July Hatch-a-Long (including 4th of July hatch-a-long)

[kelseyk]

I know some on here breed for feather colors or to see what will happen. I want to share a pic of a couple of boys that were hatched out May 9th. This is the result of a CCL over a RIR.

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They are beautiful!

 

[jolenesdad]

had to pickup something today and TSC had chicks. Got 4 RIR to put under my meat bird broody. Fingers crossed. I feel a bit apprehensive she is going to smash them but, here we go!

I also found Crevecoeurs that are going to ship the week after next for my other broody.

 

[jolenesdad]

Welp. I don’t know why I’ve NEVER been able to work skipping chicks under a hen. :-( I think ive tried six times?

the momma who has been sitting over two weeks did not take them. Got there at daybreak and three were scattered in the coop. Fourth was under her but as soon as she saw it she attacked it.

so, I threw them under my broody with her older chick sitting with her. The chicks were quiet and ready to just lay after who knows how long on their own at night. Mama was frozen so I was kind of nervous. I hung out and set a few things up for the day. I decided to put a small feed dish in with momma. She ate. She did not cluck. Hmmmmm. Sure enough, when a chick poked its head out her wing, BAM. She was not happy at all with the chicks there.

welp. Now I’m brooding my own chicks and breaking broodies today.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Welp. I don’t know why I’ve NEVER been able to work skipping chicks under a hen. :-( I think ive tried six times?

the momma who has been sitting over two weeks did not take them. Got there at daybreak and three were scattered in the coop. Fourth was under her but as soon as she saw it she attacked it.

so, I threw them under my broody with her older chick sitting with her. The chicks were quiet and ready to just lay after who knows how long on their own at night. Mama was frozen so I was kind of nervous. I hung out and set a few things up for the day. I decided to put a small feed dish in with momma. She ate. She did not cluck. Hmmmmm. Sure enough, when a chick poked its head out her wing, BAM. She was not happy at all with the chicks there.

welp. Now I’m brooding my own chicks and breaking broodies today.

Oh no! Some hens are just rotten. I have had a couple that only want to keep chicks they hatch themselves (even if I give them the egg on hatch day) but for the most part I have good luck sneaking them under my broodies at night. This is actually what I've been preferring to do this year because I've had more control over which chicks I want to keep out of a hatch when I hatch them in an incubator and then put the selected babies under my hens to do all the work. On the other hand I've had zero luck putting chicks under my broodies in the morning or during the day. I don't know how others make that work. The only thing I can think of is I do pick up my broodies every day to check for eggs under them and if they freak out when I do this, I don't give them chicks. It's possible that because they're so accustomed to me handling them every day that they're also less concerned about me putting chicks under them? I'm not sure.

 

[jolenesdad]

Oh no! Some hens are just rotten. I have had a couple that only want to keep chicks they hatch themselves (even if I give them the egg on hatch day) but for the most part I have good luck sneaking them under my broodies at night. This is actually what I've been preferring to do this year because I've had more control over which chicks I want to keep out of a hatch when I hatch them in an incubator and then put the selected babies under my hens to do all the work. On the other hand I've had zero luck putting chicks under my broodies in the morning or during the day. I don't know how others make that work. The only thing I can think of is I do pick up my broodies every day to check for eggs under them and if they freak out when I do this, I don't give them chicks. It's possible that because they're so accustomed to me handling them every day that they're also less concerned about me putting chicks under them? I'm not sure.

I feel like I’ve followed the book most times. I tried one in the daytime this year and she straight up killed them. Won’t be trying THAT again.

I know I see so many people say to only do it in the day so you “know” they take and I’m like whaaaaaaat? That was my worst experience so far during the day Every other failed slip under I’ve done this has been middle of the night. I handle both of these girls all the time. If they don’t let me handle them when broody I break them. I wasn’t expecting the one to take them this morning but was really hoping. I’m not counting that attempt against me. The last thing I want right now is to brood chicks. :-/

it’s doubly weird to me because those chicks were just chilling amongst the flock this am. Like my flock is so docile they don’t even need a broody fighting them off to stay away from chicks but then they turn psycho when they’re brood. I have one meat bird that’s a year and a half old and kind of slowing down. She has always had a leg injury so she sleeps on the ground. One chick was under her and she was just staring at it.

at least it’s the summer and brooding outdoors is easy Peasy, they don’t even need heat.


My record is awful.

5 unsuccessful day old attempts under broody hens
1 murderous day old attempt under broody
1 murderous hatching egg broody hatch
4 successful clutches hatched from eggs
1 successful clutch but all killed by hawk within a week.

I guess I’m almost 50/50 on success so it’s not that bad. And I guess I’ve only had bloody scenes twice so I’m making that worse in my head too.

I’m probably giving up on trying to put chicks under broodies. What’s the point of stressing when the flock accepts them so young anyway? I must’ve woken up fifteen times last night trying to make sure I got up before sunrise. I want my sleep back.

 

[kelseyk]

My chicks that I thought were frizzle tolbunt polish x buff orpington but ended up being silkie x buff orpington are feathering out pretty cool! I definitely did not expect them to turn out like this, especially where almost all my buff roosters offspring have turned out buff colored like him.

I love the branding in this one!

This one is feathering out really slow.

 

[WGregge]

On day 20 of my very first hatch ever. No pips yet. How do y’all stand the anxiety!?

 

[FortCluck]

Came home to a quail in the incubator

 

[fishin_dad]

On day 20 of my very first hatch ever. No pips yet. How do y’all stand the anxiety!?

Go on an overnight camping/fishing trip

 

[Trisseh]

My quail are enjoying their outside pen... lol. 3 weeks old and almost entirely feathered, it’s staying above mid 60s here overnight, much warmer during the day, so they have a heating pad on low on a timer for overnight in case they want it, and otherwise they have the little house and the run to play around in with a tarp over the whole thing because we’re supposed to be getting more rain (finally!)