My first egg hatched! **UPDATE** Chick died

[mom4morecritters]

I am so excited I can barely contain myself! I would sleep in the hen house tonight if my hubby would let me! Here are a few photos and a couple videos of Peepers, my hatching chick!

Day 5 Candling. (My candling isn't very good, but I'm learning!)

Day 16 Candling.

Day 16 Candling video. (Right click to open in new window)



Day 21 pipping pics.

Day 21 pipping video! (Right click to open in new window) The last few seconds of the video I was watching over my shoulder because Prince Roo had just come back into the hen house. He pounced me earlier when I first tried to see Ginger and the eggs! It's funny because Ginger hasn't snapped at me once and now that a chick is hatching Prince Roo is being protective of his family!



Can you tell how excited I am?!

I'll update with more pics and videos tomorrow!

Anne

 

[Chicken Woman]

Sending hatching vibes your way !!!!!!

 

[Jazlyn]

Oh yay! I love hearing them inside the egg.

 

[IcedMochaChick]

I love the video, that is so cool! Congratulations

 

[mom4morecritters]

Thanks! It is taking every bit of energy I have NOT to run out to the hen house RIGHT NOW! I'd put a wireless surveillance camera out there but the range is too far. Dang it!

What really worries me is the last egg isn't going to hatch until Valentine's Day! Is that too far apart? Should I get rid of any eggs that are due more than 5 days from now? How long WILL a hen sit on eggs while baby chicks are running around?

Our Holland Lop Bunny, Rosie, is due with her first litter on Feb. 10th! I'm not sure yet if Sophia, our Lionhead Rabbit, is pregnant. If she is, she is due shortly after Rosie!

Baby chicks and baby bunnies... suddenly I feel like the Easter Bunny!

 

[Florida chick]

Ummm you shouldn't have put anymore eggs under the hen. Your supposed to save the eggs and put them under ALL at the same time. Any unhatched eggs should be discared within 24 hrs the LATEST of the peeping.

Can you put the rest in a bator?

 

[jay1995]

congrats on your new chick, hope they all hatch for you. goodluck.

 

[mom4morecritters]

Florida chick, I let Ginger sit on the eggs not really expecting them to make it. The past few weeks we've had wind chill advisories with the temps -35 below zero with the windchill. I honestly had no idea what I was doing, so I claim ignorance!

At one point there were 4 or 5 days in a row when I was unable to feed and water my chickens myself (hubby took care of them for me). Needless to say when I did finally get back out to the hen house I was completely floored to find so many eggs! Apparently I am the only one who will check under Ginger to see what she's sitting on! I've actually witnessed a few of the hens yacking at Ginger to leave so they could go in and lay their egg! They all want the babies but only one will do the work!

If I had actually PLANNED to do this I would have found out some information on hatching eggs first, like collecting them and putting them all under her at the same time! I didn't realize that could be done!

I thought about buying an incubator tomorrow but I can hear my husband now!!!!!! However, as soon as the eggs hatch I can bring them out to the hen house for Ginger, right?

 

[Chicken Woman]

Do you have a temporary wire enclosure so the other chickens cant get to the new chicks ? I would be scard as I have read on here where th other chickens will attack and eat the chicks...
Can you nmake them a little area around the nest box that is protected ?.

 

[mom4morecritters]

Drum roll please....

Introducing Peepers, my very first home grown chick! YAY!

Here she is with mom. Prince Roo is a Leghorn and I think the egg came from a California White.

Here is a video of Peepers. I'm sorry half the video is kinda dark, I should have added more light.