My babies are hatching pics as they arrive!

[LovinThisFarmGirlLife]

Me too!!!! I only have pics of the one chick from the other day so sad!!! She is properly hiding them - gets them under her as soon as I approach!

What a good little mama she is!! How long do they usually keep the chicks under them full time? I want to see them!!

 

[PouleChick]

They aren't under there full time they just run and hide when they see me coming with the camera Although looks like they are getting cheekier as I went down just now and H was squeeking at them to come under her and they come over, then looked at me then went back to the feeder - mum looked cross and was looking like she might get up so I beat a hasty retreat! Have you spotted any more?

 

[LovinThisFarmGirlLife]

They aren't under there full time they just run and hide when they see me coming with the camera Although looks like they are getting cheekier as I went down just now and H was squeeking at them to come under her and they come over, then looked at me then went back to the feeder - mum looked cross and was looking like she might get up so I beat a hasty retreat! Have you spotted any more?

Haha I love it!! They're being onry already!! Do you still just have the 4 who have hatched? I'm at work now (I work nights and its 0200 here) but before I left my house I checked on her one more time and there was just the one. It was snuggling into her neck and she was "talking" to it. So precious!!! I wish I could have sat out there with them all night! The hen was doing a little dance in the nest though, kind of moving her tail back and forth, so I wonder if she didn't have another one working on a hatch. I guess I'll find out in 6 hours!

 

[PouleChick]

Ahhhhh night shift - that explains why you are talking to me and no one has answered my 'what to do' plea on another thread! What do you do?
Yes still only the 4 but she is still sticking on those eggs (even when the naughty little ones are running off and she is doing her cross voice at them ) so I'm still hopeful there may be hope - I'm guessing if they were totally dead she'd get off them?

I'll keep an eye out later for your news when you get home! have a good shift @LovinThisFarmGirlLife

 

[LovinThisFarmGirlLife]

Ahhhhh night shift - that explains why you are talking to me and no one has answered my 'what to do' plea on another thread! What do you do?
Yes still only the 4 but she is still sticking on those eggs (even when the naughty little ones are running off and she is doing her cross voice at them ) so I'm still hopeful there may be hope - I'm guessing if they were totally dead she'd get off them?

I'll keep an eye out later for your news when you get home! have a good shift @LovinThisFarmGirlLife

yep! I'm often left waiting for normal humans to wake up and answer my questions on here . What is you plea? I work in pediatrics. I have one patient tonight so lots of time to browse the chicken forum!

I would think she must be able to tell that they're still alive. They move around and surely she can feel that? I'm still hopeful you'll get more to hatch in the next day or so!

Thank you, I'll keep you posted!! I'll continue to stalk your posts as well

 

[PouleChick]

Ahhhh perfect a quiet shift!

I would think she must be able to tell that they're still alive. They move around and surely she can feel that? I'm still hopeful you'll get more to hatch in the next day or so!

That is what I'm hoping!
This is where I've asked just basically what I should do now on the broody hen thread!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ational-thread.457488/page-2833#post-19929427

 

[WVduckchick]

I just posted on your other thread

 

[PouleChick]

I just posted on your other thread

Thank you - just replied!

 

[PouleChick]

So to update (sorry if you have seen this on one of the other threads - I didn't want to leave it unresolved where people may be watching!):
I went down to check on her and she was off the nest again. I decided to collect the eggs up and candle them - couldn't see anything indicating life. We decided to try to float test to see what that said:

Couldn't work out what it meant
We decided that there was no life at all in any of them so opened them one by one to see this in all 4:

So she knew what she was doing when she got off yesterday and I should have believed her . So the ones that didn't make it are the Orpington, the Australorp, an Araucana, and the 4th I'm not sure - either the surprise or the Bresse). I'm thrilled as while it's sad they weren't fertile as I thought they all would be I'm so pleased that of 5 fertile ones I have 4 live chicks So based on what didn't hatch I must have 3 Araucanas - 2 stripey ones and one of another colour (pale - white or grey maybe?!) plus another that is probably a Bresse but could be the surprise if the 'Bresse' rubbed off the egg which seems unlikely as the other 2 names didn't.

Thanks so much for all your help everyone at getting us to this stage

 

[WVduckchick]

Glad you got it all sorted out. They are smart little creatures, aren't they? Even brand new mommas are just born with that instinct. So glad you got some cute babies.

And fyi...on the float test.... I hate it. Lol
Candling with a good bright light should be enough to see movement or confirm death. The float test can only confirm life if independent movement of the egg in water happens. But at that stage, they do rest alot and many count that as dead, and open eggs to find live chicks, not yet ready to hatch. The test cannot confirm if one is dead. Glad this didn't happen to you!