Serama Broody Hatching Babies...(Pic's Added)

[Patchesnposies]

My serama hen decided to sit on seven eggs and today they began to hatch. When she started sitting temps here in southern New Mexico were upper 80's to low 90's and really nice overnight. The day time temps this week have been in the 40's and it has gotten down to freezing at night.

She is outside in a large dog crate inside the serama pen. She has straw, food and water in the crate and I took an old quilt and hung it over the crate with the bottom half of the metal door open for ventilation. Her water has not frozen.

Should I bring them in tonight? Or will she be able to keep them warm in the crate?

Thanks!

Deb

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

As long as she has plenty of food and water in there where she doesn't have to go very far to get it, I think it will be fine. One really important thing is that she can easily cover all the babies! If she has a large brood, you may have to relieve her of a couple to insure everyone gets their fair share of heat. Or at least, that's what I would do. I'd be all paranoid the babies would suddenly freeze or something, haha

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Personally I wouldn't leave such a small hen and brood outdoors now.

 

[SeramaLife]

How are they? I think you should bring them inside

 

[Patchesnposies]

I did bring them inside. Unfortunately, I left her outside until the afternoon while it was still warm-choosing not to disturb her until the hatch was over. When I went to bring them in she was heroically trying to cover them all and two were dead. I think she may have squashed them trying to keep them under her. They were fresh out of the shell and alive when I saw them in the morning.

The bad thing is the last egg I was waiting on, that I thought was pipped (she must have broke out a piece herself, do they help their babies hatch?) was actually a rotten egg. I could tell when I picked it up to listen and see if there was still a baby in there....no mistaking THAT smell!

At any rate we do have 4 beautiful little babies, though, and that is wonderful! Mama is happy as can be in the house with them.

This little hen was one who was always sneaking into the house when I'd let them free range in the backyard. TWICE we found her my son's room sitting all fluffed up on his pillow! She was brooded in the house and apparently finds it to her liking.

I'll run take some pictures of the little family and add them to this thread.

Thanks for asking!

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

Yay! Pics!

Gald to her the little ones left are doing great!

 

[monita]

yay!!! baby serama pics

i wanna see i wanna see....

 

[SeramaLife]

Good! I want to see pictures!

 

[Patchesnposies]

Here's a picture or two of the new babies:

Nothing cuter than a bunch of teeny weeny serama babies, is there?

 

[SeramaLife]