Nankin Bantams

[cobra3073]

Dawn,

I am so very sorry to read you lost the hatchlings. That is really difficult considering the extraordinary efforts you put forth in saving the two, especially. I take it the other nine eggs in the incubator were no longer viable? What’s happening with Evie?

I guess I should invest in one of those brooder plates myself as I have a heat lamp. I did put a dozen Nankin eggs in my incubator today. The oldest eggs are five (5) days old. I will be candling them for the first time next Tuesday, when I return from my annual Air Force reunion.

~BT

 

[MROO]

Dawn,

I am so very sorry to read you lost the hatchlings. That is really difficult considering the extraordinary efforts you put forth in saving the two, especially. I take it the other nine eggs in the incubator were no longer viable? What’s happening with Evie?

I guess I should invest in one of those brooder plates myself as I have a heat lamp. I did put a dozen Nankin eggs in my incubator today. The oldest eggs are five (5) days old. I will be candling them for the first time next Tuesday, when I return from my annual Air Force reunion.

~BT

I will NEVER use a heat lamp again! The clamp shifted, for whatever reason, and the whole lamp moved just a smidge closer - but it was enough to raise the temp from 99.5 (to match the incubator they'd just been moved from) to 108. So, out of the 25 we started out with, we have three chicks and one more egg to go. That one was a late starter we put under Evie after we knew she was committed to her nest. If it doesn't hatch by tomorrow, it won't.

I took a big gamble, tonight, and so far, it's panning out. The three babies are currently in a rabbit hutch on my front porch, nestled under the most protective broody I've ever had ... Eve. I put the first one in around 7:00 pm. I wish I'd recorded it! Evie had been pecking at my hand as I slid it under her and growling her piercing little broody growl. When I pulled my hand away, there was something soft & moving under her. I've never thought of chickens as having legitimate facial expressions, but if that wasn't surprise and confusion on her face, I don't know what else you could call it! She lifted herself up just a bit to peek at what was under her skirts, then puffed herself out and settled gingerly back on her nest. She looked positively smug! I watched her for about ten minutes, to make sure she wasn't going to go after the wiggly thing, but she didn't budge.

About ten minutes after that, Caroline brought me the second chick. When I put that one under her, Evie fussed at me a LOT more than she did with just eggs. This time, I pulled two eggs out from under her, one infertile D'Uccles egg and one Nankin early quitter. I left the third egg under her, not because I think it will still hatch, but because I want the nest to feel as "normal" as possible for her. When I went back out with the third baby, the second was out of the nest and peeping up a storm. I tucked it back in when I added the third chick, and everyone was immediately quiet.

As I write this, Evie is all settled in. She ate some greens out of my hand and took some water. I have to say that a drinking growl is a pretty interesting sound, coming from a chicken, but I'll assume that means she's not too stressed, at least not about her new family. I banked some shavings up around the nest opening to discourage wanderers. It's still pretty cool at night, here.

I honestly don't know what I'll find in the morning. Half of me feels that tonight went so smoothly because it "worked." The other half is prepared (as much as I can be) to find three cold, dead peeps in the morning. I'll be saying extra prayer, tonight. Please, St. Francis, watch over these little ones!

I'll keep you posted ...

 

[cobra3073]

Ok Dawn, you KNOW I am on “pins and needles”, hoping ALL is well with the “Adoption” effort.

~BT

 

[MROO]

Ok Dawn, you KNOW I am on “pins and needles”, hoping ALL is well with the “Adoption” effort.

~BT

Okay - It's official - Evie is a Mama! She abandoned the last egg (infertile, sigh) but she has taken to the three chicks as if they are her very own. We're having some internet issues tonight, so I can't transfer pictures, yet, but DD took a couple of cute ones (from a distance, as Ms. Evie is VERY protective) of the babies climbing all over her. Despite the losses, this is awesome. Our first-hatch is raising our third. That's pretty dog-goned cool in my book!

I'll post pictures as soon as my computer decides to finish loading pictures oh-so-slooooooooowly instead of logging me out.

DD's job tomorrow is to disinfect the incubator so we can start a new batch. We'll likely have a low hatch rate with that one, too, simply because my pullets are so young, but we'll take what we can get. Besides, when the equipment works the way it should ... it's FUN!

 

[cobra3073]

OUTSTANDING!!

Evie has come a long way from here time as a hatchling.

