March 2017! Hatch with us!

[crchicks]

So cute! So is that one a girl?

I had an interesting surprise when I went out today. There was an extra black silkie chick running around. I have no idea how I've missed it for the past 5 days when I go out there every day to mess with them. One or the other black silkie chick must've always been under my showgirl instead of out with their mother. I've always just counted 7 chicks and today there were 8. I recounted several times, but I knew I had only seen 3 black chicks, so something was off when there were 4 black chicks. Kinda fun adding a chick instead of losing one. :-D

Yes I think I have 2 girls and a boy black sex link so far

 

[Mylied]

Yes I think I have 2 girls and a boy black sex link so far

That's great. So sweet. I love seeing the babies under their mom.

 

[MontainBourbons]

Okay, I think that I have found the error in my past hatches. I saw a little bit of a pattern in how the humidity has affected the hatch. My first hatch got a 50% hatch rate at 45% humidity. The last one that I had was a 10% hatch rate at 27% humidity. I'm just weighing my eggs now and now I had them at 50% humidity for all 18 days, by the end they were at 12% weight loss. Please correct me if it shouldn't be this dramatic of a difference.

 

[yeye5]

The BYCer who answered me agreed that the feet looked swollen, but felt it might go down soon. Thankfully, it did! Chickie still has big feet, but they are sleek and no longer puffed up. Thank you so much for asking. That is very sweet of you.

Well there;s some very good news. Big feet are cute and unique. Health problems, not so much. I'm tickled that they're feet are now just cute and funny! Of course I'd ask! I care!

 

[yeye5]

At last, the weather is nice and I could get out there with my tool kit and fix up the big coop and run that the farmer hauled out here for me.

You can see Tasha, my Rhode Island Red, checking it out. She will be one of the lucky few who gets to move into the new digs.


The inside has fold-down perches, nest boxes and even a wired-in light fixture (which I can't use, unless I get a generator, since there is no electricity running this far out). My daughter decorated it for the chickens. I'll probably take the daffs out, but they are welcome to eat the dandelions.

The old coop and run can then be available for my sweet Silkie, the little Sebright, and the new chicks I just hatched, when they are big enough. It seems to be that mixing babies (@6wks) and bantams is a good move. Thoughts on this?

This is so pretty! I love the new coop and the area outside is delightful! Lucky chickens you have!

 

[yeye5]

Lol, nasty Silkies?? I guess every barrel has a few bad apples.

Thanks for the advice. I have good hiding places there, and my one Silkie is pretty nice. The Sebright is just scared of everyone but me, poor darling, since she's been a house bird her first five weeks of life. It's time to integrate her, and I think a Silkie and LF babies would be good for her. She can fly, and they can't!

So, she can escape, too.

I'm glad this topic came up. I was going to ask this morning too.
The adopted chicks that Mima (silkie) is raising are getting big enough to need more space. Yesterday I did some serious coop rededecorating. I placed a cage 36 tall x 30 wide x 18-20 deep (formerly used by sugar gliders who moved to a bigger cage) on its side so that the floor space is 36x30 on the 2nd floor where their original nest was located. I put cardboard inside so as to give them better footing and covered 3/5 of the top with cardboard from the outside (so that the pullets and roo can see in but not poop on them.Pullets laying box went on top of the cage (since the cage in this position is only 18-20 high) and the mini nest/egg laying area that was being built by one or several pullets Behind the nest with the chicks I placed in a shallow box bottom and covered the top area, placed a couple of bricks in front of it--trying to imitate the hidden privacy of that nest in the making.
I guess today will show...if they lay eggs in the new areas they've accepted them.
But back to the intros...
The cage is my step in between letting Mima bring the chicks out into the coop with the rest of the family. They can see each other but not do harm.
How long a time should I keep this set up going?
I love these little peeps so much. Mima does too. It's been such a long road to getting them here. I want to be very cautious.
I have to get the boxes (I stored) that list their hatch dates. The 5 Brahmas are 2 weeks ahead/older that the 3 GLWs and the 1 Welsummer.
At what age is it "normal" or suggested to allow them to meet face to face without barriers?
My silkies (the rest of the family in that coop) Are anywhere from very docile to somewhat territorial. One of them will chase and peck at Mima bcs she's trying to re-establish the pecking order. That worries me not only for Mima but for the chicks.
I'll follow this with their hatch dates in a while.
Any advice is appreciated!

 

[yeye5]

I'm glad this topic came up. I was going to ask this morning too.
The adopted chicks that Mima (silkie) is raising are getting big enough to need more space. Yesterday I did some serious coop rededecorating. I placed a cage 36 tall x 30 wide x 18-20 deep (formerly used by sugar gliders who moved to a bigger cage) on its side so that the floor space is 36x30 on the 2nd floor where their original nest was located. I put cardboard inside so as to give them better footing and covered 3/5 of the top with cardboard from the outside (so that the pullets and roo can see in but not poop on them.Pullets laying box went on top of the cage (since the cage in this position is only 18-20 high) and the mini nest/egg laying area that was being built by one or several pullets Behind the nest with the chicks I placed in a shallow box bottom and covered the top area, placed a couple of bricks in front of it--trying to imitate the hidden privacy of that nest in the making.
I guess today will show...if they lay eggs in the new areas they've accepted them.
But back to the intros...
The cage is my step in between letting Mima bring the chicks out into the coop with the rest of the family. They can see each other but not do harm.
How long a time should I keep this set up going?
I love these little peeps so much. Mima does too. It's been such a long road to getting them here. I want to be very cautious.
I have to get the boxes (I stored) that list their hatch dates. The 5 Brahmas are 2 weeks ahead/older that the 3 GLWs and the 1 Welsummer.
At what age is it "normal" or suggested to allow them to meet face to face without barriers?
My silkies (the rest of the family in that coop) Are anywhere from very docile to somewhat territorial. One of them will chase and peck at Mima bcs she's trying to re-establish the pecking order. That worries me not only for Mima but for the chicks.
I'll follow this with their hatch dates in a while.
Any advice is appreciated!

