Little Photoshoot [IMG Heavy] - CHICKS HATCHING!!! :-D

[TinkyFeathers]

Maybe you could take the chicks once they're dried and set up a brooder. It sucks that the hen keeps killing them, I hope you can get some survivors!

 

[Equest94]

Yeah, that was my new plan... However, I just can't seem to win with this.


A third chick hatched, with assistance, very early this morning (there's quite a story with this one). I put it in the brooder and it was doing quite well considering the circumstances of its hatch... My parents were over and I had to step out to run errands. I come back home and my mother, thinking she was doing the right thing, lowered the heat lamp and laid my little chick down, DIRECTLY underneath it. The thermometer was showing a temperature of 130F. MY mom fried my little baby... it overheated to death


Of course it was an accident and I'm not mad at her... I'm just upset in general over this and just burst out in tears. All of this is too much for me right now - Even when doing things right, things still manage to screw up, and everything ends in failure. It's wearing me down...




Who knew this was going to be so difficult

(the 3rd one looked like the 1st one too)




Still have a few eggs under killer-hen. Once they hatch I'll move them to my probably readjusted brooder... Whatever happens hapeens I guess...

 

[The Red Rooster]

Beautiful flock and pictures!

Love the names you picked out for them!

 

[TinkyFeathers]

Yeah, that was my new plan... However, I just can't seem to win with this.


A third chick hatched, with assistance, very early this morning (there's quite a story with this one). I put it in the brooder and it was doing quite well considering the circumstances of its hatch... My parents were over and I had to step out to run errands. I come back home and my mother, thinking she was doing the right thing, lowered the heat lamp and laid my little chick down, DIRECTLY underneath it. The thermometer was showing a temperature of 130F. MY mom fried my little baby... it overheated to death


Of course it was an accident and I'm not mad at her... I'm just upset in general over this and just burst out in tears. All of this is too much for me right now - Even when doing things right, things still manage to screw up, and everything ends in failure. It's wearing me down...




Who knew this was going to be so difficult

(the 3rd one looked like the 1st one too)




Still have a few eggs under killer-hen. Once they hatch I'll move them to my probably readjusted brooder... Whatever happens hapeens I guess...

Oh man that really blows :/ Well just keep looking forward and you'll be able to save the rest of them.

 

[Equest94]

*properly readjusted brooder



Thank you.


I haven't seen/heard signs of life from the other eggs [yet]. I'm wondering if the chicks are already dead. The first egg to be laid candled positive for chick development, and later on candled "solid" for chick close to hatching... has yet to hatch though...

Hopefully my luck turns around in the next day or so. If I ever do decide to try this again, I think I'm just going to invest in a really good incubator



Will post post-hatching pics of Chick 3 later...

 

[kitten6566]

Im sorry to hear about the chicks. It is always hard to find one killed. Good luck with the rest

 

[Equest94]

Thank you.

This was #3, drying off under the heat lamp right after hatching (looked just like #1, lots of white, grey legs with orange toes)... :-/







AND IT SEEMS LIKE OUR LUCK HAS CHANGED (knock on wood)!!! We have chick #4 (who looks just like #2 did), hatched last night! This one was caught right after hatching and placed in the brooder - seems to be doing very well, already eating and drinking, and boy does this one have a strong pair of lungs. I am apparently its mom and God forbid I walk out of it's sight for a second - "CHEEP! CHEEP! CHEEP!!!!" I can hear this one's little mouth going off from every room in my house, LOL! Absolutely love this chick though

There's 3 eggs left under the hen, so I'm hoping those hatch so this one won't be as lonely

 

[Habibs Hens]

oooo

i love that red on its comb

looks real cool

is that a comb feature

 

[Chickadee707]

Sorry about Killer-Hen incident. Stuff like that seems to happen a lot with the "wild" hens that roam my ranch freely.
Everytime we spot one of them walking around with babies, we have to distract her and rescue her babies simply because they're not that great at keeping their babies alive.
So I have 19 babies in my living room right now

Plus, by rescuing the babies, it lets you build a better relationship with them

 

[Equest94]

oooo

i love that red on its comb

looks real cool

is that a comb feature

Haha! I think that red streak is actually a reflection off the heat lamp - it only appears in pics that the flash goes off on, lol. It does look pretty neat though

Sorry about Killer-Hen incident. Stuff like that seems to happen a lot with the "wild" hens that roam my ranch freely.
Everytime we spot one of them walking around with babies, we have to distract her and rescue her babies simply because they're not that great at keeping their babies alive.
So I have 19 babies in my living room right now

Plus, by rescuing the babies, it lets you build a better relationship with them

Thanks. She's my only hen that goes broody and was practically raised up by me (got her at 2 days old). She's a real sweetheart so, all in all, I figured she'd make a good butt to keep the eggs warm and a great 'foster mom' once they hatched. Apparently she's more focused on the nest, and not so focused on the actual eggs, let alone the chicks once they hatched People have been telling me that next time she'll be so much careful, but I honestly don't want to risk it. She's not bad or aggressive, she's just super clumsy and uncoordinated. Next time I decide to hatch chicks, all of them are going to be taken away from her as soon as they crack out of there, OR I'll just have to resort to an incubator.

I do love this little chick so much

and you are very right - it has definitely bonded to me. I did however JUST find out that the strings on my hoodie are something to be VERY afraid of though. I got a scream, a nice bite at the strings, and then a bolt circling all the way around the brooder, ending in hiding wedged under my arm and falling sound a sleep - Haha! It was hilarious. This is seriously the most gutsy, smart, and inquisitive chick I've ever had. I'm really hoping it's a pullet (but idk, it seems pretty tough)...but either way this little one is going to be a keeper. It deserves it!

In this experience we started off with 15 eggs, and sadly, only ended up with one chick so far. There are 3 more eggs left so I'm hoping those hatch. This little one is in major need of company/siblings/playmate/cuddlemate, etc, so all of my fingers and toes are crossed for AT LEAST one more healthy chick

Wow19 chicks! How awesome is that Best of luck with them!