July 18th Mega Hatch

[Ruthster55]

They have tiny wings!!

 

[Ruthster55]

I have something special to share today! This hen had a slightly staggered hatch for which I may have been to blame. Because I knew that I had an incubator on order, I tucked two eggs from another nest under the hen while she was broody.

After I got the hen and chicks out of the nest box into safer quarters, I took the four eggs that the hen did not hatch and put them in the incubator. A couple days ago, this little yellow chick that looks nothing like the others hatched!!

At first, I didn't know whether the little yellow chick would make it, because it was so tired after its strenuous effort at hatching. I waited until nightfall on the day of hatching to pull it out of the incubator where it was warm enough. Then I brought it out and tucked it under the hen, coming in from toward the back of the hen. I think the yellow chick might be a pullet because it is rather shy.

The hen accepted the chick. She occasionally pushes the crowd to the side, just because there are so many, but she doesn't beak them.

This was the very first time I had hatched anything in an incubator. Sure, I've tried before. That was with one of those styrofoam incubators several years ago, but nothing hatched whatsoever.
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[Ruthster55]

Today, we had warm, sunny, and dry weather. We decided that Broody No. 5’s three chicks would be OK (still in a cage) without Mom because they are fully-feathered now.

We released Broody No. 5 from the cage late this morning.

This sunny afternoon, I attempted to feed and water the group in this thread....but Broody No. 5 was still incredibly hormonal. She beaked my leg and in general acted more like a cock than a gentle lady!

So, I had to wait to check on everybody until almost dark. Everything was cool then because all the adults including Broody No. 5 (except obviously No. 7 in the cage with many babies) had gone to roost. I picked up each of the Broody No. 5’s three older chicks and held them for a little bit, trying to un-wild them.

Note: Broody No. 6 was a failed hatch. Number 7 has the mega hatch and everyone has survived up until now!

 

[Ruthster55]

Here are some of the big group of hatchlings getting all into Mama's hair (feathers)! Would you put up with your kids climbing all over you like this?

The chickies are still indeterminate as to their genders.

By the way, Broody Nº 5 is back to laying and is her sweet self again. Her young ones are doing fine.

 

[Ruthster55]

The chicks are pretty big now. Eight of them found new homes recently, going in two groups of four, each group with a cockerel and (hopefully) three pullets.

Because I now have 12 left, I finally deduced the original hatch number, which was 20. When they were little, it was difficult to count them!

 

[Ruthster55]

We have windy, dry weather so I let most of the chicks out with their mother. She’s taking care of them out in the tall grass! Lost one smallish male to poor health/unknown causes.

We did a thorough cleanup of the coop and I have been out after dark making sure the chickie children go in the coop with Mama at night!

Another brood of 7 little cuties hatched last week....and the very first chick that hatched back on March 18th is now a gray hen that laid her clutch and is now setting on them! (She’s on the eggies at night!). She paid her dues with pullet eggs for breakfast during the last month or so.

Expected hatch date will be around the end of the month into early October as long as no possum attack. She is our 11th broody this crazy year. (Three didn’t hatch anything for reasons like possums).

Temperature and altitude sometimes cause hatches over 21 days here.

 

[Ruthster55]

A neighbor’s first cousin (who lives right next door to the neighbor) has decided to have a wedding this weekend with a small group of family members rather than a large COVID-spreading group of everybody. I told my neighbor to please keep the group size and the wedding small and only nearby people.

I already culled (last week) a couple of extra Barred Rock cockerels that had either slow maturation or white spots and solid (rather than barred) black patches on the wings.

For the wedding, we culled again today.

This time, a Barred Rock stag that made the first cut but still had faults will go to the wedding along with one of two hens that have not gone broody this year. The hen that will attend the wedding is an old yellow mille fleur mix that has recently slowed up on laying, although she is not molting.

I hated to see these two go, especially the hen, but am OK with having the opportunity to select in favor of a flock that reproduces itself. The hen is one of two that have NOT gone broody this year.....

Yes, broodiness reduces egg production, but having a series of broodies is also like running a small, good-quality incubator (like a Brinsea operated by an expert) almost all the time.

I have a color preference toward gray and blaque chickens. They’re so easy on the eye!

Had it been my choice, and with no wedding coming up, I would have let that yellow Mille Fleur hen hang out a little longer.

The hatchery Barred Rock stag was pigging out and stealing from (cute) little chickens whenever I brought treats. He was ready to go.

I told the friend who will bring the chickens to the wedding that I won’t have any more for eating (culls) for a while!