I just found the boxes.
The Brahmas' box says "2 weeks old 3-1" (I could have written it clearer), assuming I meant they hatched approx 3-1. The GLWs and Welsummer hatched approx 3-15. So we have some super-sized almost 5 week olds and some petite almost 3 week olds.
They get along great among themselves.

 

[WVduckchick]

So cute! So is that one a girl?

I had an interesting surprise when I went out today. There was an extra black silkie chick running around. I have no idea how I've missed it for the past 5 days when I go out there every day to mess with them. One or the other black silkie chick must've always been under my showgirl instead of out with their mother. I've always just counted 7 chicks and today there were 8. I recounted several times, but I knew I had only seen 3 black chicks, so something was off when there were 4 black chicks. Kinda fun adding a chick instead of losing one. :-D

Haha! That is neat!

Yes I think I have 2 girls and a boy black sex link so far

I was involved in starting a "broodies and their babies" thread last summer, I think we need to revive it.

Okay, I think that I have found the error in my past hatches. I saw a little bit of a pattern in how the humidity has affected the hatch. My first hatch got a 50% hatch rate at 45% humidity. The last one that I had was a 10% hatch rate at 27% humidity. I'm just weighing my eggs now and now I had them at 50% humidity for all 18 days, by the end they were at 12% weight loss. Please correct me if it shouldn't be this dramatic of a difference.

12% is in range, but I think it should be a little higher? Are you by chance at high elevation??

I'm glad this topic came up. I was going to ask this morning too.
The adopted chicks that Mima (silkie) is raising are getting big enough to need more space. Yesterday I did some serious coop rededecorating. I placed a cage 36 tall x 30 wide x 18-20 deep (formerly used by sugar gliders who moved to a bigger cage) on its side so that the floor space is 36x30 on the 2nd floor where their original nest was located. I put cardboard inside so as to give them better footing and covered 3/5 of the top with cardboard from the outside (so that the pullets and roo can see in but not poop on them.Pullets laying box went on top of the cage (since the cage in this position is only 18-20 high) and the mini nest/egg laying area that was being built by one or several pullets Behind the nest with the chicks I placed in a shallow box bottom and covered the top area, placed a couple of bricks in front of it--trying to imitate the hidden privacy of that nest in the making.
I guess today will show...if they lay eggs in the new areas they've accepted them.
But back to the intros...
The cage is my step in between letting Mima bring the chicks out into the coop with the rest of the family. They can see each other but not do harm.
How long a time should I keep this set up going?
I love these little peeps so much. Mima does too. It's been such a long road to getting them here. I want to be very cautious.
I have to get the boxes (I stored) that list their hatch dates. The 5 Brahmas are 2 weeks ahead/older that the 3 GLWs and the 1 Welsummer.
At what age is it "normal" or suggested to allow them to meet face to face without barriers?
My silkies (the rest of the family in that coop) Are anywhere from very docile to somewhat territorial. One of them will chase and peck at Mima bcs she's trying to re-establish the pecking order. That worries me not only for Mima but for the chicks.
I'll follow this with their hatch dates in a while.
Any advice is appreciated!

By no means an expert, but I have found that introducing them as early as possible helps them to integrate faster. Because usually when they are really little, the momma hen will stick up for them. Once they get a few weeks old, she doesn't help so much. And they get little attitudes of their own!

My OEGB momma, mothering Serama chicks only has another pair of birds in her pen, but they don't get near the chicks without her watching closely.
My Chocolate orp momma.... well, those chicks run all over the place, get stepped on, etc, but none of the big birds "bother" them. I actually saw one of the "auntie" birds showing a little one some food. I only had them separate for about 4 days, and that was only because on day 2, I saw my goofy rooster step on one of the chicks, without paying attention. But they are all out in the run with the big chicks now, at a week or so old.

Now my 2nd choc orp is on 5 eggs, and my 3rd choc orp is trying to brood, but I will take her eggs for a few more days.

Black serama broody is due to hatch hers any day now! And cochin broody (plus her sister that horns in most of the day) should be due in a couple of weeks! I will only keep them separated from the flock long enough for the little ones to get thriving.

Having said all that, I'll add that my pens are roomy, with only 4-10 birds in each run, hiding spaces for the littles, etc.

 

[WVduckchick]

A couple pics of my chocolates

Momma Mocha, and Auntie Latte, and the chicklets


See big daddy rooster Bailey in the background, eating out of the kids bowls? LOL
(I put separate feed and water out for the chicks, easier for them to reach)

 

[hensareus]

Good luck! I love ducklings. We always had ducks as pets when I was a girl. They make the cutest sounds. Let us know how the candling goes.

Well...out of 10 eggs I ended up with 2 good ones. I was afraid of that though. There were 6 that were just as clear as the day they went in and 2 that were all dark except for the air sac. But they had gotten wet and cold before they were given to me. But the last 2 are looking great and I'm watching very close.