I Built A Bridge!

[16 paws]

My co-broodies were nice enough to reproduce Cenere with her head under Ombretta scene outside, and I just have to share... this is the view from above, so a bit blurry, but I was worried they'd stop by the time I get downstairs...

Oh that is so sweet. They do a great job as a team. Amazing

Oh good!
How was the shaking up there, TG? You're probably closer to the epicenter than I. It shook long enough here for me to sit up and wonder if I should do anything. Reggie jumped under the bed immediately.

I wish I could give a more definitive report, but Grace and Frida are really doing their best to hide the newbies from me. They just look up at me like, "what, I don't hear any peeping." Based on feather-movement, I'm guessing there are 4 or 5 now, but I can't give any more specifics. So far, Desi's genetic influence is strong!

Thanks everyone!
Call them "chooks" as much as you want, Teila. You see we all adopted "bubby" on your behalf! Who doesn't like speaking Aussie?! (well, except for "carpark," but I digress).
The smell has dissipated, so I'm hoping for the best.
I don't know if there's a #3 yet, but here are a couple more pics for Teila before she has to go back to work.

The aunties/donor moms keeping tabs on the hatch:


I think this is #2, but I'm not sure:


Broody Teamwork:


And I know this picture doesn't really come through because of the darkness and shadows, but this was the sweetest team broody moment I've ever seen. Grace had her wing over Frida, and I'm guessing the bubbies and eggs, just like a human co-parent would put her arm around her. Chickens are just amazing social animals, when given the chance to thrive. I've learned so much from them.

Yes we can learn a lot from these animals. They truly are so much fun to watch and learn their ways. I hope all the eggs hatch

haha lol liz I don't have THAT many chickens

She is a one of a kind in my flock. Sort of splash but 98% white, 5 toes on one foot 4 on the other and that VOICE but yes she has changed in looks since she was a slip of a girl. Plus it is hard to see her crest. It's not so much she lost her it as her comb grew and has sort of blocked it.

I am sure you have a chick report in the upcoming posts so I am hitting "submit" so I can go check out your babies.

So glad we have another happy ending. Shes home!

 

[lizgarf]

The little Rousseau egg hatched! Crazy, because it hadn't even pipped yet when I took that picture at 10 am. A couple hours later, I saw it actively hatching, before Grace got back on it. Then I saw the membrane next to Grace, which just enough of the shell to include the letter "R" I had written on it, 3 weeks ago!
The pipped egg from that photo has been having a struggle, but every time I see it, it's more hatched. Grace has kept it mostly covered since I put it back under her, but she gets up once in awhile and and I see the progress. Just now, it was about 2/3 out, but still not moving whenever I see it. I guess it is finding this whole hatching process more challenging than the others. I have been not assisting it at all, since it's beak has been exposed and should be getting oxygen. I don't want to prevent it from fully absorbing its yolk, if it's going to make it. I think it's Marsha's egg, and she's probably about 2.5 or 3 (prior owners were fuzzy on her age).
So, from what I can see, I think that means 7 fully hatched chicks, one partial, and the two left-out Lucy eggs.

 

[Teila]

Good morning gals

Thank you Liz I saw your pictures last night (before work) but I was tired and it was also a bit late to reply.

OK, I have to ask

What is wrong with “carpark”? What would you gals call it?

That picture of the ‘aunties’ is so cute. I am amazed at how interested they are in the new arrivals; I don’t remember any of my gals showing the slightest interest in either hatch that early.

Also, Grace with her wing over Frida is adorable! You sure do have a great team there!

Wow, I wonder if Frida was trying to share her treat with the little one in the egg .. that would be amazing! So happy that mini-Rousseau hatched also. Got everything crossed for that little one still trying to break out and also the Lucy eggs, but you are doing well with 7 so far

IC Shakira is a cool name; in keeping with my naming all my gals after female singers, wish I had thought of that one!

Lols at the Cenere and Ombretta shots .. looks like Ombretta is trying to squash Cenere; funny pictures!

All these beautiful bubby pictures are making me jealous … Cilla must not be too far away from her next broody session and I have made contact with a Frizzle breeder who will ship me some eggs .. so now, we wait and watch.

16 paws tomorrow is the big day for you?

No news of note .. just checking in when I should be working .. couldn’t help myself, I needed to know what was happening

 

[lizgarf]

Yeah, I'm sorry about the Marans too, but not too upset as it was an extra hatch just because I had to see that co-broody team in action again, I wasn't really planning more for this year, so Marans will be the first on the list for spring. I won't be ordering eggs again in August... the shipment was delayed one day, and it has been really hot, so I'm guessing that was the culprit... last time I got eggs from this seller, 13 out of 15 had hatched. Now, only 3 out of 15. Happy I got a couple of australorps at least.

I was thinking about this, IC - it's my understanding that Marans eggs are so different from other eggs, that it is hard to hatch them alongside other eggs. They have different humidity needs, for one thing. Anyway, maybe that's why they didn't hatch for you and might not be hatching for me; and it also might explain why 2 Marans eggs were the only ones to make it from last year's hatch.

 

[lizgarf]

Good morning gals

Thank you Liz I saw your pictures last night (before work) but I was tired and it was also a bit late to reply.

OK, I have to ask

What is wrong with “carpark”? What would you gals call it?

That picture of the ‘aunties’ is so cute. I am amazed at how interested they are in the new arrivals; I don’t remember any of my gals showing the slightest interest in either hatch that early.

Also, Grace with her wing over Frida is adorable! You sure do have a great team there!

