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Chicks keep hatching & most of the incubator is cuckoo! Literally! Brick was beyond busy! Because he's smaller & a gentleman, I think he took full advantage of his time with the hens. The big boys had their little spats, while Brick had all the hens.
 
20170603_170320[1057].jpg


It went okay. Meringue and Cream Puff were the worst. Sassy was hanging out with them just fine, Olive didnt care they were there until they tried to hid under her. Poppy the WCB is a little psycho though. She full on lauched herself at the big ones a few times, and tried to take things from them. Ginger got overwhelmed a bit we think. She was trying to hide under everyone, especially Poppy who is actually a bit smaller. Meringue and Cream Puff gave some good pecks. No one was bleeding or seemed hurt, just Ginger seeming really scared. The pecks were at heads and tails alike, they just pecked what ever was closest I think, and nothing too vicious. They werent really going too far out of their way to bug them. They only chased them a couple of times. So unless anyone thinks otherwise, I think we will go back to looking and no touching for another few days. I am not sure if that was a good outcome or not. I think we may give the little girls a box to retreat to next time too.

On a separate note, husband decided to see how the ones in the coop felt about free ranging. He wasnt too thrilled they kept putting themselves away haha. Anticlimactic is how he described it. I thought it was funny and a good sign they are super comfortable with their coop situation. I have to remind him we call scared humans chickens, and that they need to work up to being brave enough to walk around. We took the walls down and got the nesting boxes set up. I think its between Licorice and Pepper at this point. I am astonished at how red they have become. Waiting waiting waiting...

Good luck with all those babies guys!
 
megpie021 said:
View attachment 1030437

It went okay. Meringue and Cream Puff were the worst. Sassy was hanging out with them just fine, Olive didnt care they were there until they tried to hid under her. Poppy the WCB is a little psycho though. She full on lauched herself at the big ones a few times, and tried to take things from them. Ginger got overwhelmed a bit we think. She was trying to hide under everyone, especially Poppy who is actually a bit smaller. Meringue and Cream Puff gave some good pecks. No one was bleeding or seemed hurt, just Ginger seeming really scared. The pecks were at heads and tails alike, they just pecked what ever was closest I think, and nothing too vicious. They werent really going too far out of their way to bug them. They only chased them a couple of times. So unless anyone thinks otherwise, I think we will go back to looking and no touching for another few days. I am not sure if that was a good outcome or not. I think we may give the little girls a box to retreat to next time too.

On a separate note, husband decided to see how the ones in the coop felt about free ranging. He wasnt too thrilled they kept putting themselves away haha. Anticlimactic is how he described it. I thought it was funny and a good sign they are super comfortable with their coop situation. I have to remind him we call scared humans chickens, and that they need to work up to being brave enough to walk around. We took the walls down and got the nesting boxes set up. I think its between Licorice and Pepper at this point. I am astonished at how red they have become. Waiting waiting waiting...

Good luck with all those babies guys!
Click to expand...

What you described is pretty normal. The Bigs will peck at the Littles just enough to teach them who's boss. The Littles learn to stay clear. The only dangers to watch out for are blood or major chasing. The more space you can give, the easier it is on all the chickens involved.
 
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Faraday40 said:
What you described is pretty normal. The Bigs will peck at the Littles just enough to teach them who's boss. The Littles learn to stay clear. The only dangers to watch out for are blood or major chasing. The more space you can give, the easier it is one all the chickens involved.
Click to expand...

Good to know. I was really stressed out with everything, so I can see it being a better outcome than I thought it was. I did separate them for the night tonight. We might try again tomorrow. Im just so scared they are too delicate haha. They may well end up being house chickens :D Except for the cats.... The dogs have learned chickens bite because Pepper likes to peck their noses through the hardware cloth. The dogs care very little for the chickens now. I also think it helps that both dogs are small, and the chickens look bigger than Cookie.

Any pics of the babies yet???
 
I'll take some chick pics later today. We have....
* 2 EEs still in shell - 1 pipped & one only internally pipped. (Both peeped at me, so I know they're alive.)
* 2 malpositions -
These eggs did not peep & had no movement when candled, so I carefully removed some shell in the air cell area. When touched, they did not respond & felt firm, so I kept going like an assisted hatch until I found the internal pip. In both cases it was at the pointy end & I saw what looked kind of like bruising on the membrane. Probably bled out or drowned. The yolks were completely absorbed.
* 1 died around day 18-19. The chick looked well formed but the yolk was outside the body. It must have had some disability. It wasn't even in the proper pipping position yet.
* 37 (soon to be 39) chicks!!!! All are healthy & active. Now I need to make sure all learn how to eat & drink.

It figures I'd get such a big hatch when I have no broody! I can't give them to poor Oopsie; that hen deserves a rest. She'd probably take them, though. I did put her smallest chick in the brooder. I figure that it will eat & drink & the curious chicks will catch on & spread the idea.

PS- If anyone wants some orps - a lot of cuckoo orps thanks to Brick - send me a pm.
 
Faraday40 said:
I'll take some chick pics later today. We have....
* 2 EEs still in shell - 1 pipped & one only internally pipped. (Both peeped at me, so I know they're alive.)
* 2 malpositions -
These eggs did not peep & had no movement when candled, so I carefully removed some shell in the air cell area. When touched, they did not respond & felt firm, so I kept going like an assisted hatch until I found the internal pip. In both cases it was at the pointy end & I saw what looked kind of like bruising on the membrane. Probably bled out or drowned. The yolks were completely absorbed.
* 1 died around day 18-19. The chick looked well formed but the yolk was outside the body. It must have had some disability. It wasn't even in the proper pipping position yet.
* 37 (soon to be 39) chicks!!!! All are healthy & active. Now I need to make sure all learn how to eat & drink.

It figures I'd get such a big hatch when I have no broody! I can't give them to poor Oopsie; that hen deserves a rest. She'd probably take them, though. I did put her smallest chick in the brooder. I figure that it will eat & drink & the curious chicks will catch on & spread the idea.

PS- If anyone wants some orps - a lot of cuckoo orps thanks to Brick - send me a pm.
Click to expand...

You want to borrow a broody to take care of the chicks? lol
 

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