Our introduction to keeping chickens, the high's, the lows and pics of our journey.

[NovaAman]

Those gave me a great giggle! Thanks for posting. It is SO freaky when you see them just Drop! Last January (2012) I got my first ever brooder chicks. Picked them up from a lady not to far north from me. All mutts except 2. Anyway, the first time I saw the "Drop", I thought it dropped dead! LOL. Learned something then. I had only been on BYC for a short time, and I hadn't come across a thread about them doing that before. Was a totally fun experience!

Glad Latte is doing well. Sorry you didn't get to get her first egg in your own box, but it was super sweet of her new Food Lady to bring you her egg.

 

[Bens-Hens]

It was very much. She likes chickens but we sort of love them (in a way that our friends talk about how 'involved' we are as a family with chickens hahahaha).

Was very sweet, the wife and I were just talking about blowing it and keeping the shell. Will certainly keep our first egg from a chick we hatched and raised.

The other birds made it through the night no issues (other than not knowing where to sleep, but I fixed that) Got up early to open the improvised pop door, all alive and well. Even saw a LS up on the roost.

Went to bed with 1/5 pipped eggs, woke up early to 3/5, then 4/5 and just recently hit the 5/5 pip's. BUSTING to meet these L/A's!

 

[Bens-Hens]

All the Araucana's hatched this afternoon. First to pip was last out at pretty much 24 hours exactly.

Cute birds, but from my research on the breed I am not sure if we will get bearded birds or not. My wife (who picked them up) says one of the parents had a beard, but that gene is not always passed on.

They are getting their shots tonight as they enter the brooder. We hope the integration with the other chicks a couple of days older goes well.

Will surely get a few shots down the track. (Especially for Pam

)

Also not going to work tomorrow so I plan on some coop work since the weather is nice.

 

[Wrightsx4]

So happy they all hatched- Good job with the DIY.
Looking forward to seeing the pics!

 

[NovaAman]

I wonder if they cluck with an Aussie accent... I am sure mine cluck with an American... I know two languages...English and Sailors English. I think mine cluck with the Sailor's version. HEHEHE

Glad they all hatched out. I have 2 EE's both have beards. BUT I also have a cochin/EE with no beard and one with a beard. Also have Faverolles mutts that have no beards. SO... Hope you get some of both. Beards are a hoot. Give's a whole new expression to their faces, especially when they are curious, but a bit nervous over something new. LOL

 

[Bens-Hens]

Thanks guys, Sailors English is the same world over! hahahaha

The little L/A that hatched last is not as vigorous as the others. Made some sweet water for all the chicks. Seems to have perked everyone up a little but still watching the 'baby' closely.

Pitter patter of 12 new chicks!



The newbies. SO much smaller than the two day olds. They were smaller eggs too though.




The 'baby' is on the left, lighter than the other four. It does get up and move about a bit, but kind of waddles. The other four are more upright now and more adventurous in the brooder. Just have to wait a bit longer and see if eating and drinking starts up and helps.

 

[NovaAman]

Chick vitamins, save a chick in the water. Poultry nutri drench in the water... Hope the little guy perks up.

 

[Bens-Hens]

Yeah me too.

At this point we have gone for DIY homemade (insert don't have to drive to the feed store) sweetener, a bit of white sugar and a teaspoon of honey.

I did see it getting about over by the drinker which was a good sign. It had a long pip, and was the biggest egg of the clutch.

Liking the name 'Baby' in honor of Pam's loss, plus it will be the youngest for at least another year. We are pretty well maxed out population wise.

Up to 18 chicks, on a property 'limited' to 6! I am using the chicken math theory that since they are chicks they don't count until they are nearing full size.

 

[Wrightsx4]

Aww - I think Baby is a perfect name. I appreciate that, if your family chooses to use that name
Mine was the youngest of my group by about 2-3 days as she hatched after the ordered chicks arrived. She was also my "special needs" chick as she didn't catch on very quickly to eating, drinking, or most things. But she was worth giving the extra help. I found that if I put some chick feed in a cup with some warm water - like thin oatmeal or applesauce consistency - and separated her so the others didn't gobble it up from her, she would eat but I had to tap it so she would find where to peck. We decided she wasn't blind but she didn't see too well. Luckily her chick seems to be fine in this way!
Maybe the warm mash would entice your baby to eat in the next few days and get stronger. It holds a lot of water so he/she would be getting fluids too.

 

[NovaAman]

Ah, that's right! Your Faverolles last egg! I so know that feeling of losing a favorite hen to a predator and shoving that last egg in a bator. In my case under a broody hen. Buffy was her name. Buffy Petunias. She laid her egg, went out and a bad word hawk got her. I was so upset. She was a loud, talky, odd ball, loved girl. She gave me 2 girls. Loralie, who is a royal bad word some days. Lol. She can be the meanest bird some days. She rules the faverolles coop. She's alsothe complete opposite of her mom. Quiet, not to interested in what I am doing unless it involves food. And her sister Belle Mai. She was half silkie. Yup. Lol. How does that happen? Well, Buffy was a bit of a hussy. I had two roosters in the yard. A fav anda silkie. They actually workedtogether keeping the girls and babies together. Any way... The girls (30) would squat for either one. So... One egg was pure. One not. Lol. Both laid with in a day of the other. Lol.