no roo for a month... fertile eggs? GREAT UPDATE-BABIES!

[mmaddie's mom]

I guess that I can't tell FOR SURE who the daddy was.

My Head Roo (black&red) was taken by a coyote and 3 days later my second in command (pale yellow) was taken.... I had some 1/2 grown roos from earlier this summer (just trying to crow and not showing adult roo behaviour otherwise).... so I really can't say for sure.

Mom is a black EE and all were EE (green) eggs... 9 babies are black/dark and 3 are yellow (oh, the count is up to 12 now, 1 pipping and 3 eggs).

Honestly I am very surprised that any were fertile... I didn't think I had much chance and I almost threw them out because of the slim chance they were fertile and it is so late in the season. I'm sooo glad that I didn't.

My Head Roo's name was Miracle (his story has been told on here before) and at the very least these babies are his grand babies... either way they will be my last remembrance of him... he was the perfect roo... a wonderful bird with a wonderful story. Only one looks like him as a baby and if he turns out looking like Miracle, he will probably get to stay forever (if he has a personality like Miracle).

So make your own decision if these babies are Miracle's or not... I choose to believe that they are... but that is just me. I'm just glad to add these babies to the flock!

 

[raimnel]

What?! no pictures?! LOL how mean of you. LOL

 

[mmaddie's mom]

one mom on 3 babies and she deserted 3 eggs... I moved them to the other hen... and the other on 10 babies with 3 eggs deserted... are these the same deserted eggs that I moved to under her? am keeping them warm as best i can and will candle a little later... i'm thinking of giving them one more night under "Mother Nature"... it's their last chance since I don't have an incubator. Still very happy with 13 babies! more than I expected under the circumstances!

If I can figure out the digital camera, I will try to get pics.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

candled... 2 eggs with movement and i can hear peeping... will go put them under "Mother Nature"! hope they hatch tonight.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

I think this is it... 2 more babies hatched today... one egg left, candled it last night and saw no movement... will candle tonight but don't expect much..

The final count is 3 babies with one mom and 12 with the other... 15 babies that I didn't expect to hatch... what a blessing!

Moms were all black, Top Roo was black and red, 2nd-in-command was pale yellow, immature roo is golden in color... lost both mature roos within a week of each other about a month before eggs were layed... 13 black/dark brown babies, 2 yellow babies... they ARE mutt birds... without a paternity test I guess I will never know for sure?

I'm done until Spring!