January Hatch-a-long 2018

[chickenmama109]

ok so i just candled the egg and has i was candleing i herd chirping so i was looking in the incubator at my other eggs for pips but nothing so i was looking in the egg and the tip end is dark i seen the chick moving in the air cell and i herd more chirping so i put the egg to my ear and my egg is chirping yay i think i might have a internel pip but i dont know how to tell but i hear chirping

 

[gimmie birdies]

Nice. Mine are now in lockdown, I did find the vent in my incubator first time today, I hope that was not the problem.

 

[Cynthia12]

I absolutely adore incubating and hatching it’s just so amazing.

Never gets old. For me now..especially. My sweet heart has been diagnosed with dementia. He's in early stage. So, still able to do a lot. It's mostly memory right now. Heart breaking to see him struggle with finding words. In the meantime, I find that hatching babies is putting a smile on my face. He gets a kick out of them too when I point out something cute one of them is doing. New life, sweet little sounds in my house again.

 

[Scott214]

I love when animals, especially in this case chickens, can help bring a new found way to look at the world and make things better. I love that! Good luck with everything including chicks chickens and your other parts of your life. I've noticed just being able to make someone who is special in your life smile can mean more than you ever realized.

 

[Cynthia12]

View attachment 1243350 I had hoped to be hatching her eggs, but the LO roosters didn't find her attractive.

Love her!

 

[Cynthia12]

I love when animals, especially in this case chickens, can help bring a new found way to look at the world and make things better. I love that! Good luck with everything including chicks chickens and your other parts of your life. I've noticed just being able to make someone who is special in your life smile can mean more than you ever realized.

You are so right. Thank you.

 

[ChickenHermit]

My first three chicks to hatch got portraits taken today- thought I would share. Having a wonderful time trying to figure out parentage- I love the genetics side of things.



By their lay dates:

12.26.17 - White down, black spot on head. This little one is most likely a mottled black- it's a fairly distinct down pattern. Most likely 3/4 Japanese 1/4 silkie- got a tiny extra toe!

12.28.17 - Black down and skin, full crest. Looks black silkie, but is lacking the 5th toe! Probably 3/4 silkie 1/4 cochin. Yay for silchins!

12.29.17 - Penguin with more white than black. This little one hatched first! Seeing a couple feathers on the legs, but very few. Probably another 3/4 Japanese 1/4 silkie. I would guess this little one will turn out to be black or "gray" in the Japanese bantam sense.

I've got one more hanging out in the incubator - the one laid 1/1/18. It's another penguin, but with more black than white. Still waiting on the final egg!

 

[ChickenHermit]

Never gets old. For me now..especially. My sweet heart has been diagnosed with dementia. He's in early stage. So, still able to do a lot. It's mostly memory right now. Heart breaking to see him struggle with finding words. In the meantime, I find that hatching babies is putting a smile on my face. He gets a kick out of them too when I point out something cute one of them is doing. New life, sweet little sounds in my house again.

This past year I've been dealing with early stage dementia with a dear family member- it's so tough. It's also been a difficult few months also coping with my own health issues, and an insane amount of work stress. Hatching chicks has been an incredibly soothing break from that. There's something really compelling about helping new little lives into the world. That, and it's hard not to be happy holding the little fluff balls.

Wishing you, your sweet heart, and your chicks all the best.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Chicken hermit, that is rough with a relative. My dad had Asperger's so even growing up I had to be the parent,then he got dementia, even though he lived close to home he kept wandering off, he was not healthy to walk then he'd lay down in the road, and forget how to get home. Eventually we had to put him in a home. Then I would still get phone calls because he'd get all worked up about something, or he would try to wander again. He was in a home for 1 1/2 years and passed away this last Sept. But now my life is a new chapter, and everything is quiet.

 

[Cynthia12]

I have health issues too. Just had shoulder surgery a couple of months ago. Doing good with PT! My DH has been wonderful helping me. I was told I have MS...back in the 90's, and again after another brain scan a few months ago. Ive always just said, we'll deal with the symptoms when they happen. No drugs! They have been looking for reasons of my bad balance...mri .. They can't figure it out. I fell down our son's stairs, then the shoulder surgery. Well, life happens. Gets harder as we get older. We are given different things to deal with as we get older. We learn what we ... can... do in the meantime. I'm glad that I started hatching yrs ago. I haven't been able to for a while, then found this site started for January. Glad I did. My arm is moving enough to handle hatching! Love it. Just praying that my husband's dementia moves slowly.