I’m not Mother Nature, but..... My journey hatching broody and bator chicks

[aart]

There is so much instinct involved in helping chicks, and it looks like your instincts were spot on!!

Ditto Dat^^^ Great job!

I am a very detail oriented person, by nature, and can even be called tedious. In all my years, it has sometimes been a detriment, but it really helps in times like these!

I can relate to that!

 

[Mimi13]

This is Day 20.

Six chicks have hatched and are doing well. There is one more that has pipped and two that have not. One other, Egg #8, is a definite quitter, but I’ve just kept it in the bator - more than anything as a comparison for each stage.

Chicks so far:

Egg #10 - Hatched 1/17/19 @ 0730. This chick was my FIRST and from an unknown egg, but I believe it may be an Australorp.

• Single comb
• White spots on head, under beak, and belly
• Partially dark shanks and toes
• Clean legs

This chick is in the back. Partially dark legs and toes.

Eggs #17 & 14 - Hatched 1/17/19 @ 1540 & 1550, respectively. From my Easter Egger.

• Rose/Pea comb
• Orange beak and legs/feet
• Classic chimpmunk pattern.
• Brown
• Muffs

Meet the Twins!
The ones on the right and left.

Okay, I only got one up close shot, but right now, if you’ve seen one you’ve seen ‘em all.

Egg #12 - Hatched 1/17/19 @ 1545 from an unknown egg. At first I thought it must be another from the Australorp, but that didn’t make sense because those two eggs were so different.

• Single comb
• Appears dark brown in comparison
• Clean legs
• Dark beak and dark legs/feet (mostly)

Here is a picture of the eggs after I stuffed them with toilet paper to hold them together. See? Different size, different color. This chick hatched from the egg on the right. Much larger and more elongated.

Little fella looks like I dipped his middle toes in orange paint. I hope he doesn’t turn out to be freaky looking.

Notice the little bit of lighter brown over the eyes.

He is very cute and more laid back than the others...or, maybe he’s just not sold on my “Bok bok bok” yet.

Egg #9 - Hatched 1/17/19 @ 2215 from unknown mother. This little guy and I will always have a special bond, since I literally took his life in my hands when I shouldn’t have. What’s the title of the thread? Yeah, I need to remember that!

• Single comb
• Orange beak and legs/feet
• Clean legs
• Chipmunk pattern
• Charcoal/dark gray color

Meet Prince, formerly known as Egg #9.

And the only remnant of one tough evening! <wipes brow>

Just checked on chicks and eggs and another egg has pipped. Egg #1 from my Barnevelder. Eeek! I think she is beautiful.

Last, but not least, is Egg #13 (my lucky number). Hatched 1/18/19, a couple of hours before I got up, so we’ll say 0330. Mother unknown; however, I’m going to guess it would belong to my White Rock.

• Single comb
• Yellow down
• Chipmunk pattern
• Orange beak and legs/feet
• Clean legs

I feel bad I don’t have anything special to say about this one, but I can say, “He hatched by the books!” And, in the middle of the night.

These little chicks are so funny and remind me of Kramer on Seinfeld. If you remember when Kramer would come busting through the apartment door, just suddenly appearing? That’s what these chicks do when I put my hand down in the brooder and call “Bok bok bok.” Erk, skid, and there they are! So quick.

I really do think they think I’m mom.

And now for my biggest job yet. Watching my little sidekick as he wants to “wuv” on the babies. I hope to instill a love for every animal in him. Well, okay, not every animal, but you know. And so far he’s on track. He woke up this morning and first word was, “Tickens!” I can’t think of a better place to sit all day, watching him watch “Tickens!”

This thing is too long and I’m on my phone so I’m not even gonna proof read it. I’ll apologize in advance!

 

[aart]

You could snip that dried up umbilicus dangler off now.
Great Job on your first concurrent broody and bator hatches!!

 

[Mimi13]

You could snip that dried up umbilicus dangler off now.
Great Job on your first concurrent broody and bator hatches!!

Oh my goodness. Please tell me what I was thinking! I just really didn’t think, huh? Thankfully all are doing good!

 

[aart]

Oh my goodness. Please tell me what I was thinking! I just really didn’t think, huh?

You did great with that situation....but you can't think of everything, that's why we are here to help and it's no big deal just wanted you to know you can snip it off now that it's dried up.

 

[Mimi13]

I have a few non-shipped, home-brewed chick questions.

• Do I need to watch out for pasty butt with broody raised chicks and/or bator chicks? So far I have seen no evidence from either set.
• Neither set of chicks have been vaccinated against Mareks. Do I just hope and pray Mareks never rears its ugly head around here?
• Nor are they on Medicated Chick Starter. Do I buy some Corid to keep on hand just in case?
• At 8 weeks old, I will be vaccinating them for Fowl Pox though. Mosquitoes are bad here and one of my OC broke out with dry fowl pox two years ago.

My OC are my Original Chickens! I sometimes refer to them as my OGC - Original Gangsta Chickens!

Isn't stress what mostly causes pasty butt?

Also, the broody’s chicks are now foraging pros at only one week old. What does bother me about the broody’s chicks is I am afraid they are not filling up on their nutritional feed, but rather goodies found out and about in the main run. I have scattered feed and chick grit where she takes them to forage.

 

[Mimi13]

You did great with that situation....but you can't think of everything, that's why we are here to help and it's no big deal just wanted you to know you can snip it off now that it's dried up.

I think I will simply because I have seen one chick peck and pull. Surely at this point it wouldn’t disembowel the chick, but I know it must hurt.

And once again I owe so many members my pure gratitude. Not just from what I’ve been told on this thread, but from everything that I’ve read on BYC threads and articles that these members have written. I have spent many, many hours on this site reading and even re-reading, along with reading many books and magazines. People here are very giving and willing to help! I certainly appreciate it!

 

[WVduckchick]

Sooo cute!
Very nice job on all the each chicks details. It will be fun to look back at as they grow.

Since the parentage on some is unknown, what are all the possibilities? You may have listed them somewhere along the way of this thread, if so, please forgive me for not remembering. But it might be fun to play the guessing game.

 

[aart]

Always check for pasty butt.
Always good to have corid on hand.....tho mine is 5 years old and have never needed it.

 

[Mimi13]

Always check for pasty butt.
Always good to have corid on hand.....tho mine is 5 years old and have never needed it.

And that's what I call a good insurance policy!