhow, this has been *knock on wood* the smoothest integration ever. It’s far from over, but so wildly peaceful. The adults are so much more chill with the Grayscales than they were with Perry just last Fall.
 

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