This is kind of a long story, so please bear with me...
My little silkie hen has been determined to sit a clutch for months now. I've taken away every egg as I have a rooster I'm trying desperately to rehome, as well as a two month cockeral. (Would you believe I bought two sexed Aracauna pullets, and one grew a waddles and a comb... *sigh*) I didn't want to chance adding more boys to the mix. However, fate had other plans... LOL
I left for five days in Vegas (Woo hoo!) on the 11th of last month. Before leaving, I made sure I gathered every egg from the coop (not hard with only two hens laying, LOL) and went on my merry way, leaving my Mom to care for the critters and gather eggs 'til I got back. Well, she got lazy about the eggs, and when I got home my silkie was proud as punch, sitting on a dozen eggs.
To make a long story short, the eggs were left in a warm kitchen overnight, then plopped in a cold soapy bath for a few minutes before I discovered, the hard way, that at least some were fertile. (I did candle some of them before proceeding to clean 'em and start making breakfast, but the ones I looked at were all clear, and we've never had a fertile egg before now, despite all our rooster's efforts. Moral: NEVER assume.) Of course, I freak out, rinse off the remaining eggs and candle 'em. Five seem occupied. I rush them (carefully) back out to Forrest the silkie, and start praying. LOL
Fast forward two weeks - I hear a peep, and under Forrest is the sweetest little chick, hatched as near as I can tell on day 18, max, of incubation. Another hatched out the next morning, and three days later third chick hatched out. There are still two eggs under Forrest, and she's been sitting fairly consistantly, so maybe one more will make an appearance.
Mama Forrest with the first chick, in their spacious dog crate/nursery.
Two chickies. The chipmunk marked one is Belgian D'uccle - Wyandotte cross.
"Mmmm, whazzat, kin I have it??"
Chick #2 - pure Belgian D'uccle.
Chick #3 Also D'uccle - Wyandotte.
Aren't they sweet???
I truly think these are miracle chicks, after being manhandled, cooled off (not much, though - our cooler was on the fritz when I left them in the kitchen) then bathed and soaped and almost made into an omlette. And I can't imagine not having them now that they are here. I just hope I get at least one pullet - Mom says any roos have gotta go.
I feel lucky to have them, and love watching them grow each day, interacting with momma and learning about the world. Chicks ROCK!
Incidentally - the parents of the two larger chicks are mille fleur (roo) & silver laced (hen)- what colors might I expect them to be?
My little silkie hen has been determined to sit a clutch for months now. I've taken away every egg as I have a rooster I'm trying desperately to rehome, as well as a two month cockeral. (Would you believe I bought two sexed Aracauna pullets, and one grew a waddles and a comb... *sigh*) I didn't want to chance adding more boys to the mix. However, fate had other plans... LOL
I left for five days in Vegas (Woo hoo!) on the 11th of last month. Before leaving, I made sure I gathered every egg from the coop (not hard with only two hens laying, LOL) and went on my merry way, leaving my Mom to care for the critters and gather eggs 'til I got back. Well, she got lazy about the eggs, and when I got home my silkie was proud as punch, sitting on a dozen eggs.
To make a long story short, the eggs were left in a warm kitchen overnight, then plopped in a cold soapy bath for a few minutes before I discovered, the hard way, that at least some were fertile. (I did candle some of them before proceeding to clean 'em and start making breakfast, but the ones I looked at were all clear, and we've never had a fertile egg before now, despite all our rooster's efforts. Moral: NEVER assume.) Of course, I freak out, rinse off the remaining eggs and candle 'em. Five seem occupied. I rush them (carefully) back out to Forrest the silkie, and start praying. LOL
Fast forward two weeks - I hear a peep, and under Forrest is the sweetest little chick, hatched as near as I can tell on day 18, max, of incubation. Another hatched out the next morning, and three days later third chick hatched out. There are still two eggs under Forrest, and she's been sitting fairly consistantly, so maybe one more will make an appearance.
Mama Forrest with the first chick, in their spacious dog crate/nursery.
Two chickies. The chipmunk marked one is Belgian D'uccle - Wyandotte cross.
"Mmmm, whazzat, kin I have it??"
Chick #2 - pure Belgian D'uccle.
Chick #3 Also D'uccle - Wyandotte.
Aren't they sweet???
I truly think these are miracle chicks, after being manhandled, cooled off (not much, though - our cooler was on the fritz when I left them in the kitchen) then bathed and soaped and almost made into an omlette. And I can't imagine not having them now that they are here. I just hope I get at least one pullet - Mom says any roos have gotta go.
Incidentally - the parents of the two larger chicks are mille fleur (roo) & silver laced (hen)- what colors might I expect them to be?
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