Hatching with 2 broodies

[randerson846]

Thank you I hope so too, because I have a few silkies in there and I would like them to hatch, as I would live a few of them I'll for the best

 

[Teila]

Goood morning Team Broody and may I say, what a beautiful morning it is

R846, very excited for you; can’t wait to see what /who you get

Tee hee IC, to help with the chicken-math, rather than a Frizzle and a new Cochin, how about a Frizzle Cochin?
Your bubbies are so so adorable! I love the ones where they are looking straight at the camera “what’s that mum?”

MM, how exciting for you and us, of course

Friday is a great name for a rooster … everyone loves Friday.
With only a small number of girls, two which hatched here and three purchased from the Produce Store or at Sale, I am a little naïve when it comes to hatcheries. Do they ship chicks? How far do they ship them? How are they ‘packed’ for want of a better word?

LM, beautiful bubbies! Congratulations again.
They do scoot around the place at an incredible rate of knots don’t they? Imagine being a mumma hen trying to keep track of 5 little live-wires darting all over the place and trying to get into as much trouble as they can. Just a thought, if ‘Sara’ is sticking as their name, you could have Sara-Jane, Sara-Anne, Sara-Louise etc

TG, beautiful chickens!

My five cents worth on the broody-breed … Cochins, bantam or otherwise and of course, Silkies.

Thank you all for your comments on my little girls. Notice how Dusty did not get included? My poor little Hard-Molt-Centrefold is not really camera worthy at the moment; having said that, her totally bald head is now starting to feather up a little.

Lulu is adorable, such a sweet personality. She follows Tina everywhere, something Tina is not totally comfortable with but she is warming to the idea. Could I have the first Silkie in history to go broody before she lays her first egg? lol.

As predicted, as soon as it became available Dusty went back to her old nest box for sleeping so I now have Cilla and Blondie roosting in the Chateau, Dusty sleeping in the Chateau in a nest box and Tina and Lulu sleeping in a double nest box in the Ranch. When I checked on them last night, it looked like Tina was trying to smother Lulu but turns out that Lulu was trying to snuggle under Tina, poor Tina had this look of “What the?” on her face.
The Breeder said that Lulu is approx 4 months old; do you reckon she would still be trying to snuggle under at that age? Also, she is still peeping; I have my doubts that she is 4 months??
Being a Frizzle has its advantages, when Dusty tries to give her a warning peck the feathers cause her to misjudge and Lulu does not feel a thing! It is funny to see Dusty trying to stamp her authority “shock, horror, this little upstart is not listening to me!” lolz

Cilla is still half hearted warning all and sundry away from Blondie at 9 weeks, way longer than she did with the Silkies. Again, maybe because Blondie is now a single bubby and roosting whereas the Silkies did not roost. Or maybe she is just following my lead of "step away from my chicken"? lol.

It is quite peaceful out there at the moment; Tina, Dusty and Lulu are in one section of the run and Cilla and Blondie confined to another. The run is not quite big enough when Cilla starts throwing her weight around so her integration is definitely being done under free range circumstances.

I read somewhere that lots of room is the key to a smooth integration which is definitely the case where Cilla is concerned

Ah well, off to enjoy my day .. some washing to do and of course, chicken stalking!

 

[tommysgirl]

Goood morning Team Broody and may I say, what a beautiful morning it is

R846, very excited for you; can’t wait to see what /who you get

Tee hee IC, to help with the chicken-math, rather than a Frizzle and a new Cochin, how about a Frizzle Cochin?
Your bubbies are so so adorable! I love the ones where they are looking straight at the camera “what’s that mum?”

MM, how exciting for you and us, of course

Friday is a great name for a rooster … everyone loves Friday.
With only a small number of girls, two which hatched here and three purchased from the Produce Store or at Sale, I am a little naïve when it comes to hatcheries. Do they ship chicks? How far do they ship them? How are they ‘packed’ for want of a better word?

LM, beautiful bubbies! Congratulations again.
They do scoot around the place at an incredible rate of knots don’t they? Imagine being a mumma hen trying to keep track of 5 little live-wires darting all over the place and trying to get into as much trouble as they can. Just a thought, if ‘Sara’ is sticking as their name, you could have Sara-Jane, Sara-Anne, Sara-Louise etc

TG, beautiful chickens!

