Hatching with 2 broodies

[16 paws]

Beautiful pics everyone. So much excitement going on!
Congratulations ItalyChickie and Sonya9.
Cant wait to see more pictures. You two are going to be very busy in a good way.
Chickencrazy999,
Beautiful grounds and beautiful chickens. I love all the green and cute little pansies. The chicks must think they are in never-never land it is so pretty. They have all the greenery to hide out in also. That is a lot of chicks for her to take care of. Sorry the little one didnt make it thou

I wonder what the record is for the most chicks a broody has tended too?
Anyway, have fun with your new arrivals everyone. They are all so special.
Marie

 

[Sonya9]

Yep, exactly! I tell them they better get used to me as soon as they start brooding. I bet Pallina is thinking I actually have moved in by now - I spent half the day in her apartment (my knees are seriously hurting from crouching in there!)

There are now 5 hatched chicks under there.

Hopefully the remaining three are also on the way.

The other broody definitely has two pips, one is zipping already!

I probably won't get to see more than glimpses until tomorrow, even if I do move in there... but in the meantime, it's so great to be able to share with someone who is going through the same thing and others here who understand how hard the waiting is.

Same here, 5 confirmed hatched (I only saw two under the older broody but pulled 3 empty shells out). Also a 6th as a decent size hole in the shell and is talking up a storm through it.

So far that is 5/6 live out of 8, I don't think the last egg in the incubator is alive. Nevertheless I am pleased with the ratio so far! And they are now so fluffy and adorable!

Yes, I am glad to have a hatch a long partner too, I will be spending lots of time on this thread today as well.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Congratulations everyone on the baby chicks!!! I am loving all the photos, keep them coming. especially the broody on the roost with her "babies" that is priceless. loved when she had one under, and on her,a nd her wings spread out over them. what a great mom!!!
chickencrazy, that is a beautiful yard, lovely photos of the mom and chicks with the flowers

I also lift the broody up to peek, or I did with Bertha. she is pretty nice and trusting of me, she even lets me touch her chicks now. I would not try that with Wendy my broodzilla! she will really bite! BTW, her 3rd chick grafting has gone swimmingly. it has bonded to her, and her to it! sometimes it gets left behind during freeranging. they have 8 acres to wander, and the little one sometimes needs to rest before mama realizes it. poor little guy has been thrown into the deep end, but seems to be doing just fine!

 

[ItalyChickie]

If there is a law call me a criminal because I did it! Give it a try...

Same only a quick peep under her will not make a difference

To both of you - thanks for saying that, now I don't feel as bad for messing with them all the time - can't help it!
Sorry to hear about the chick that didn't make it. But wow, 21!!! That is one busy mama!

Beautiful pics everyone. So much excitement going on!
Congratulations ItalyChickie and Sonya9.
Cant wait to see more pictures. You two are going to be very busy in a good way.
Chickencrazy999,
Beautiful grounds and beautiful chickens. I love all the green and cute little pansies. The chicks must think they are in never-never land it is so pretty. They have all the greenery to hide out in also. That is a lot of chicks for her to take care of. Sorry the little one didnt make it thou

I wonder what the record is for the most chicks a broody has tended too?
Anyway, have fun with your new arrivals everyone. They are all so special.
Marie

Thanks Marie! Definitely having fun already!

Same here, 5 confirmed hatched (I only saw two under the older broody but pulled 3 empty shells out). Also a 6th as a decent size hole in the shell and is talking up a storm through it.

So far that is 5/6 live out of 8, I don't think the last egg in the incubator is alive. Nevertheless I am pleased with the ratio so far! And they are now so fluffy and adorable!

Yes, I am glad to have a hatch a long partner too, I will be spending lots of time on this thread today as well.

I just found a 6th egg shell, so also 6/8 at the moment - that I know of, anyway. Yes, I'm thinking that is a good ratio too.

It's already evening for me, 7.30 pm, so next update likely won't be until my morning. As much as I want to stay and watch into the am, I have to let them rest - and rest myself, since I was up at dawn to check on them.

Hope you will have seen some of them by then!

