My first chicks have hatched. *PICS* *Fosters added*

[jdywntr]

My first broody chicken's eggs started hatching yesterday afternoon! They are JG and JG/BO crosses. There were 4 alive under her this morning and at least 1 more pipped. Thats all I could see before she jumped back on. Unfortunately, 2 died while hatching.

She had 12 eggs under her when she went broody but when I looked under her yesterday, there were 20 eggs. So, either she stole eggs or someone else was laying in there with her.

I was able to remove 6 that were infertile, not far along or had not made it. But I have NO idea how many of the eggs are viable.

 

[jdywntr]

Here is 1 of the babies and mom.

 

[jdywntr]

5 babies! 3 bluish and 2 have tan heads. I'm assuming the tan heads are BO/JG crosses and the others are pure JG.



Then I went to TSC and picked up 5 black JG to try putting under her tonight. I'm trying to get the hubby to stop at the TSC by his work to see if they have anything if like to add.

 

[mychickenbrood]

Cute babies. My first hatch from a broody hen happened four days ago. It is so much fun to see the two of them running around with their mama, instead of having them under lights in the brooder. She is doing a great job of taking care of them, but it creates challenges with the other flock around. For instance, I put chick starter in the coop, which the other hens and the sparrows love to eat!

When she left the nest, I broke open the eggs to see of any were fertile and was horrified to see two almost fully formed chicks trying to take their first breaths. They died, of course. So next time, I am going to take any unhatched ones to someone who can candle them and incubate any fertile ones.

I now have another hen who is broody. Maybe the newly hatched chicks gave her the idea. She is a nice dark brown egg layer though, and I don't have a Welsummer rooster, so her chicks will be EE crosses, but fun anyway.

 

[Andrea72]

How cute! Congrats!! My hen should hatch hers out on or around the 19th!

 

[jdywntr]

Congrats mychickenbrood. Thanks Andrea.


I just put the 5 foster JG under her and removed the last eggs. They tucked right in. They are a few days old so I'm hoping the night will be enough to let them know where warmth is. I'll check on them soon and first thing in the morning. My hubby forgot about my text to check the TSC on his way home. So 10 babies for momma.

 

[jdywntr]

I checked on the 5 foster JG this morning. All were still tucked under her. I pulled 2 out to make sure and they tucked themselves right back under. A little later I went out to show the older babies where the food and water were since they will need to eat. Food and water are just outside of the nest for now. I pulled mom off the nest and she ate, the JG ate and drank and 1 or 2 of mom's hatchlings pecked at the feed a bit. Mom went back to the nest and her hatchlings went with her. The JG stayed out to eat. I watched them and when they'd stopped for a few minutes a guided them back to the nest and they tucked themselves back under.

I'm so relieved that all appears to be going well. I will continue to check on them periodically throughout the day.

I did notice that only 1 of her babies is completely blue. There are 2 that are all blue with tannish/brown faces and then 2 that are almost black with tannish heads. So I think 1 pure JG and 4 JG/BO cross. Which makes sense since the JG had just started laying a week or so before she went broody and weren't consistant.

 

[jdywntr]

Well I ended up having to move mom and babies to a seperate cage because she kept trying to sit in eggs with her babies in tow. She settled over the last few days and I let them out for the first time today. She is teaching them to scratch (although occasionally she sends one flying). They are so interested in whatever she is pecking at. She did go after one of the other hens who got too close. I was glad to see it. Much different than duckling moms.