Windus
Songster
This is my chick, Phoenix. I am hoping it turns out to be a rooster so I refer to it as he! He is almost 8 weeks old now and is a Blue Laced Red Wyandotte.
Phoenix is a special bird in several different ways. I really hadn't thought much about trying to hatch my own chicks but after suffering a tragedy, decided to give it a shot.
In July of this year we had a flood sweep across our property. It came in the night and swept away a chicken coop that weighed several hundred lbs. Unfortunatly, my entire flock of BLRWs was locked in that coop for the night and all drowned. I found the coop, a Mile downstream and literally 6 ft up and wrapped around a tree. Smashed to bits.
I was so upset and then remembered I had not collected eggs that day and the chickens had been laying in the garage. I found 4 eggs there and raced to tractor supply and bought an incubator, turned it on and threw the eggs in there not having read a thing and having no clue what I was doing.
21 days later, I have read enough to have thrown out 1 egg that was a quitter but I still had 3 viable eggs. Phoenix pipped right on schedule and I could see his beak moving. Then, for 20 hours, he did nothing. Then, in 10 minutes, he zipped halfway and stopped. Nothing more but I could see he was alive and struggling. 2 hours later I could not stand watching it anymore so I opened the incubator to help. I found that the membrane had dried and the side of his head was adhered to the inside of the shell. I freed his head and put him back in the incubator and he finished the job of hatching in 5 minutes. Sadly, both the other chicks failed to pip. After 48 hours I opened them both up and they were fully formed but dead. No clue why. I went and got 4 silkie chicks from a farmer friend that had hatched the same day so he would not be all alone. He is my buddy though, very tame and flies up to sit on my arm when I come in to feed and water them. Quite vocal and always wants to have a long chat.
So, I think you can see why this bird is special to me and has made it even with all the odds stacked against him!
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It was a great idea to get other chicks - he/she will be much happier.
although it looks like a pullet to me 
then again I'm no expert. Sure is a looker 
I love BLRWs. Had a few, love the breed as they are so docile & friendly 
