May Hatch-a-Long!

[Cynthia12]

I had two Barred Rocks that never went broody. However, one of them is now 7 years old and lame. I put her in our large brooder pen and put 10, five week old Silver Laced Wyandottes in with her. At first she wanted to peck at them but by nightfall that same day they were under, around and ON Top of her.

She's been with them for 5 weeks now and played mother to them very well. They are now turned out with the rest of the flock and she can't keep up. I plan to put her back in the brooder with 5 Lavender Orphingtons.
She's happy and has a job and is protected from the roosters that tend to take advantage of the disabled old girl.


This is Ethel with her buddy Lucy when they were a year old. Can anyone tell me how long they normally live?

This is a great story. She's lucky to be with you. And yes, I've heard 10 yrs. old is around the norm, if they live without problems.

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

It's been a day of downs and ups.

Despite very careful packaging (the seller did an AMAZING job of packing them) and priority shipping, not a single one of the turkey eggs I bought hatched. Some of the eggs remained clear, and the rest had developed blood rings by the 2nd week.

And out of a dozen eggs that I bought (different breeder), only two hatched. Now these eggs I had put under a broody Silkie hen to hatch out (the turkey eggs were in one of the incubators), and when I candled the remaining 10 Silkie eggs today, one had a blood ring, one was sloshy inside (no chick, just rotten egg) and the rest were perfectly clear. But I'm still happy, because while I was expecting only blues and/or blacks, the two that hatched turned out to be Partridge Silkies.

I have more Silkie and OEG eggs (from yet another breeder ) under broody Australorp, and every one of those eggs that I candled today had nice veins!

 

[Cynthia12]

It's been a day of downs and ups.

Despite very careful packaging (the seller did an AMAZING job of packing them) and priority shipping, not a single one of the turkey eggs I bought hatched. Some of the eggs remained clear, and the rest had developed blood rings by the 2nd week.

And out of a dozen eggs that I bought (different breeder), only two hatched. Now these eggs I had put under a broody Silkie hen to hatch out (the turkey eggs were in one of the incubators), and when I candled the remaining 10 Silkie eggs today, one had a blood ring, one was sloshy inside (no chick, just rotten egg) and the rest were perfectly clear. But I'm still happy, because while I was expecting only blues and/or blacks, the two that hatched turned out to be Partridge Silkies.

I have more Silkie and OEG eggs (from yet another breeder ) under broody Australorp, and every one of those eggs that I candled today had nice veins!

Ahh, good news with bad. I know how you feel..the last two hatches for me have not been good...but..at least the last one looks girly already..and that's what I need!
Now then! It's time for this bad luck to turn around. I hatched 21 out of 26 silkies just a while ago, it's time it happened like that again!!

 

[Cynthia12]

Farmer, yes, it takes one to know one..a Hatch A Holic that is.


This face says it all...it knows. How we are. And it is a happy thing.

 

[hollyannlamb]

It's been a day of downs and ups.

Despite very careful packaging (the seller did an AMAZING job of packing them) and priority shipping, not a single one of the turkey eggs I bought hatched. Some of the eggs remained clear, and the rest had developed blood rings by the 2nd week.

And out of a dozen eggs that I bought (different breeder), only two hatched. Now these eggs I had put under a broody Silkie hen to hatch out (the turkey eggs were in one of the incubators), and when I candled the remaining 10 Silkie eggs today, one had a blood ring, one was sloshy inside (no chick, just rotten egg) and the rest were perfectly clear. But I'm still happy, because while I was expecting only blues and/or blacks, the two that hatched turned out to be Partridge Silkies.

I have more Silkie and OEG eggs (from yet another breeder ) under broody Australorp, and every one of those eggs that I candled today had nice veins!

I hope this third hatch turns out well for you.

 

[brandy00]

Congrats to everyone on all the new fuzzy butts!! I finally finished up my hatch today. I ended up with 27 new babies. This was out of 40 set with 36 making it to lockdown. Could have been better, but also could have been a lot worse! I'm definitely happy with that percentage, particularly considering that 22 of those eggs were shipped! All my babies are doing great!

Just a few of the little boogers. Not the best pics. My 7 year old had my phone and was making the chicks play photo shoot with her

I candled all the eggs that hadn't hatched and all had failed to internally pip. I eggtopsied several of them and most didn't even make it into position to pip, but they had absorbed yolks and everything One had made it into position but didn't make it any further. Some were slightly mispositioned and some had aircells slightly mispositioned. I just hate it when they get that close and then don't make it!

 

[sandiTX]

I had a Cotton, pretty original aren't we? That's the thing, poor baby hasn't got a name yet..I'm waiting to see what .. it.. is. That's a pretty boy right there. How old is he? Mine hasn't crowed yet at three months. I wouldn't mind if mine is a boy. I want to breed him to my others, what ever ones turn out to be girls!

He is 4 months from what lady told me he is a sweetheart and likes to be held hehe

 

[sandiTX]

First off, I think they are very pretty, and second, I think the second one really looks like a cockerel with that much of a pink comb. So, your first one crowed at three months of age?

Oh I sure hope s/he is a girl, if not I will have to go looking for some silkie hens for the boys No he is about 4 months old is what the lady told me. Was 3 months old when I got him.

 

[sandiTX]

Well 1 of the 9 Serama hens is hatching we saw some chicks under her, she was right on time And we ended up hatching 31 chicks out of 40 in the incubator so thats a pretty good hatch I think. There was 4 of the eggs I was in question about so just left them in the incubator at lockdown. So I am happy with that hatch

 

[MemeGeorge]

I've got 8 duck eggs in the incubator and today is lock down. I can't see anything though just black and an air cell. Any hope? I've been in hospital the last week and partner has been turning them but he's not as thorough as me. Do you think there's any hope? What should I be able to see?