My five cents worth on the broody-breed … Cochins, bantam or otherwise and of course, Silkies.

Thank you all for your comments on my little girls. Notice how Dusty did not get included? My poor little Hard-Molt-Centrefold is not really camera worthy at the moment; having said that, her totally bald head is now starting to feather up a little.

Lulu is adorable, such a sweet personality. She follows Tina everywhere, something Tina is not totally comfortable with but she is warming to the idea. Could I have the first Silkie in history to go broody before she lays her first egg? lol.

As predicted, as soon as it became available Dusty went back to her old nest box for sleeping so I now have Cilla and Blondie roosting in the Chateau, Dusty sleeping in the Chateau in a nest box and Tina and Lulu sleeping in a double nest box in the Ranch. When I checked on them last night, it looked like Tina was trying to smother Lulu but turns out that Lulu was trying to snuggle under Tina, poor Tina had this look of “What the?” on her face.
The Breeder said that Lulu is approx 4 months old; do you reckon she would still be trying to snuggle under at that age? Also, she is still peeping; I have my doubts that she is 4 months??
Being a Frizzle has its advantages, when Dusty tries to give her a warning peck the feathers cause her to misjudge and Lulu does not feel a thing! It is funny to see Dusty trying to stamp her authority “shock, horror, this little upstart is not listening to me!” lolz

Cilla is still half hearted warning all and sundry away from Blondie at 9 weeks, way longer than she did with the Silkies. Again, maybe because Blondie is now a single bubby and roosting whereas the Silkies did not roost. Or maybe she is just following my lead of "step away from my chicken"? lol.

It is quite peaceful out there at the moment; Tina, Dusty and Lulu are in one section of the run and Cilla and Blondie confined to another. The run is not quite big enough when Cilla starts throwing her weight around so her integration is definitely being done under free range circumstances.

I read somewhere that lots of room is the key to a smooth integration which is definitely the case where Cilla is concerned

Ah well, off to enjoy my day .. some washing to do and of course, chicken stalking!

I really enjoy reading your posts

You are clever and funny and your love for your birds...and animals in general... totally comes through.

The problem isn't with hatcheries per se but with the way they sex chicks and what happens to the little roos. This video is disturbing but it tell how one of the major US hatcheries does things at least with this type of chick. It pretty much holds true for any hatchery that sells sexed chicks If you would rather I describe it than you having to watch it I will. Scroll down the page and click the link if you want. http://www.juststruttinfarm.com/hatchery-horrors.html Other hatcheries vent sex which requires squeezing the day old babies until their vent opens and they can inspect it for the bump that indicates it is a cockerel. This often kills the chicks

There are some hatcheries that don't sex chicks in my mind those are fine.

 

[randerson846]

Just thought if let u know that tomorrow I am starting a chicken coop for my new chicks (hopefully I get some ) getting excited

 

[Lesa Mae]

TG I totally agree with you on the whole naming them all Sara so thought maybe I could convince a 4 yr old that there are other pretty names for her babies so I've been informed that they are still Sara but the last one hatched is Ariel !!! So I guess we can call it a very small victory but the 4 yr old still rules

 

[Teila]

OMG TG; how awful!!

I am so stupid; I had no idea! I am definitely going to give my little girls extra hugs today

 

[MistyMountain]

Goood morning Team Broody and may I say, what a beautiful morning it is

R846, very excited for you; can’t wait to see what /who you get

Tee hee IC, to help with the chicken-math, rather than a Frizzle and a new Cochin, how about a Frizzle Cochin?
Your bubbies are so so adorable! I love the ones where they are looking straight at the camera “what’s that mum?”

MM, how exciting for you and us, of course

Friday is a great name for a rooster … everyone loves Friday.
With only a small number of girls, two which hatched here and three purchased from the Produce Store or at Sale, I am a little naïve when it comes to hatcheries. Do they ship chicks? How far do they ship them? How are they ‘packed’ for want of a better word?

