It's a family affair at our place

[CSolis]

I brought 8 eggs in from the tub that were not being covered by the hens..3 were early quitters or no signs of life, one a freshly laid egg by one of the other hens, and 4 went into the incubator... that was day before yesterday.

I thought I was going crazy in the middle of the night.. I had to get up to potty, and turned the eggs while I was in the bathroom... I could have sworn I heard a cheep.. nawwwwww, can't be.. so I was just in there again, and of course turned the eggs.. cheep cheep.. what the heck... One of the eggs had pipped! Decisions, decisions... take egg back out to mommas to finish hatching? YES! SO, I carefully took it back out, and diverting Raven's ire with one hand, slipped the egg under her fluffy butt with the other.. baby can now hear momma's cluck cluck cluck...

 

[CSolis]

Soooooooooo, I thought yesterday was going to turn into a BIG FAT disaster... I had taken an egg out of the incubator that had pipped and stuck it under mom... hours later I go out to find a pile of eggs exposed (Raven was nuggling with her mom Sarah and had left what she was sitting on.) There in the midst of the eggs were two barely hatched eggs that looked more squished than hatched.. but the babies were still moving.. I quickly shoved them up under Sarah and took the remaining eggs to candle and stick in the incubator depending on their status. Later Sarah just went berserk about something and was running in and out of the nest further squishing the barely alive babies.. I felt horrid!!! But I prayed.... This morning I took a hatched chick out that had fluffed up and set it in front of Sarah.. Baby! Sarah accepted it right away and called the others to have an eat and greet.. I waited until I saw the newest one slip under mom, and went about my business.. Later I hear this huge commotion in the pen... Sarah and Raven were outside dancing around, feathers fluffed and calling the babies...The babies couldn't hop over the side of the tub, so I took another tub lid out and set the nest, feeder and waterer in it along with the babies... It was like water spilling over a damn.. babies going everywhere with Sarah and Raven calling to them... Finally things settled down.. Those two babies from yesterday? They were part of the crew that ran to momma.. as well as the hours old chick.. Love good endings.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Soooooooooo, I thought yesterday was going to turn into a BIG FAT disaster... I had taken an egg out of the incubator that had pipped and stuck it under mom... hours later I go out to find a pile of eggs exposed (Raven was nuggling with her mom Sarah and had left what she was sitting on.) There in the midst of the eggs were two barely hatched eggs that looked more squished than hatched.. but the babies were still moving.. I quickly shoved them up under Sarah and took the remaining eggs to candle and stick in the incubator depending on their status. Later Sarah just went berserk about something and was running in and out of the nest further squishing the barely alive babies.. I felt horrid!!! But I prayed.... This morning I took a hatched chick out that had fluffed up and set it in front of Sarah.. Baby! Sarah accepted it right away and called the others to have an eat and greet.. I waited until I saw the newest one slip under mom, and went about my business.. Later I hear this huge commotion in the pen... Sarah and Raven were outside dancing around, feathers fluffed and calling the babies...The babies couldn't hop over the side of the tub, so I took another tub lid out and set the nest, feeder and waterer in it along with the babies... It was like water spilling over a damn.. babies going everywhere with Sarah and Raven calling to them... Finally things settled down.. Those two babies from yesterday? They were part of the crew that ran to momma.. as well as the hours old chick.. Love good endings.

So sweet!

 

[CSolis]

So sweet!

Well, there was an incident today.. Aunt Dottie was picking at the babies, and tore a wing off a little tike at the shoulder.. but, he was running around and acting normal all day long, like nothing had happened.. I put some bag balm on it to help it heal and prevent infection. Next time one of my birds breaks a wing I'll let Dottie do the surgery.. won't cost me $250 at the vets office like it did with Prince.
Hens can be nasty.. Dottie needs a kick in the rump.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Well, there was an incident today.. Aunt Dottie was picking at the babies, and tore a wing off a little tike at the shoulder.. but, he was running around and acting normal all day long, like nothing had happened.. I put some bag balm on it to help it heal and prevent infection. Next time one of my birds breaks a wing I'll let Dottie do the surgery.. won't cost me $250 at the vets office like it did with Prince.
Hens can be nasty.. Dottie needs a kick in the rump.

Oh my goodness! Hopefully lil guy will be ok!

 

[CSolis]

Oh my goodness! Hopefully lil guy will be ok!

So far so good..

 

[CSolis]

Success! Brought in more eggs that were abandoned when mom's took babies out for the day.. one was badly damaged but viable so I stuck some bandaid pieces on it and hoped for the best..

lil squeeker pipped during the night.. when he dries off and fluffs up, out to mommas he goes!

 

[CSolis]

Having taken 3 chicks from the incubator and successfully integrating them into the wee flock.. that gave moms 7 chicks to chase.. then 2 more hatched yesterday morning, and two this morning.. tried to integrate the day olds, but Sarah just looked at them.. didn't come close and didn't call them. Nor did Raven.. soooooo, back in the house, set up brooder and do it myself. Of 11 chicks hatched (2 eggs in the incubator nearing pip) ALL OF THEM WERE BLACK.. some with white spots on the head or patches.. and then there's Lil Grizzly bear.. OMG, it's a keeper! Sweet little thing looks just like a little bear. Can't be Sarah's or Ravens as they were sitting.. maybe Aunt Dottie or Margaret.. he's the only one with PINK and GREY LEGS and a GREY BEAK.

Here's the whole family (except for Mags, she never leaves the free range area

:

 

[CSolis]

Speaking of Families.. I've been watching a doe bring her offspring to the back yard since moving here in 2019. Last year she came back with the two yearlings in tow and a yearling. Just went in the kitchen for a cup of coffee and what do I see out the window.. The twin

2 year olds. They've come to get some trace mineral salts from the block I set out under the mimosa tree.. Boy, they look healthy! Now if I could only hold the camera still!

 

[CSolis]

Well, 13 eggs hatched from the Adams Family.. a few each day.. Mommas are tending the first 7 to hatch.. I incubated 6.. Of 13 chicks, all but one was black or black with white markings.. And then there's Lil Grizzly. Wow, what happened to him genetically is anyone's guess.