Tomorrow I will be busy preparing for my trip for Thursday and don’t know how much time my AF buddies will allow me online while we are reconnecting but will try to “sneak” time to check this forum and my email notification.

Take care and CONGRATULATIONS!

~BT

 

[cobra3073]

Possible GREAT news on this end!

As noted in a previous posting, I have a dozen Nankins eggs in the incubator as of 2 days ago. Well, it looks like one of my hens (Helen) has decided to go broody. She has been on the nest for 3 days now...what are the odds on one going broody the same day I started my first incubation effort?

Right now, she only has one egg (not counting the fake nest egg) in the nest.

I am debating whether to add more eggs when I return from my AF reunion trip, if she is still serious. It all depends on what is happening with the ones in the incubator.

Not counting my “chickens before they hatch” , but how many chicks do y’all think a Nankin can mother at one time?

Dawn: I am at the airport waiting for my flight so probably want be online for the next 3-5 days but will check in if possible to see how Evie and the brood are doing.

BT

 

[MROO]

Possible GREAT news on this end!

As noted in a previous posting, I have a dozen Nankins eggs in the incubator as of 2 days ago. Well, it looks like one of my hens (Helen) has decided to go broody. She has been on the nest for 3 days now...what are the odds on one going broody the same day I started my first incubation effort?

Right now, she only has one egg (not counting the fake nest egg) in the nest.

I am debating whether to add more eggs when I return from my AF reunion trip, if she is still serious. It all depends on what is happening with the ones in the incubator.

Not counting my “chickens before they hatch” , but how many chicks do y’all think a Nankin can mother at one time?

Dawn: I am at the airport waiting for my flight so probably want be online for the next 3-5 days but will check in if possible to see how Evie and the brood are doing.

BT

I don't know how many eggs a Nanny can brood, but I know that my first one ... decades ago ... sat on 16 duck eggs and hatched out eight healthy Mallard babies. I don't think I'd give a first time Mama more than a handful at first, though, just to make sure she sticks it out for the duration.

If she is still on the nest when you return, you might want to pull & candle Helen's egg. If it's growing (veins & such,) you can put it in the incubator with the others and give your little broody a fresh "set." That way, you won't have a staggered hatch. With that much time lapsed between hatching dates, she's liable to abandon the added eggs a few days after the first one hatches.

... and Helen & Evie must be on the same wavelength. Evie started setting the day I cranked up my incubator for the Easter Hatch-a-long. That's pretty funny!

 

[cobra3073]

Well, Helen is still setting on two eggs which were actually started about the same day I started incubating the twelve eggs.

I candled the 12 last night and determined nine appear to be very viable. One was a yolker and two apparently ceased development. The 9 look real good so we shall see.

I have also received my “heating plate”, so will be setting up my brooder in the next couple of days. If all goes well, I may forgo the brooder and try and have “Helen” adopt any chicks that may come from this first incubation effort.

Incidentally, while I was away another hen decided to apparently go broody. I am going to give her another day or so before I reward her with a clutch.

So Dawn, how are your efforts coming along?

~BT

 

[cobra3073]

Dawn,

Took your OUTSTANDING advice and removed Ann’s two eggs while she was having lunch and gave her five recently laid eggs from her peers.

Appropriately marked the two eggs and placed them in the incubator, along with the nine. I will candle them tonight.

Also examined the three eggs I removed from the incubator and all three (no Yorkers) apparently just stopped developing for some reason. It was great to see all twelve eggs were fertile.

~BT

 

[MROO]

Well, Helen is still setting on two eggs which were actually started about the same day I started incubating the twelve eggs.

I candled the 12 last night and determined nine appear to be very viable. One was a yolker and two apparently ceased development. The 9 look real good so we shall see.

I have also received my “heating plate”, so will be setting up my brooder in the next couple of days. If all goes well, I may forgo the brooder and try and have “Helen” adopt any chicks that may come from this first incubation effort.

Incidentally, while I was away another hen decided to apparently go broody. I am going to give her another day or so before I reward her with a clutch.

So Dawn, how are your efforts coming along?

~BT

That's awesome! I've got a "batch" in the 'bator, at the moment. They're due for their first candling in the next few days, so I'll know more, then. Evie's mini-brood is doing well, so far. She's a great little Mama. The kids are call them "Eenee, Meenee, Minee and there ain't no Mo'!"