Hatching for Valentine's Day???

[Sunny Side Up]

I went out this morning to check on the 2 Mama hens, they each have 2 fluffy chicks and 2 unhatched unpipped eggs in their nests. They're all sharing a small enclosed pen but each Mama has her own nest box. The Mamas seem torn between wanting to return to setting on the unhatched eggs and taking their new chickies out to eat & scratch. And they keep getting mixed up as to whose eggs/nest box/chicks are whose. I may just go ahead & remove those eggs this afternoon, some felt sloshy when I gently shook them. I'll take them into a dark closet & candle them just to see.

Last night I set 4 standard & 2 bantam eggs under a hen beginning to brood behind the duck's house. Wow, did she ever peck and bite HARD with her sharp little beak the whole time I was easing her old eggs out & handing her the new ones! She's in a little spot that's hard for me to access, I was working almost blindly just reaching in with my hand to where I knew she was setting. She's one fierce Mama! So I guess if all goes well, these new eggs should hatch around March 7.

The fun continues...

 

[SunAngel]

Well I only ended up with that one little Silkie

I took it out, moved it to a warm brooder and gave it a stuffed doggie to cuddle up with. Its peeping really loudly in between naps. I will be shocked if it lives.

I checked the other 8 eggs and they must have died during one of those temp spikes I got the other day. It only went up to 101 though for a short time. I have a staggered hatch going, so there are 10 eggs that I put back in the turner due to hatch next Sunday. I candled them and all 10 had chickies moving around. Maybe if I am really lucky more of those will hatch.

Good luck to Everyone and Congrats on all the new flufferbutts

I checked on the broody I slid 10 eggs under yesterday and she's still sitting on them, yay!

 

[Bec]

Here is baby number 1!!!

This the next one I think..pretty big hole and a yellow beak!

 

[Bec]

Quote:
I have another batch due on the 5th! We are together again on the next one!!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Quote:
I've heard other folks tell how they use a feather duster to give their orphan chicks security. They hang it handle-up and feathers-down, with a little space between the feather tips & the floor. The chicks will cuddle up under the feathers as if it were their Mama hens. Hope this helps your chick!

 

[Bock_Bock]

i should be having a coule ducklings eathier hatching today or tomorrow if i didnt kill them that is

 

[SunAngel]

Cool idea Sunny, thanks for the tip. I will see if I can find one at the store today. The little chick is hanging in there.

I will hopefully join the others with hatches around the March 5th. Thats when my broody should be hatching her eggs

 

[Msbear]

3 hatched, 1 zipped, 2 pipped, 2 ..nothing yet

 

[slickchick]

6 hatched, 3 zipped, 5 or more pips....what a day!

 

[crazychicken]

Life is not fair

I need more pictures