Congratulations everyone on the baby chicks!!! I am loving all the photos, keep them coming. especially the broody on the roost with her "babies" that is priceless. loved when she had one under, and on her,a nd her wings spread out over them. what a great mom!!!
chickencrazy, that is a beautiful yard, lovely photos of the mom and chicks with the flowers

I also lift the broody up to peek, or I did with Bertha. she is pretty nice and trusting of me, she even lets me touch her chicks now. I would not try that with Wendy my broodzilla! she will really bite! BTW, her 3rd chick grafting has gone swimmingly. it has bonded to her, and her to it! sometimes it gets left behind during freeranging. they have 8 acres to wander, and the little one sometimes needs to rest before mama realizes it. poor little guy has been thrown into the deep end, but seems to be doing just fine!

Thank you! I also thought Bonnie deserves mama of the year nomination when I saw that. She actually had three of them on top of her at one point, only I didn't manage to take a picture before two fell off.

I kinda sorta risked peeking under my broodzilla after hearing peeps, and she also has one chick hatched!

Have to be very careful with her, not so much because of the biting (I'm used to it by now, lol), as because she gets nervous and starts shifting too much and I worry she will hurt the chicks, so this was a super quick lift-the-feathers-that-were-moving sort of thing.... but anyway, I think it's the blue Araucana!!!

Will have to wait until tomorrow for the rest of Araucaunas, and one Ameraucana + one mix, and their pictures, but in the meantime, here's a better picture of one of Pallina's (there's a bunch more of them hiding under there, but only one at a time seems to come out):

 

[Sonya9]

Well looks like everyone is hatched out. The fifth chick under the older broody ended up being an assisted hatch.

I saw the egg pipped with a big hole this morning, then around lunch it was the same but peeping LOUDLY! I could see the little beak fluttering right behind the hole in the egg but no progress was being made. I know they say "don't assist" but it was obvious to me this baby was in trouble and screaming his head off. I wondered if he was mentally challenged, his beak was right there frantically moving but not increasing the size of the opening, he sure didn't seem weak based on the crying.

Sterilized tweezers and went back out, carefully "unzipped" just like the chick would do (no blood) and then he started pushing the egg open. Turns out it was NOT his beak behind the hole, it was his little foot! He still had his head bent down and he was sort of stuck in the membrane, looks like the eggsack was absorbed so I got the membrane off. I stuck him under the broody and wished him the best. Hope he makes it, he is probably a tired little guy from struggling for so many hours.

Meanwhile younger broody seems to be thinking this motherhood thing isn't as fun as she expected, the tiny pullet is climbing all over her, pecking at her comb etc.... So far I think it is going okay though.

Video of older broody with chicks, these babies ain't shy!

 

[ItalyChickie]

Wow, amazing job on assisting! I've never had to do that, I'd be terrified!

And those babies are adorable, love the video.

Well, I just went to close them for the night, and found the 7th egg shell under Pallina, so 7/8 so far. The last egg doesn't seem to be doing anything, no pipping or peeping, but Pallina seems to feel there is still hope, so we'll wait and see what tomorrow brings...

 

[Farmer Viola]

Well looks like everyone is hatched out. The fifth chick under the older broody ended up being an assisted hatch.

I saw the egg pipped with a big hole this morning, then around lunch it was the same but peeping LOUDLY! I could see the little beak fluttering right behind the hole in the egg but no progress was being made. I know they say "don't assist" but it was obvious to me this baby was in trouble and screaming his head off. I wondered if he was mentally challenged, his beak was right there frantically moving but not increasing the size of the opening, he sure didn't seem weak based on the crying.

Sterilized tweezers and went back out, carefully "unzipped" just like the chick would do (no blood) and then he started pushing the egg open. Turns out it was NOT his beak behind the hole, it was his little foot! He still had his head bent down and he was sort of stuck in the membrane, looks like the eggsack was absorbed so I got the membrane off. I stuck him under the broody and wished him the best. Hope he makes it, he is probably a tired little guy from struggling for so many hours.

Meanwhile younger broody seems to be thinking this motherhood thing isn't as fun as she expected, the tiny pullet is climbing all over her, pecking at her comb etc.... So far I think it is going okay though.

Video of older broody with chicks, these babies ain't shy!

LOVE!!!!!!!!!

