After a disasterous hatch with a black cochin hen in September we had a buff orpington hen go broody and I put 10 eggs under her and penned her up alone. Well tomorrow would be her 21 days but when I checked her in the barn this afternoon she had 7 new chicks. So far 5 buff, 1 black orpington, and one easter egger I think. They are sooooo cute. And of course hurricane Ida is coming in so we have rain and wind tonight. Won't be able to go check on everyone. So it looks like our hatch rate has improved tremendously from the last time. She is in the barn in an empty stall in a new brooder can't wait till morning to see if the rest hatch.
Hey, CONGRATULATIONS!! My RIR hen hatched 11 out of 20 eggs (DH got carried away sticking eggs under her when she went broody) It is sooo exciting to have a hen and baby chicks. They can go for 24 hrs without food or water, but then be sure they get water. Stick their little beaks in the water, they'll drink then on their own. I can't think of anything more exciting or rewarding than having baby chicks with a hen. You are sooooo lucky girl. I hope Ida leaves you without too much damage/rain. I've been through a few of those myself, used to live in Fla. Post again when you have more news, I'll be thinking of you. DonnaBelle
I hear ya, Bitsy. The tracks are CLOSE to us. My biggest fear is a power outtage that will screw up my incubators.
Thanks Donna Belle, I really enjoy watching this hen with the chicks. I was worried she might not know what to do and it would be a disaster like a few months ago. She is a hen we raised from chicks we bought last March so she is still real young and this is her first hatching. She is doing really well though, she's real attentive to the chicks and didn't mind it when I picked her up to get a head count earlier. I figured she would eat me up. I put a feeder in the brooder with chick starter and a filled a little chick watterer too. I will check on them first thing in the morning to make sure they are eating and drinking. If not should I do like you said and put their beaks in the water to make sure they know what it is?Good luck to you Julie hope you have no power outages tonight. Thanks.
Well the weather broke enough to where I was able to go to the barn and check on the chicks. One of the little buffs got mashed last night and didn't make it but the others are doing good. I made sure they ate and drank by just putting feed and a waterer in front of the hen and she clucked and the chicks came out from under her and she started showing them how to eat and drink.And they joined right in. There are still two eggs that haven't hatched but do have little holes in them so I will leave them for today since today is her 21st day. Maybe they can still make it. The little black chick I thought was an orpington has feathers on his legs so I must have picked up an egg from the only black cochin hen I had in with a speckled sussex rooster. Can't wait to see what that chick looks like grown.