LM, beautiful bubbies! Congratulations again.
They do scoot around the place at an incredible rate of knots don’t they? Imagine being a mumma hen trying to keep track of 5 little live-wires darting all over the place and trying to get into as much trouble as they can. Just a thought, if ‘Sara’ is sticking as their name, you could have Sara-Jane, Sara-Anne, Sara-Louise etc

TG, beautiful chickens!

My five cents worth on the broody-breed … Cochins, bantam or otherwise and of course, Silkies.

Thank you all for your comments on my little girls. Notice how Dusty did not get included? My poor little Hard-Molt-Centrefold is not really camera worthy at the moment; having said that, her totally bald head is now starting to feather up a little.

Lulu is adorable, such a sweet personality. She follows Tina everywhere, something Tina is not totally comfortable with but she is warming to the idea. Could I have the first Silkie in history to go broody before she lays her first egg? lol.

As predicted, as soon as it became available Dusty went back to her old nest box for sleeping so I now have Cilla and Blondie roosting in the Chateau, Dusty sleeping in the Chateau in a nest box and Tina and Lulu sleeping in a double nest box in the Ranch. When I checked on them last night, it looked like Tina was trying to smother Lulu but turns out that Lulu was trying to snuggle under Tina, poor Tina had this look of “What the?” on her face.
The Breeder said that Lulu is approx 4 months old; do you reckon she would still be trying to snuggle under at that age? Also, she is still peeping; I have my doubts that she is 4 months??
Being a Frizzle has its advantages, when Dusty tries to give her a warning peck the feathers cause her to misjudge and Lulu does not feel a thing! It is funny to see Dusty trying to stamp her authority “shock, horror, this little upstart is not listening to me!” lolz

Cilla is still half hearted warning all and sundry away from Blondie at 9 weeks, way longer than she did with the Silkies. Again, maybe because Blondie is now a single bubby and roosting whereas the Silkies did not roost. Or maybe she is just following my lead of "step away from my chicken"? lol.

It is quite peaceful out there at the moment; Tina, Dusty and Lulu are in one section of the run and Cilla and Blondie confined to another. The run is not quite big enough when Cilla starts throwing her weight around so her integration is definitely being done under free range circumstances.

I read somewhere that lots of room is the key to a smooth integration which is definitely the case where Cilla is concerned

Ah well, off to enjoy my day .. some washing to do and of course, chicken stalking!

Teila, yes they ship them. My first order would have gone a little over 1000 miles door to door, but of course it made stops at different hubs and such. It was at my Post Office in less than 24 hours. This next order is from a hatchery about 1200 miles away--- add necessary stops and such to that as well. Last order came in August, so super warm here. This order they may put in extra chicks to keep everyone warm. They come in a little box with holes in it and a woven straw mat on the bottom. I only lost one chick, after one week, my first time around. She was doing well until she wasn't. The others were suddenly twice her size. I think it was simply a failure to thrive thing. I hand fed and watered her, did everything I could. I have great people at my post office and they call me right away. They seem as happy to get chicks and I am!

I really enjoy reading your posts

You are clever and funny and your love for your birds...and animals in general... totally comes through.

The problem isn't with hatcheries per se but with the way they sex chicks and what happens to the little roos. This video is disturbing but it tell how one of the major US hatcheries does things at least with this type of chick. It pretty much holds true for any hatchery that sells sexed chicks If you would rather I describe it than you having to watch it I will. Scroll down the page and click the link if you want. http://www.juststruttinfarm.com/hatchery-horrors.html Other hatcheries vent sex which requires squeezing the day old babies until their vent opens and they can inspect it for the bump that indicates it is a cockerel. This often kills the chicks

There are some hatcheries that don't sex chicks in my mind those are fine.

It is so sad. Unfortunately until after this order, hatchery chicks are what worked for me. From this point on, I will have a closed flock and replenish as needed. No more business from me! And, some of those little roos will probably end up here on our farm this time around.

