Our 1st hatch under a broody *updated* new pics 6/25

[M To The Maxx]

 

[froggie71]

So I have to add a pic of the 1 that hatch last evening. This one is a Lakenvelder/Red star cross. It is so cute. This one has 2 black dots on either side of it's head.

Ok, now I tried feather sexing all the chicks and if this is right, all 5 are girls.

Well we did have 3 losses and I didn't feather sex them. Could it really be we hatched all girls?

ETA: we did give the babies back to momma last night and she took them right back without any problems. We did worry as it got down in 30's last night. Coop is not insulated nor heated. But when we checked on them this morning all 5 little babies were running around in the kennel. The waterer has marbles in it and they were all eating chick starter. Momma ran off the nest real quick. Did her business outside and ran right back to the nest. So now a couple of these chicks are more than 48 hrs old. I thought she would have given up the nest by now, but she is determined.

 

[froggie71]

Holy cow. After the 5 chicks hatched we brought the rest of the eggs that were under momma inside and put in the bator since the oldest chick was going on day 3 and she had had a couple of chicks losses as she was not leaving the nest. 4 more hatched and she took those babies without any problem. Well 2 more just hatched and she accepted them right away too. So now she has 11 babies.

She is such a good momma

 

[acid_chipmunk]

You have a wonderful Momma there! I hope mine do just as good when they get older!

 

[nicolets]

cute chicks

wow from 3 to 11!

was looking pretty bad a few posts there... and she ended up with 11!

Good job, momma hen.

got any name ideas yet? post a picture of them all soon!

 

[kathyinmo]

Oh, WOW! So now she has 11 babies to take care of! That is really great! Is she taking care of them pretty well?

I am so excited waiting to see what my broodies end up hatching. I will know pretty soon.

 

[froggie71]

The last baby I had to help the last baby hatch out as it was shrink wrapped. I'm amazed at how well she does take care of them. The day the last 2 hatched my boys had a 4-H event at the county Farm Market so we took momma and all 11 babies. 1 of them even made the paper! They were such a hit and momma is really great. She lets us hold all her babies and then she takes them right back. She shows them how to scratch and dust. They are adorable marching around the yard. Then I watch them follow her back into the coop and into the dog kennel where they stay. She puffs up when any of the other hens are around and will peck at them if they come near the babies. It's funny to see the older ones and how much they have grown just being 3-4 days older then the youngest. We haven't named any of them. Not sure we will be keeping any of these. My aunt may take a couple, but as I have 6 other older chicks the boys still have to introduce to the flock and I'm

I'm going to be getting some Delaware chicks soon too, we don't really have the room. Or, I'm gonna have to build a new coop I think.

Will have to take more pics soon. The weather has been lousy the past couple of days. I think it will be nice tomorrow.

Kathy good luck with your hatch. I know your 3 broodies will be great mommas.

 

[nicolets]

i may be interested, i am far in the northeastern corner of PA and can fairly easily travel into NJ (although i am not sure how southern or eastern Shamong is). how much will they be sold for, and do you have an idea of when?

 

[froggie71]

Nicolets are you going to the chicken stock on Sunday? We are going and if you are really interested I can bring the chicks you are interested in with me. Is $2 a chick reasonable? I can get better pics of the little fuzzy butts today.

 

[Bantimna]

them broodies