MARCH 2021 HATCH-A-LONG 🌷🌸🌼

[Jaslynn]

Queen Chickaletta shall join here!
9.5 year old Silkie laid her 8 eggs and went broody this morning as expected so I transferred her and her eggs to the broody coop where she seemed most pleased with the nest I have presented her with, and so she sat without a cluck about it
This is her majesty Queen Chickaletta standing upon her rock yesterday..
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.. And this is her today on her nest...
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Amazing. I initially got eggs to put under a broody but she flat out refused to move to a more appropriate nest and I accidentally broke her brood. I put those eggs in the incubator but had a low success rate (I think the humidity was too high and they drowned). My current batch are replacement eggs that were given to me to try again.

Queen Chickaletta seems to be quite accommodating.

 

[Jaslynn]

I wonder if she was a dedicated step mom, stealing an egg every day from the same hen

It does seem like she was stealing from the same hen. The chicks are all australorps. The broody hen was white with splashes of blue, rooster blue and there were other blue and black australorps in the pen so I’m hoping she stole some other colours too

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Amazing. I initially got eggs to put under a broody but she flat out refused to move to a more appropriate nest and I accidentally broke her brood. I put those eggs in the incubator but had a low success rate (I think the humidity was too high and they drowned). My current batch are replacement eggs that were given to me to try again.

Queen Chickaletta seems to be quite accommodating.

She doesn't care if she's been broody for an hour or a week when I move her anywhere she sees eggs and sits! And she's the best mumma hen too! No egg is left unhatched and no chick left unattended on her watch there's no sick chick ever (actually she herself has never been sick either!) I had been selling her chicks last year but this year I'll keep all her offspring now I'm more educated from BYC I should keep breeding her good genetics! .. And I have a larger coop to keep more fluffies!

 

[JessesChickens101]

Can i give my chicks pullet grower?
The reason for this is that i bought a whole brand new bag of pullet grower pellets AU$35 for pullets that weren't supposed to lay but decided they wanted to lay right now,
So, I dont want that bag of feed to go to waste so i crushed it up into smaller chick size pieces so i could feed it to my chicks, Should i add any supplements or will it be okay as is?

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Can i give my chicks pullet grower?
The reason for this is that i bought a whole brand new bag of pullet grower pellets AU$35 for pullets that weren't supposed to lay but decided they wanted to lay right now,
So, I dont want that bag of feed to go to waste so i crushed it up into smaller chick size pieces so i could feed it to my chicks, Should i add any supplements or will it be okay as is?

What's the protein content? If I have chicks around I use chick starter for the first 6 weeks (or till bag gone) and use it for my whole flock then switch to chick grower for all my chickens, always with shell option on the side for calcium. I never use layer feed.

 

[JessesChickens101]

What's the protein content? If I have chicks around I use chick starter for the first 6 weeks (or till bag gone) and use it for my whole flock then switch to chick grower for all my chickens, always with shell option on the side for calcium. I never use layer feed.

16% Protein
I'm pretty sure its too low, What could I add to it to boost protein?
I have Mealworms?

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

16% Protein
I'm pretty sure its too low, What could I add to it to boost protein?
I have Mealworms?

Mealworms are a good source of protein but I'm not sure how much to give them.. Can you buy some chick starter then continue on with the bag you have of grower? Since your layers can have it too, just with shell for calcium on the side.
Maybe someone else can chime in here to say whats best...?

 

[JessesChickens101]

Mealworms are a good source of protein but I'm not sure how much to give them.. Can you buy some chick starter then continue on with the bag you have of grower? Since your layers can have it too, just with shell for calcium on the side.
Maybe someone else can chime in here to say whats best...?

Ok, Thankyou for your help!

 

[AusHen]

Third and last incubator chick has hatched, pretty sure it's black or at least dark blue. chicks still aren't fluffy but crazy weather during lockdown causes very high humidity so the chicks and everything else has been very wet, I opened the incubator and sponged up some water from the floor and sides and removed the shells so hopefully they are warm and will dry a bit now. Broody Bella's eggs are a few days apart so still checking every AM and PM

 

[LadiesAndJane]

16% Protein
I'm pretty sure its too low, What could I add to it to boost protein?
I have Mealworms?

You can add a bag of game bird starter and mix it in, it will up the protein. I do this when my birds are molting as well to encourage feather growth. I also never give layer feed to any of my birds, as I have a mixed flock, and offer oyster shell flakes on the side to those that need it.