 

[HealthyMNmama]

We have 3 chicks so far! I'm concerned, though. Tell me if I should worry or not. (Total noobie to hatching.) 2 co-broody hens, 27 eggs to start (we had two Roos and 9 layers at the time.) 3 live chicks now (started on Tues) 2 bad eggs and 4 hatched, wet, dead chicks. Should I be concerned about the remaining eggs? I've never candled any of them; just trusted the mamas. Do I need to intervene? I do not have an incubator.

 

[Teila]

Hello Team Broody

Yes, I have not dropped off the planet just been working way too hard and now I have 6 pages of posts to catch up on. By the time I finish, probably 2 more

I have so missed everyone and I am looking forward to catching up on all your news.

I have a Word document open and I am typing away as I read posts and then going back and editing, as required, so if I mess it up or miss anyone .. apologies.

FV Cilla starts jumping back on the roost at about three weeks and then, when the littlies cannot join her, she jumps back down and cuddles up to them. She has done this on both hatches and I believe she is just teaching them and waiting for the day they work it out.

Wow regarding your follow up post and the chicks sleeping alone at 2.5 weeks old, I would also be concerned about the chill factor.

How are they going now? (Sorry, if I missed an update)

Good to read that Wendy is accepting her new chicks.

CC999 I am so sorry to read of the loss of yours and your Uncles chickens to a fox

I had typed “I hope you enjoy your camping trip” but now I am caught up some more, you are back already! Lol.

The pictures of Sunshine and tribe are gorgeous!

S9 nice broody set up!

Congratulations!! So very very happy and excited for you!

Great news that mumma accepted them!

I have definitely broken the ‘no peek’ law with Cilla’s hatches as she is quite happy for me to take a peek. I am always very careful when I lift that I do not have someone trapped between Cilla and my hand.

16 paws sad to hear about your cracked egg and sadly, the little baby inside passing away

IC you may be onto something with the trusting-Cochin-thing or, sorry, I forget, is Cenere the matriarch? It could be more of a matriarch thing in that they are top chicken and therefore, do not fear!

Love the family pics! x3 on that adorable fuzzy butt picture and yep, she sure does look like she is counting them!

That picture of your smiling puppy and the little chicks is so adorable.

Oh no! Your power outage could not have come at a worse time!

Wonderful to read that you have some surviving bubbies!

Congratulations!!

OMG! Those family roost pictures are beautiful!! That second one with the wing-spread is amazing!

OK, I think I have caught up?

News from Bambrook Bantams ….

Last weekend Cilla had a half-hearted attempt at broodiness but the temptation of a free range was too much and she appears to have given up…yippee! Not quite ready and still not sure if I am going to give in to her or wait for someone else.

She has laid 10 eggs now since breaking the drought on 2nd July.

Still no egg from Dusty! It has been 5 months now. As you know, she went through a hard molt and we are now in winter with shorter daylight hours and it has been a little on the cold side; not the kind of cold some of you experience but cold enough for this frog! Some nights dropping down to 3C (37F). Having said that, the days appear to be getting longer now, rather than going to bed at 5pm, the girls have pushed it out to 05:15pm; pretty soon it will be back to the summer bed time of 06:00-06:30pm.

Blondie is now 5 months old and Cilla has just started to push her away just a little; little pecks when Blondie tries to share Cilla’s treats etc. Still no eggs from Tina who is now 9 months old, none from LuLu who is 7 months old and of course, none from Blondie or Dusty but, as mentioned, this is not the time of year.

The remodel was a definite success and everyone seems settled with it now. It was extremely windy yesterday and while it was not nice that the girls were scared, it was good to see them all huddled up in the coop and not spread all over the place trying to take shelter.

Today is much nicer, no wind or rain so I am off out to enjoy the day and some quality time with the gals.

Hopefully I will not be gone for so long this time!

Stay safe everyone and happy chickens

 

[16 paws]

Good that you checked in Teila, I was wondering about you and the bantams. Glad everyone is ok. How dare work get in the way of our chicken keeping and or posting! Sorry you have been working so hard. My boss gave me a 4 day weekend so I love him right now but come Monday when he wants me to work twice as hard to catch up I really dont think I will feel the same LOL

Glad you are getting some eggs and I bet the others will be laying before you know it. Thats cool that the girls like their new digs. All that hard work paid off.

Have a great weekend...
Marie