I have an exciting story! So, a few weeks ago my Black Australorp hen named Redd (I got her when all I had were RIR and I wanted her to feel included) decided to go broody. She started sitting on 8 eggs. She's tried this before, but my own stupidity and inexperience resulted in none surviving - story for another time. So, she sat on 8 eggs and I moved her to a pen where she wouldnt be bothered by the other hens. Day 20, she lost one, I found it when she started eating it and I threw it out, yuck. Day 21, 1 was out! Pretty sure half EE, half BO. I came home on Day 22, five total! All of them looked like pure BO. She had rolled one egg out of the nest and it was cold. So we were missing one, where was it? I was hoping it was still under her and not rotting somewhere. I took the cold one in the house and looked at it with a flashlight. It was still alive!!! Threw a quick incubator together with a heat lamp and bowl of water. Turned the egg to the chicks advantage and shrugged my shoulders. If it makes it, it makes it. Day 23, this morning, chick was peeping inside the shell but no hole yet! It's beak was right there! Checked on the hen and her brood, couldnt tell if there were six, but I saw a freshly broken shell nearby! Went to work, called my mother after lunch and she said the chick had pipped! By 4pm, he was out! What a fighter! When I got home, he was about half dried off. I took him oit to Redd and set him down, PRAYING that she would accept him, cause I don't know what I would do otherwise! He kind of tumbled down the straw hill into her, and she just lifted up and tucked him under! Perfect! So AND I saw the sixth one peeking out from behind her! So she hatched 7 out of 8! Unfortunately, I don't think any of them were from her eggs! No black on any of them, looks like 6 BO and one BO/EE (there was only one blue egg, and my dominant roo is BO). But she doesn't seem to care! I am so happy she was so successful!
