Well anyone that has followed Mabel's adventure you know that she was the ultimate Mom-to-be. This is the old link if you are interested https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=304097&p=1
She was the most diligent mom, would not get off the nest, loved her eggs and finally had to be put to sleep today 3/11 because she suffered from Marek's disease. She was the best chicken I've ever had. She came when I called her, followed me everywhere in the garden, ran her fat butt over to me whenever I clinked the mealworm can on the ground, and she was the sweetest most huggable lovable girl I've known.
So I start this new thread with the idea that her legacy must live on, she was such a trooper and now I have 14 eggs in the incubator. It's day 7.
I'm considering candling them..we have
2 silver laced wyandottes
3 sicilian buttercups
3 barnevelders
3 speckled sussex
3 white orpingtons (2 are going to go to my vet who is going to vaccinate all chicks for mareks AND I had given one of these eggs to a friend to hatch and she is giving it back to me because I'll only be left with one and in case one doesn't make it or is a rooster, I'll still get one - she's a great friend, Hope all buttercups hatch cuz I'll give her one of those!
So on this day I've contemplated my new job as chick mom and without knowing a thing, because it was going to be Mabel's job, I am now to protect these fabulous new beings. So I really need help from all of my incredible BYCers. This is my revelation for the day.
I have a desk I was going to donate or give away on craigslist. I've pictured it below. I'm thinking I'm going to do a bit of butchery to the walls and come up with a new fab brooder and potentially a coop that can then be attached to my existing pen. I can give the pullets their own space till they can potentially handle themselves against the older girls. What do you guys think about this plan????
She was the most diligent mom, would not get off the nest, loved her eggs and finally had to be put to sleep today 3/11 because she suffered from Marek's disease. She was the best chicken I've ever had. She came when I called her, followed me everywhere in the garden, ran her fat butt over to me whenever I clinked the mealworm can on the ground, and she was the sweetest most huggable lovable girl I've known.
So I start this new thread with the idea that her legacy must live on, she was such a trooper and now I have 14 eggs in the incubator. It's day 7.
I'm considering candling them..we have
2 silver laced wyandottes
3 sicilian buttercups
3 barnevelders
3 speckled sussex
3 white orpingtons (2 are going to go to my vet who is going to vaccinate all chicks for mareks AND I had given one of these eggs to a friend to hatch and she is giving it back to me because I'll only be left with one and in case one doesn't make it or is a rooster, I'll still get one - she's a great friend, Hope all buttercups hatch cuz I'll give her one of those!
So on this day I've contemplated my new job as chick mom and without knowing a thing, because it was going to be Mabel's job, I am now to protect these fabulous new beings. So I really need help from all of my incredible BYCers. This is my revelation for the day.
I have a desk I was going to donate or give away on craigslist. I've pictured it below. I'm thinking I'm going to do a bit of butchery to the walls and come up with a new fab brooder and potentially a coop that can then be attached to my existing pen. I can give the pullets their own space till they can potentially handle themselves against the older girls. What do you guys think about this plan????
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