Mahonri's 2nd Annual BYC EASTER HATCH. Post pics of your chicks!

[gryeyes]

I have to brag about one of my first time broodies: Angel, a bantam EE, has been determinedly setting on a slew of eggs. This morning, I was awakened by the sound of many chicks. I am not good at mornings, so I went into the bathroom AKA Nursery where I have three brooder bins, and attended to the babies' needs in there. Spent some time with them all - of course - as they are different ages and there are also three ducklings (in one of the three, separate brooder bins). Then I headed out to take care of the flock outdoors.

Loud chick sounds. In the coop occupied by Angel and a BCM pair who have been keeping her company at night and various times of the day. In the downstairs pen section, there is a tiny chick running around peeping like crazy. I rescue it and put it back upstairs with Angel and see some more fluffy movement. So I gather the daily egg from the BCM hen (I haven't named her or her consort yet!) and gather both of them up, hen under one arm, roo under the other, and take THEM to the new coop. Back at Angel's house, errr, coop, I set up chick starter in a feeder and a chick waterer for the new family and lock that coop so no chicks can fall downstairs again and no other chickens can come visit them.

Two chicks didn't make it; one was downstairs dead and one was upstairs pecked (I suspect the BCM pair).

But the survivors are SO tiny and SO cute! And Angel is being SUCH a good mommy, even if three of her chicks got away from her. I was glad to have saved the one from "downstairs." I'll try to make a count of the total number of chicks tomorrow, since there are more eggs still under her.

 

[tazcat70]

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Yeah!!!!

 

[tazcat70]

Well what do you do when today is day 20 of incubation? These eggs are the last remaining genetics of my flock that was killed by a dog 3 weeks ago. I usually have pips or even chicks by today and so I am freaking out right now!

So I went to the feed store and bought 9 chicks... 3 that look like BLRW (they were in the bantam bin, but I am not sure,) and the remaining 6 look like GL polish. Well, two of them have huge top knots, and they are mainly blackish with golden/reddish heads, so who knows.

Stopped and got lunch for us. Ate, then looked in one of my aquariums and notice that the goldfish I bought 3 days ago is floating. So I gather it up and off to the pet store I go. I exchange the fish and get a 2nd, and decide on the way home that I am going to rearrange the plants in the tanks, and do a major spring cleaning on them. 2 hours later they are looking great! And I take a break. Get something to drink and go stare into the hatcher. Panicking because I still do not have any pips. The thermometer is hard to read from out side so I open it up to get a better look...yup the temps are ok....wait what was that? I heard peeps!!!! So I refilled the water troughs and closed the door!!!!! I didn't kill them!!!!

Ok..I feel better now.

 

[ChestnutRidge]

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Congratulations and good luck!

As soon as you have some, let's see some chickies!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

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I'm so happy that you get to "recover" your lost girls!

Make sure to post some pictures!

 

[SarahIrl]

Well I've been busy taking care of first-time momma and her three chicks. The roo doesn't know what to make of all the noise, he is crowing like a lunatic but pretty much staying away from the babies. I WILL get pics tomorrow.

My other broody is 'due' around Monday but am picking up chicks for her tomorrow too. Will probably swipe most of the eggs from her and give them to the other one who has already hatched via the incubator for hatching. I got some leg bands to keep the two strains seperate, but momma hen has pecked them off again. Madam.

As for my Easter hatch - all looking well, all 19 still going. One goose egg looks a bit suspicious but on candling this evening, plenty of movement. They are so hot it's untrue. The incubator temp is right they just feel so warm. Big eggs I suppose.

I found out today while cleaning out the coops and mowing the lawn I have a rat problem. Buggers are stealing into the run. So, out with the 3/4 inch mesh tomorrow to fill up gaps, sneakiy little b@st@rds. Sorry, but I have no liking for them, or wasps, or mites. All completely useless in this world, I find. Anyone who can come up with a valid reason for any of them, let me know, please! I'm a fairly live and let live person, but I'd happily squish, poison or burn out any of the above, ugh.

 

[Mahonri]

Didn't go out to feed the chickens until 1PM.

Broody was on the wrong nest. It's 49 degrees out there. The eggs felt cold. OH WELL!

If they don't hatch next Saturday, I'll put her in a different pen and try and feed her well.

I hate when that happens. I swear I'm NOT going to let another one go broody, but they just have it in their genes I suppose.

 

[gryeyes]

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"NOT going to let another one go broody...." Hmmmm. I know some folks do the "break a broody" thing but I just think that's not very nice. (I'm avoiding saying "cruel" because I know there are perfectly valid reasons why some folks feel they have to do it.) I just couldn't do it. The hens can't help it.

If I had an egg production flock instead of a flock of pets containing many who happen to lay eggs, I might feel different. But if that was the case, I'd rehome a broody hen before breaking her. I know there are folks who WANT broodies. Luckily, I don't keep chickens for their egg production.

Matter of fact, my flock could lay off laying for a while right about now, since I don't have enough customers to buy the number of eggs they produce!

I swear, I really just wanted bug catchin', fertilizer-makin', happy cacklin' chickens. With a few pretty eggs.

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Here is my update after one week.

My broody is still sitting, lost one of the eggs so there are 8 in her nest. I caught her off the nest for the first time today. The eggs felt warm so I didn't think anything of it. She went out to stretch her legs and by the time i made my rounds with feeding the chickens, she was back on her nest. My eggs in the incubator are all there and have not been candled. I think I am going to wait until after my other incubator hatches before candling the easter egg hatch a long eggs. I am not going to candle those under the broody at all. I am really into surprises

I have 23 eggs in lockdown right now, on day 19... calm before the storm so I slept in a little longer today. I am obsessive with my camera while hatch is going on so I wanted to pre-rest.
Then, I have goose eggs to set in that incubator! yay!

I'm excited to hear that some of the broody hens in the thread are hatching. Remember, you can hatch anytime before the cut off day to be in the Broody contest here because I know, having a broody... well its hard to tell them when to be broody and not to be! Can't wait to start seeing the broody pics coming in. I have quite a few people participating but so far none have posted the picture of the broody with chick and PMed me with that.

 

[Mahonri]

I so hope I get at least 50 chicks as I commited TEN of the babies to a neighbor down the street. They so want chickens... the hard part will be deciding which ones I will part with!!!