My first broody!** Daily Updates* Post Hatch Events

[Hollywood Chickens]

Maybe we collect the egg to fast

 

[city kid farm]

Thank you for posting your experience. It's helpful to those of us who are still waiting for our first broody bird! By the way, I wanted to name my girls Buffy, Willow, Anya, and Tara but got voted down by the rest of the family.

Good luck with your girls!

 

[gryeyes]

Day Twenty

Oh MY - I thought SUNDAY would be day 21.... AAACK.

Anyway, last night (Day 19) when I gathered eggs, I noticed there were no eggs in the nest box next to Buffy's, and this was the third or fourth day without anybody laying eggs there. I thought, perhaps, nobody wanted to bother her in her current mood, because there are eggs showing up in other coops' nest boxes. Even Rebecca is laying in the Middles' coop nest boxes. (Oh, great, I just realized that's gonna be interesting, as the Middle's coop is the one that's going to be replaced very soon.)

I had two large bunches of green, seedless grapes and a head of broccoli to give as treats to everyone last night. The run was filled with absolutely EVERY chicken - even the 4 Littles - and both ducks, chasing grapes. Not much interest in the broccoli, but that's no surprise - I personally hate the stuff. But when I broke it up into much smaller bits, the ducks wanted some. Especially when I threw the broccoli bits into their pool.

I saved about 20 grapes for Buffy. Unlike the mozzarella cheese, she didn't take any from my hand, even when I scrunched one between my fingers into halves. But they were ALL gone this morning.

And when I checked her 3 eggs, I encountered a fourth. *sigh* So SOMEBODY *is* laying up there in that coop, after all. Wonder if it's when she takes her daily constitutional, or did she move an egg from the adjacent nest box? I didn't remove it... I know I probably should have taken it, but it was SO warm and she was watching me SO terribly closely. I tucked 'em all back under her and waited until she fluffed herself back over her precious, small clutch.

I think I'll leave her some BOSS tonight.

Jeez, this is Day 20. Good thing I finagled ANOTHER special day off from work, on Tuesday! Hehehehhehe. Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I may sleep out by the A-Frame coop tonight or tomorrow night, who knows!

 

[CalebtheChicken]

Getting down to the wire

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Oh man, how did I manage to miss this thread!?!? Glad I found it just in the nick of time, whew! Way to go Buffy, we're all rooting for you!!

 

[CalebtheChicken]

Isn't today the day?
Were's gryeyes?

 

[gryeyes]

Day Twenty One

Afternoon report: No chicks yet. Buffy has pulled another egg into her nest box, so there are now five of them. Since it's so close to a possible hatching from MAYBE three eggs that have been there since the beginning, I didn't pull the extra two out. However, I almost had a heart attack when I was hand-counting the eggs beneath Buffy's fluffiness - I THOUGHT one of them moved under my fingers! Could that be?

I kinda pushed Buffy's chest feathers up to look, which she allowed, and didn't see any "pips" in the eggs (as if I would even know what those look like).

Somewhat surprised to find a white egg in the nest box adjacent to hers, as I'd already gathered two white eggs this morning. Only Millicent and Minerva lay white eggs. Hmmmmm.

Last night I left some BOSS for Buffy; today it's all gone. This morning I gave her some more shredded mozzarella cheese, and IT'S all gone this afternoon.

Around dusk last night, I imagined hearing peeps from the A-Frame coop, but it was only the two Sebright boys in the "downstairs" penned area; Lola, their proxy mom black bantam cochin was on the OTHER side of the hardware cloth, outside the coop. They'd gotten spooked just as it was time to follow her to the Duck House to go 'Night 'Night.

So.... not today. Not yet, anyway.

 

[CalebtheChicken]

Darn, tomarrow mabye!

 

[Morgan7782]

I am so excited for you!! I hope everything goes smoothly, sounds like Buffy is in wonderful hands! I am glad she is enjoying her treats, and very impressed at how nest bound she seems. I think this may be a good scenerio!

Fingers are crossed for happy healthy cheepers! I think it's good that you are doing as much as you can not to disturb her, she seems to be carrying on just fine and dandy. She will make a wonderful mother and I cannot wait to see pictures. I definately have fingers crossed for healthy chicks, and a healthy momma hen as well. Joon and Munk have their toes crossed too! The weather is beautiful right now for some good egg hatching

good luck to you all!! I cannot wait to see the little buggers!

 

[gryeyes]

WE HAVE A CHICK!!! We have a chick! It's just after 6 p.m. Saturday, and we have a CHICK!!!

It's still under her, but I saw it when I lifted one side of Buffy's fluffiness! OMG! OMG!!!

...... I need a drink..... I'm gonna smoke.... I saw the chick, let go of Buffy's fluff and told her what a great Mom she is. Let the hatch on the A-Frame close very, very quietly, then I ran into the house to post this. Yes, I RAN.

Stupid camera USB cord is at WORK. I'll have to go into the office tomorrow morning to get it. There's a chick under Buffy!

I'm a grandmother!

I am SO eggscited! Buffy hatched an egg! We have a CHICK!

... it's mostly black... I think.... LOL