October Hatch-a-long 2022🎃🐣🍁

[WIchickMama]

Maybe you need to keep them separate (but still in view of the flock) for a week or two so babies can bond with their mama?

This is a good suggestion.

Does the chick need to be put back with the original hatching mama or if it is safe and the new hen is raising it will it be ok?

I did the separate but still can see with my last broody and her chicks and it was a bit hard to get them back into the flock-more for the mom than the chicks. This time around I am just letting nature take charge. I figure they do this all the time on larger scale farms than mine, so I just need to let go a little.

 

[3KillerBs]

Final candling and lockdown tomorrow.

I've decided that I'm definitely going to give Mocha, the biting broody, who now on her fourth "no-sale"^ the chance to raise some babies since she's tended her golf balls and every egg she could grab daily so diligently for the past month.

^Three times the people buying my hens, including the ones who particularly wanted a Java, had young children and I declined to sell them a bird who draws blood in defense of her nest. The one coming tomorrow wants good layers specifically so I figure she won't want to be constantly breaking a determined broody.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Final candling and lockdown tomorrow.

I've decided that I'm definitely going to give Mocha, the biting broody, who now on her fourth "no-sale"^ the chance to raise some babies since she's tended her golf balls and every egg she could grab daily so diligently for the past month.

^Three times the people buying my hens, including the ones who particularly wanted a Java, had young children and I declined to sell them a bird who draws blood in defense of her nest. The one coming tomorrow wants good layers specifically so I figure she won't want to be constantly breaking a determined broody.

I think we’re on the same day for lockdown. Today is day 17 for set two.
They will likely start hatching on Saturday though. I will be out of town for the next three days, home late Saturday night so my daughter is in charge.

Sounds like Mocha needs to stay with you! Hopefully she’ll make a good broody and serve a useful role that way.

Three of the babies from this last set have already gone to their new home. They all got their Marek’s vaccination yesterday. Their hatch mates are complaining loudly and missing them!

 

[Marten]

Photos of a few of my bunch, now that they're a few days old.

Barnyard Cross #1 - Lovely little feathered legs (father is supposedly a Black Copper Marans, though probably not to SOP) and one of the quietest of the bunch

Barnyard Cross #2 - Slightly less feathered feet, but a lot of white fluff; I'm hoping he/she will feather out with some white, but I'm honestly not super experienced with black chicks other than barred rocks.

Cream Legbar girl from the smallest egg

Cream Legbar boy from the biggest egg

And a (partial) group shot! I love the difference in the size of the head spots on the Cream Legbar boys; the two on the right have the biggest and smallest head spots of the four male CLs.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Photos of a few of my bunch, now that they're a few days old.

Barnyard Cross #1 - Lovely little feathered legs (father is supposedly a Black Copper Marans, though probably not to SOP) and one of the quietest of the bunch
View attachment 3282410


Barnyard Cross #2 - Slightly less feathered feet, but a lot of white fluff; I'm hoping he/she will feather out with some white, but I'm honestly not super experienced with black chicks other than barred rocks.View attachment 3282411

Cream Legbar girl from the smallest egg
View attachment 3282413

Cream Legbar boy from the biggest egg
View attachment 3282414

And a (partial) group shot! I love the difference in the size of the head spots on the Cream Legbar boys; the two on the right have the biggest and smallest head spots of the four male CLs.
View attachment 3282415

Awe they are darling! Congratulations!

 

[Solanacae]

@Marten What cute chicks! Congratulations!

Here’s some better pictures of the last chick. That gives me two blue Australorps and two EE’s. Both of the EE’s have feathered feet, which I wasn’t expecting but I don’t mind. This last chick has chipmunk strips but I’m skeptical it would be a reliable indicator of sex considering it’s mixed breed parentage.

My brooding area runs the width of my coop (about 8’) and is about 4’ deep. I had the two broodies in a wire dog crate and they were only a foot away from each other. What I did was take the lower ranking hen and move her out of the dog crate to the far end of the brooding area. I figured the hens wouldn’t be moving much yesterday and today while the chicks gain strength after hatching. Moving them seemed to help, the chick was more than happy to stay with mama, and the broody who had been stealing the baby wasn’t motivated enough to go after the baby once it was farther away. Problem solved, I hope.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

@Marten What cute chicks! Congratulations!

Here’s some better pictures of the last chick. That gives me two blue Australorps and two EE’s. Both of the EE’s have feathered feet, which I wasn’t expecting but I don’t mind. This last chick has chipmunk strips but I’m skeptical it would be a reliable indicator of sex considering it’s mixed breed parentage.

My brooding area runs the width of my coop (about 8’) and is about 4’ deep. I had the two broodies in a wire dog crate and they were only a foot away from each other. What I did was take the lower ranking hen and move her out of the dog crate to the far end of the brooding area. I figured the hens wouldn’t be moving much yesterday and today while the chicks gain strength after hatching. Moving them seemed to help, the chick was more than happy to stay with mama, and the broody who had been stealing the baby wasn’t motivated enough to go after the baby once it was farther away. Problem solved, I hope.

Awe that lil baby smashed up again mom is so precious!!!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Photos of a few of my bunch, now that they're a few days old.

Barnyard Cross #1 - Lovely little feathered legs (father is supposedly a Black Copper Marans, though probably not to SOP) and one of the quietest of the bunch
View attachment 3282410


Barnyard Cross #2 - Slightly less feathered feet, but a lot of white fluff; I'm hoping he/she will feather out with some white, but I'm honestly not super experienced with black chicks other than barred rocks.View attachment 3282411

Cream Legbar girl from the smallest egg
View attachment 3282413

Cream Legbar boy from the biggest egg
View attachment 3282414

And a (partial) group shot! I love the difference in the size of the head spots on the Cream Legbar boys; the two on the right have the biggest and smallest head spots of the four male CLs.
View attachment 3282415

Congrats on the new Littles!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

@Marten What cute chicks! Congratulations!

Here’s some better pictures of the last chick. That gives me two blue Australorps and two EE’s. Both of the EE’s have feathered feet, which I wasn’t expecting but I don’t mind. This last chick has chipmunk strips but I’m skeptical it would be a reliable indicator of sex considering it’s mixed breed parentage.

My brooding area runs the width of my coop (about 8’) and is about 4’ deep. I had the two broodies in a wire dog crate and they were only a foot away from each other. What I did was take the lower ranking hen and move her out of the dog crate to the far end of the brooding area. I figured the hens wouldn’t be moving much yesterday and today while the chicks gain strength after hatching. Moving them seemed to help, the chick was more than happy to stay with mama, and the broody who had been stealing the baby wasn’t motivated enough to go after the baby once it was farther away. Problem solved, I hope.

Congrats! Love seeing broodies with their babies. So sweet!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Per @Gammas Bearded Babies request, embroidery card cages to keep eggs separate. Photos from a previous hatch were I had Silkies and second gen Polkies incubating together. They look identical at hatch.
The cards can easily be cut down to size. I also use them if there is a little one that needs to be kept away from more rambunctious hatch mates.