Sdwd

[PepsNick]

Quote:
The chick is acting fine! Thanks! It's sleeping in the other bator. This one I won't mess with. The other one is getting out of its shell now.

Another one is zipping!

 

[NellaBean]

yep, listen to the old ladies (ha ha ha).......they know what they are talking about.


Now, did someone say something about chicks? My 3 broody bantam mottled cochin girls that are sitting together have hatched out 12 chicks so far.

2 partridge
2 blue
3 black
4 yellow
1 reddish yellow

They have 5 eggs left.

 

[PepsNick]

They are not old ladies... If they were to be (which they're not), than so is my mom, so they aren't!

Beautiful chickens!

Update... The second one hatch! It was so clean and quick!

 

[kathyinmo]

Nick,
Leave the new hatchlings in the incubator. Do NOT open the incubator until the hatch is complete.

Nella,
I have been waiting to see those chicks! Will the broody mamas raise them together, or will you separate them?

Today I had to take the 3 chicks away from broody mama BLRW. She was "done," playing mama.

 

[speckledhen]

Omigosh, Janelle, this picture looks like they're adrift on the ocean in a frisbee, LOL!

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n60/lbanimals/2011-04-29_20-12-04_183.jpg

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
Hahahaha! It DOES, doesn't it!

 

[NellaBean]

Me and my floating frisbee chicks

Kathy, I will let the 3 ladies decide. I plan to let them raise them together. My hens very often raise babies in pairs. I doubt all 3 will "stay" broody and be mommas. I expect one to get annoyed or be a bad mom and I will take her out and let the other two raise the kids.

the speckled sussex kids in my 4x4 coop in the 8x8 pen (I need to name the darn thing) are about ready to just move into the big yard. Maybe I will let them out into the big yard and then move the 3 mamas and the babies into that coop after a week or so.

I did once have 3 hens share 3 chicks. They were all large fowl hens and bantam chicks. They didn't fight over them at all and it actually worked well. If there was a threat, the most aggressive hen would attack it and the others would stay with the chicks. I like letting pairs set together so that if one is a bad mom the other can take over.

I originally had 4 hens broody together. Split them into pairs. then the one mottled girl had the butt problem so I pulled her out and she is no longer broody. Good thing I had 3 more to adopt her eggs lol.

 

[PepsNick]

Kathy, I'm sorry about your broody mama.

The first chick to hatch, in the other incubator, is chirping like crazy! The other is sleeping on some un-pipped eggs.

 

[PepsNick]

Just realized something, I am so dumb! Today is day 20, just double-checked on my calendar! I must be insane! Seriously? Am I right? It's day 20, right? Woops, went into lockdown a day early!

UPDATE at 1:40 AM:

Latest Hatch Report:

Pipped:

-8 EE
-2 or 3 BO, not sure
-1 mystery egg, not sure... either BO or BR, maybe BBS Orp

Zipping:

-1 EE
-1 BO

Hatched:
-2 EE

2:30 AM REPORT:

-The zipping EE is about 3/4 of the way done. Another EE that has pipped will start zipping soon, I think.

UPDATE 3:20 AM: Two more chicks out, both EE's. Two more EE's zipping. The BO may not have actually been zipping, just a large pip. One of the zipping EE's is making progress, the other has zipped some, but not moving around even if I tap the window loudly.

4:00 AM UPDATE
2 chicks fluffing, one looks very lavender! As Nancy has a Lav roo in here EE pen. Then, one is still zipping but coming along... The other zipper might have made some progress, but I'm not seeing anything!

WAIT... Just looked at the shell of the lav-looking chick... It's an Ameraucana!

5:19 AM UPDATE:
Five chicks out. I should get some sleep. See you at 7:19...

UPDATE 5:31 AM
I can't sleep, so will just stay up. Whatever. Day 21 starts in 4 1/2 hours.

 

[kathyinmo]

Nick,
You are driving me crazy with this hatch!

It is day 20? Oh my gosh, I am gonna get a calendar for your next hatch, and give you day to day instructions. Not that you will listen anyway...............

I hope you are getting some sleep and the others hatch while you sleep......... SO YOU WILL LEAVE THEM ALONE! How many times have you opened that incubator and moved chicks into the recovery room (the other incubator)? Really, you should not be doing this until there are at least 8 or 10 of them hatched, or actually not at all.

Anyway, I am glad you are least getting some to hatch.

Now, go back to sleep..............