TG I totally agree with you on the whole naming them all Sara so thought maybe I could convince a 4 yr old that there are other pretty names for her babies so I've been informed that they are still Sara but the last one hatched is Ariel !!! So I guess we can call it a very small victory but the 4 yr old still rules

How about Sara, Cera, Sarah, Seara and Ceara? LOL! Of course, you could always go with Sara1, Sara2, Sara3, Sara4 and Sara5? (this is coming from someone who has four identical brown leghorns named Number 1, Number 2, Number 3 and Number 4!) I also have a hen named Darth Vader (My son named that one).

 

[tommysgirl]

OMG TG; how awful!!

I am so stupid; I had no idea! I am definitely going to give my little girls extra hugs today

You are not stupid. I had no idea and I live here!

It is so sad. Unfortunately until after this order, hatchery chicks are what worked for me. From this point on, I will have a closed flock and replenish as needed. No more business from me! And, some of those little roos will probably end up here on our farm this time around.

I have had two orders delivered too. It is pretty exciting to get that cheeping box. I actually took the day off work last year when I picked up chicks and kept them in my class room every day for a week both years I got mail order chicks. I agree that hatcheries are the only choice...or the only known choice in my case...for a lot of people.

Here are my new girls. Finally got pics of them. I have been looking at more pics of silkies on line...including Tina... and I think what I have are actually silkie/cochin crosses. What do you think? I also think Gracie Belle may be Julie's mom. I keep forgetting to ask my contact. Anyway they have small crests not the big poofs...well you can see for yourselves...Meet Gracie Belle and Julie...named for the Taylor sisters from Friday Night Lights.

 

[Teila]

Hey Team; the sun has set, the girls have gone to bed and I am here lol

MM and TG; I hope you did not think I was being judgmental at all? I totally understand that for some it is the only option to get their flock started. I was just so shocked that people could do that. I try very hard not to judge people; we do not know their circumstances, the life they have had etc but how do you go to work every day and do that?

Anyway, I think of it as how wonderful that you have saved some of those little guys and gals and what wonderful lives they are going to have. Not all hatcheries would be the same though would they?

I can't wait to see the pictures MM. How exciting to open that box and see all those cute little faces looking up at you

MM, I was trying to think of different ways to spell Sara also

. You came up with some good ones! I find myself having to think carefully before I call my girls by name, especially with a couple of newbies, how easy would it be if they all had the same name?

TG, Tina is probably not a good subject if you are looking at Silkies. She only has four toes instead of five, a single comb instead of a walnut and her feet have not feathered; just little feather stumps! lol. Without offending the lady I bought the eggs off (if she reads this), a Silkie breeder has advised that she looks like a Silkie but pet quality only. That does not phase me one little bit, I still love her

Also, other Silkies have this beautiful rounded crop of head feathers and Tina just looks like Beaker off the muppets! lol.

As you know, I am far from a Silkie expert, or chicken expert of any breed for that matter, so I am not going to attempt to advise if they are Silkie crosses

I will say that they are gorgeous!!

Just for fun, here's Beaker!!



Am I a match-maker or what? Finally a chicken plan actually pans out. Check out the new best buds







To finish; a family photo. All five girls in the same picture; integration is going well

(You can just make out Lulu at the top of the picture). Is is just me or do they look like they are waiting for a bus? lol

 

[MistyMountain]

Teila, no worries! Honestly, up until I got my first batch I was totally blind to what goes on behind the doors of hatcheries. Thing is, after my first little silkie situation, I am super fearful of disease. Biosecurity is far tighter at hatcheries, so it is my safest route. That said, I should be able to close the doors now and replenish my flock as needed from my own stock. Purebred is unnecessary to me, I just like variety and colors. I suppose that's the artist in me. So, from here on out, they won't get my business!

Great work on the matchmaking, teila! I have said it before, I love Tina's single comb

Tg! They are adorable! I did a tiny google about the welsummer/cuckoo maran cross... And from what I gather it would produce a black SL! I even think I read something about crossing an ee with the re color gene with a CM would work as well. This could be fun in a few years!!

I received notice of shipment last night at 7pm, though actual ship date is today. I was up half the night... So excited... Nervous... And hopped up on caffine which is not good for me. Two Dr. Peppers... Two too much. Pics soon... I hope.