Hatching with 2 broodies

Hey Team; the sun has set, the girls have gone to bed and I am here lol
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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
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MM, I was trying to think of different ways to spell Sara also
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. 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
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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
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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
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(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

lol on Beaker. but you had to notice that Tina's poof is voluminous compared to these two. And No you didn't sound at all judgmental. I try not to get all preachy about hatcheries but so I tread lightly. So glad MM is getting some of those boys instead. There are some hatchieries that don't sex...The biggest one I think is Sand Hill. They are a rare breed preservation facility and they only sell straight run. Other small family farms ship chicks and hatching eggs and they don't sex either.

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
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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.
Why thanks! Yea the Welsummer is like a New Hampshire or a RIR. I didn't realize it but they will give you some grealt little sex links. I am excited for your shipment pics please!
 
More Baby Pics!:


The most efficient way to eat is to stand in your bowl

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Eating Lessons... Can you believe all these colors...only 2 mamas


Scratching Class



And now some big bird pics:

Ozzie and some members of his harem



Spa Day: Hen Style
 
Hi everyone!
I just wanted to report that Penny did not hatch any of her eggs.
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Still cant figure out what happened. Everyday towards the end I would go into the coop and find another cracked egg and a horrible smell. She started off with 13 eggs, one chick hatched and died, the rest were cracked, I mean broken, not hatched, except for 4 I finally took out. Maybe they werent fertile since I have a bantam roo over lf hens.
I felt so sorry for her because she just kept sitting even when I took all her eggs away. It was a very sad experience overall.
On Monday I went to the feed store and got her 3 chicks. She is happily mothering them and seems very content. They are adorable to watch. I will get pix soon.

I just got caught up on all the new pictures! So darn cute!!!!
Those Sara's just keep on coming!
Marie
 
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I am so sorry that none of your eggs hatched. You may be onto something. I am sure your rooster is giving it his all but he may have trouble "reaching the target." What sort of chicks did you get? Penny is lucky that she has you.

I have hens that are mousers but I still get the little boogers in the coop, I think they feel safe at night to come out. But if the girls see them they are on them. I also keep my feed covered in metal garbage cans for the pellets and crumble and in a plastic tub for the fermented stuff.

What I need desperately is to peacock proof my big run. I am guessing those dang birds probably steal a good 10 lbs of feed a week. When the coop is done the next big chicken project is to cover that run in avian netting.
 
Hi everyone!
I just wanted to report that Penny did not hatch any of her eggs.:he  
Still cant figure out what happened. Everyday towards the end I would go into the coop and find another cracked egg and a horrible smell. She started off with 13 eggs, one chick hatched and died, the rest were cracked, I mean broken, not hatched,  except for 4 I finally took out. Maybe they werent fertile since I have a bantam roo over lf hens.
I felt so sorry for her because she just kept sitting even when I took all her eggs away. It was a very sad experience overall.
On Monday I went to the feed store and got her 3 chicks. She is happily mothering them and seems very content. They are adorable to watch. I will get pix soon.

I just got caught up on all the new pictures! So darn cute!!!!
Those Sara just keep on coming!
Marie


So sad to hear for both you and mommy waiting anxiously to discover those little fuzzy butts, at least mommy has some littles to take care of :hit I'm sure you'll have better luck next time. And yes the Sara's just keep coming haven't been out yet today to see if there is one final Sara or not, enjoying watching them terrorize their poor mother it feels like this process is taking forever it has been 8 days ago the first chick hatched and still waiting to see what's going to happen with that last one 3 hens laying in the same nest probably wasn't such a good idea!!! :he:he
 
Forgot to ask,
How does everyone keep mice out of the coop? I have been seeing some in the evening. Just wanted to hear everyone's methods of rodent control. Cant have a cat because of the bobcats and coyotes.
Thanks
Marie

I put the feed in a plastic container and only give them a potful when I'm letting them out and putting them :)


Hi everyone!
I just wanted to report that Penny did not hatch any of her eggs.:he  
Still cant figure out what happened. Everyday towards the end I would go into the coop and find another cracked egg and a horrible smell. She started off with 13 eggs, one chick hatched and died, the rest were cracked, I mean broken, not hatched,  except for 4 I finally took out. Maybe they werent fertile since I have a bantam roo over lf hens.
I felt so sorry for her because she just kept sitting even when I took all her eggs away. It was a very sad experience overall.
On Monday I went to the feed store and got her 3 chicks. She is happily mothering them and seems very content. They are adorable to watch. I will get pix soon.

I just got caught up on all the new pictures! So darn cute!!!!
Those Sara just keep on coming!
Marie

Sorry to hear none of them hatched, do u have other hens in with her, because they could come in and stand on or peck them
 
Hi 846,
I had put up a barrier so the other hens could not get in with her. Thats what I thought in the beginning, that the other hens were coming in and breaking the eggs, but it was just Penny in there sitting on the eggs. I wonder if they will sometimes get rid of the eggs if they are not fertile. I did see her one time gently tapping on one of the eggs. Kind of like she was trying to hear something inside?
Thanks,
Marie
 

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