Intact egg is CHEEPING?!

[MIChickandGuinea]

My experience with integrating chicks:
I usually isolate for two-three days after hatch so that the chicks are strong enough to follow their mother around and know her voice, (I've had chicks follow strange hens before, with predictable results) and then integrate. I've never had an issue with that. My flock is pretty easygoing, though. And by this point, they're used to chicks.

A note on roosters:
Most of them are pretty gentle towards chicks. If one isn't at least tolerant of chicks, there is something wrong with him (as wrong as if an adult rooster was mounting a pullet, or killing one of his own hens) and he would be immediately culled from my flock.

Hens are another matter, of course. But my chicks learn not to approach strange hens within a few hours of meeting the flock. I've never had one killed or even mildly injured.

Good luck!

Does abundant space to roam help with chickens getting along well? Our birds have free run of huge acreage during the day, including forest, corn fields, hay fields, pond, and many acres of mowed yards. And their coops and runs are large and comfy for nighttime and bad weather. So I am hoping that the mama can just take the babies kind of out of the way of anyone who doesn’t feel friendly...

 

[sylviethecochin]

Does abundant space to roam help with chickens getting along well? Our birds have free run of huge acreage during the day, including forest, corn fields, hay fields, pond, and many acres of mowed yards. And their coops and runs are large and comfy for nighttime and bad weather. So I am hoping that the mama can just take the babies kind of out of the way of anyone who doesn’t feel friendly...

In my experience, yes, space does make for a calmer flock.

 

[Krazyquilts]

Mama left the nest for a few minutes, and I was able to see that there's a little peck in one of the shells! Of course, this is the way that chickens happen, and chickens are not rare or special. But it's so exciting to see it happening right here in my own nest box!!

Are you kidding?!? It is VERY exciting! Every time I hatch, I swear I'm like a little kid the night before Christmas. And the whole 21 days the eggs are in the incubator, my husband (who isn't nearly as excitable as me lol) just stares at the eggs every day because knowing that there are little baby chicks growing inside is just the coolest thing.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Are you kidding?!? It is VERY exciting! Every time I hatch, I swear I'm like a little kid the night before Christmas. And the whole 21 days the eggs are in the incubator, my husband (who isn't nearly as excitable as me lol) just stares at the eggs every day because knowing that there are little baby chicks growing inside is just the coolest thing.

Now TWO eggs have breaks in them. I guess by morning we should have a couple little floofs!

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Awwwwwwwwwwwww no matter how many times I see or hear or read of babies hatching, my heart melts all over again and the event never loses its magic, excitement and wonder!

 

[NNYchick]

Oh it will always be so exciting and addicting. I have become a hatchaholic. I usually don’t have to move my broody but this time I did because I have a teenage cockerel that is being a butt head and was taking advantage of the broody in the nest box. So I put her in a temporary set up. Now that she is out of her broody trance and into mama mode I’ll open the door and let her decide when she wants to bring them out. Now that the chicks are hatched my rooster has become hyper viligent since the chicks started peeping yesterday and putting the cockerel in his place, not allowing any shinanigans. It’s amazing how the instincts kick in.

 

[Krazyquilts]

My experience with integrating chicks:
I usually isolate for two-three days after hatch so that the chicks are strong enough to follow their mother around and know her voice, (I've had chicks follow strange hens before, with predictable results) and then integrate. I've never had an issue with that. My flock is pretty easygoing, though. And by this point, they're used to chicks.

A note on roosters:
Most of them are pretty gentle towards chicks. If one isn't at least tolerant of chicks, there is something wrong with him (as wrong as if an adult rooster was mounting a pullet, or killing one of his own hens) and he would be immediately culled from my flock.

Hens are another matter, of course. But my chicks learn not to approach strange hens within a few hours of meeting the flock. I've never had one killed or even mildly injured.

Good luck!

I have a couple Isbar cockerels that I call "Uncle Isbars" because they hang around the little chicks all day, acting like they are teaching the babies how to be "proper chickens." It's so cute. I was really worried when my little Silkie cross decided that it was time to take her 2 or 3 week Orpington chicks back into the flock. I let her out of the separate mama pen and hung around for a long time so I could run interference if necessary, but aside from a small scuffle between her and another hen, it was shockingly easy. Now th chicks hang out just as much with their "Uncle Isbars" as they do with their mama. The "Uncles" scratch for the babies, and do mother-like tidbitting for them and stand in between the babies and other hens.

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

SIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLKIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!
My last clutch was a bad heartbreaking fail, but I set another batch on the 7th and will be setting yet another on the 13th!

 

[NNYchick]

I have a couple Isbar cockerels that I call "Uncle Isbars" because they hang around the little chicks all day, acting like they are teaching the babies how to be "proper chickens." It's so cute. I was really worried when my little Silkie cross decided that it was time to take her 2 or 3 week Orpington chicks back into the flock. I let her out of the separate mama pen and hung around for a long time so I could run interference if necessary, but aside from a small scuffle between her and another hen, it was shockingly easy. Now th chicks hang out just as much with their "Uncle Isbars" as they do with their mama. The "Uncles" scratch for the babies, and do mother-like tidbitting for them and stand in between the babies and other hens.

My Silkie rooster also shares in the brooding chicks. At the beginning of the month I lost 2 broody that had chicks to a fox. My rooster completely stepped in and took care of the chicks. Lucky it was warmer and they were 3 and 5 weeks old so not needing much heat. But he watches over them not letting them wonder, tidbits food for them, sleeps in next box with them. Some roosters are amazing but my neighbors rooster kills every chick that her hen has hatches, I’m not sure what kind it is maybe leghorn.

 

[Krazyquilts]

My Silkie rooster also shares in the brooding chicks. At the beginning of the month I lost 2 broody that had chicks to a fox. My rooster completely stepped in and took care of the chicks. Lucky it was warmer and they were 3 and 5 weeks old so not needing much heat. But he watches over them not letting them wonder, tidbits food for them, sleeps in next box with them. Some roosters are amazing but my neighbors rooster kills every chick that her hen has hatches, I’m not sure what kind it is maybe leghorn.
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Awww! What a cute pic!!