Wow, I wonder if Frida was trying to share her treat with the little one in the egg .. that would be amazing! So happy that mini-Rousseau hatched also. Got everything crossed for that little one still trying to break out and also the Lucy eggs, but you are doing well with 7 so far

Thanks, Teila! I'm pretty impressed with the team, too! I feel sorry for Rousseau, though, being broody by herself in the big nest, with my taking the eggs away, and all of the excitement happening in the other nest. I'm hoping that when we integrate in a few days, the others will let her help out. I sure hope that at least one of her bubbies got the frizzle gene! Did you learn much about frizzle breeding from the breeder you'd like to share?

I didn't get a clear answer before nightfall, but I think the remaining Marsha chick/egg probably hatched. Lifting Grace's wing where the partially-hatched egg had been, I only saw the marans eggs and some cream shell. Let's hope!

We say "parking lot" here. "Carpark" sounds like a park for cars, and there's really nothing park-like about a parking lot. It is very grammatically unsatisfying as well. Hey, you asked! I knew things were over with my Aussie boyfriend when I found myself getting unreasonably irritated whenever he said "carpark."

Oh my goodness, I am so tired! Between this hatch, and a performance, and the earthquake, I've barely slept 3 nights in a row. I really hope to make up some sleep tonight!

A couple more pictures and then I'm done with day 2:






The wing gesture is catching on:


Desi, trying to get a good look at the brood:


We can't wait to get to know them all!

 

[ItalyChickie]

Thanks everyone for the compliments - I can't seem to stop stalking the little family and snapping pictures!

IC Shakira is a cool name; in keeping with my naming all my gals after female singers, wish I had thought of that one!

Lols at the Cenere and Ombretta shots .. looks like Ombretta is trying to squash Cenere; funny pictures!

All these beautiful bubby pictures are making me jealous … Cilla must not be too far away from her next broody session and I have made contact with a Frizzle breeder who will ship me some eggs .. so now, we wait and watch.

Teila, you probably didn't think of the name because you didn't have someone so well suited for it. (This chick has some darker orangey fuzz, so probably will not be all white but blond with highlights, and a silkie cross = a funky hairdo, so the name was perfect.)

Maybe with your next hatch there will be a blond Frizzle? That would also be perfect!

I don't mind sharing.

Hmmm, now I can't wait for Cilla to go broody!

I was thinking about this, IC - it's my understanding that Marans eggs are so different from other eggs, that it is hard to hatch them alongside other eggs. They have different humidity needs, for one thing. Anyway, maybe that's why they didn't hatch for you and might not be hatching for me; and it also might explain why 2 Marans eggs were the only ones to make it from last year's hatch.

I had heard this about blue-shelled eggs, I guess it would make sense for the dark brown ones too, though I think in my case, the shipment played a bigger role, since it's not just the Marans eggs that didn't hatch, but also Australorps and surprise eggs (only 2 Australorps out of 8 eggs, that is a horrible hatch rate).

I had bought eggs from this seller before, and the packaging was impeccable, and last time most hatched (including blue eggs alongside others). This time though, the shipment was delayed by the postal service due to technical issues, and I am assuming that they were waiting to be shipped in less than ideal conditions... Considering the fact that the temperatures here have been around 40 C /104 F, it wouldn't take much for those embryos to start developing in transit or in waiting, and then stop overnight.

Lesson learned, no more egg shipments in August for me... But Marans will definitely be the first on the list for spring.

Your little family is adorable, and I LOVE those two chicks wing-hugging!

Also can't wait to get to know them all better, and a final headcount of the new arrivals.

 

[arkansas55]

hello,so love your bridge! beautiful flock too

 

[lizgarf]

Hi Club,
Melancholy morning, as the struggling chick didn't make it out of the egg overnight. It had been at least 22 hours since it had zipped the egg, and there was no movement and a lot of unabsorbed yolk so it seemed like it had passed. That was tough. I'm not sure whose egg it was, though it looked the most like Marsha's egg. I couldn't find the letter on the shell remains.

The two brown eggs are still unpipped. They don't smell off, so I'll leave them in a bit longer and then try to candle, but I'll probably remove them by tonight if there are no signs.

So, it's looking like 7 lovely chicks! It's a good, reasonable, number. I just hated seeing that little almost get out and not quite making it.




Early fuzzy-butt shot:

 

[ItalyChickie]

Hi Club,
Melancholy morning, as the struggling chick didn't make it out of the egg overnight. It had been at least 22 hours since it had zipped the egg, and there was no movement and a lot of unabsorbed yolk so it seemed like it had passed. That was tough. I'm not sure whose egg it was, though it looked the most like Marsha's egg. I couldn't find the letter on the shell remains.

The two brown eggs are still unpipped. They don't smell off, so I'll leave them in a bit longer and then try to candle, but I'll probably remove them by tonight if there are no signs.

So, it's looking like 7 lovely chicks! It's a good, reasonable, number. I just hated seeing that little almost get out and not quite making it.

Aww, so sorry about the little one that didn't make it! It's always harder with those that get so so close to hatching... I tell myself that it probably simply wasn't strong enough and wouldn't have survived anyway. That probably doesn't make you feel any better (doesn't work with me either, guess I should stop trying), so sending you virtual hugs!

And yes, 7 is a good number, I am sure your co-broodies are very happy with those 7, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for the Marans eggs.

 

[lizgarf]

Correction! One of Lucy's eggs IS pipped! It was upside down, where left behind with the other egg in the nest. Aw, man, I don't really know what to do, but I put it back under Grace, who had moved to the little extension of the nest I set up. I don't have an incubator, just a heating pad. Not sure what to do. It's going to keep getting kicked around if left in the nest, but I'm doubtful I can help it hatch outside of the nest. I didn't see movement when I candled it just now, but development seemed good (hard to tell).
Thoughts?