Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[showbarnmom]

what was hatch date? If there is no odor I wait 5 days.

Today is 21 days. I've just got them in a box under a heat lamp since hen got off the nest. What else should I do?

 

[cheeka]

SBMom, leave them be under the heat. it's early. being abandoned is not good, but if you got there in time, it can just delay, and sometimes it simply takes longer. remember Silkie Sue hatched on day 25 and she had Super Mama Peach...

Silkie Sue is 11 weeks old now. I think it might be a pullet, unless even other chickens can't sex them. one of my young roos tried to mount her/him

 

[BullChick]

<sigh> I have not said anything to anyone else on BYC, but I may be giving up chickens. The deal was that if my DH went back to being a truck driver (we didn't really expect him to since the multiple back surgeries, and the surgeon said no) I would put the chickens in the freezer. Well, I won't be freezing them (most anyway), but I am alone here. I don't drive, and I have no family around. I am not from this town (or even state) and I don't work. No friends, no family, no company. No creature is meant to be alone. The silence is getting to me, and I am thinking WAY too much. So, it looks like I am going back on the road with my husband.
I don't know when I will do this. It is not what I want. The city girl that thought all birds were gross (especially chickens!) is now very much in love with her flock! Not to mention the work and time spent building/maintaining the coop.
Anyhoot, JC, I have prayed for you, and will keep you in my prayers.
And if you are wondering why I am telling you this crap, it is because I have chick envy! No point dreaming of chicks if I won't be keeping them though.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

SBMom, leave them be under the heat. it's early. being abandoned is not good, but if you got there in time, it can just delay, and sometimes it simply takes longer. remember Silkie Sue hatched on day 25 and she had Super Mama Peach...

Silkie Sue is 11 weeks old now. I think it might be a pullet, unless even other chickens can't sex them. one of my young roos tried to mount her/him

OK! I vote pullet for sure! If I can get fluff's picture she isn't much older, maybe 1-3 weeks. They look identical.
All the silkie boys I have develop pea combs and attitudes very early. The pullets are just too sweet. Fluff is my only girl.
I have rehomed all but my buff roo, Butters and the white roo, Puff.
I have the boys in one pen and fluff with my polish in another so they aren't overly "roostered".

<sigh> I have not said anything to anyone else on BYC, but I may be giving up chickens. The deal was that if my DH went back to being a truck driver (we didn't really expect him to since the multiple back surgeries, and the surgeon said no) I would put the chickens in the freezer. Well, I won't be freezing them (most anyway), but I am alone here. I don't drive, and I have no family around. I am not from this town (or even state) and I don't work. No friends, no family, no company. No creature is meant to be alone. The silence is getting to me, and I am thinking WAY too much. So, it looks like I am going back on the road with my husband.
I don't know when I will do this. It is not what I want. The city girl that thought all birds were gross (especially chickens!) is now very much in love with her flock! Not to mention the work and time spent building/maintaining the coop.
Anyhoot, JC, I have prayed for you, and will keep you in my prayers.
And if you are wondering why I am telling you this crap, it is because I have chick envy! No point dreaming of chicks if I won't be keeping them though.

Oh my MC

chickens or not, we are your friends chickie!!!!
And thank you for your prayers.
I can fully relate, when DH was hauling steel, he really wanted me with him.
I would be a roadie for sure if it wasn't for Mom & Dad, our kids are grown.
I have the ties of my parents, but can sure understand your situation.
We will always be here for ya! Its very depressing to be alone, and not good for our natural well being.
I love my birds, but I would do a drastic downsizing to travel with DH. Oldest DD would keep some for sure.
He went back to a local route for now so we aren't faced with the problem anymore.

Quote: Cheeka is right. You are doing all you can.

If no eggs have odor, give them more time. I will go the full 5 extra days.
I have had 2 eggs out of over 1000 explode, so it can happen but its usually rare. Both were when I went camping, ugh

The smell test never lies, and its not hard to notice either! Once an egg has odor its out of my bators immediately.
That's the most horrid stench i have ever smelled, and may be deadly for the unhatched eggs.

 

[cheeka]

<sigh> I have not said anything to anyone else on BYC, but I may be giving up chickens. The deal was that if my DH went back to being a truck driver (we didn't really expect him to since the multiple back surgeries, and the surgeon said no) I would put the chickens in the freezer. Well, I won't be freezing them (most anyway), but I am alone here. I don't drive, and I have no family around. I am not from this town (or even state) and I don't work. No friends, no family, no company. No creature is meant to be alone. The silence is getting to me, and I am thinking WAY too much. So, it looks like I am going back on the road with my husband.
I don't know when I will do this. It is not what I want. The city girl that thought all birds were gross (especially chickens!) is now very much in love with her flock! Not to mention the work and time spent building/maintaining the coop.
Anyhoot, JC, I have prayed for you, and will keep you in my prayers.
And if you are wondering why I am telling you this crap, it is because I have chick envy! No point dreaming of chicks if I won't be keeping them though.

I sure wish we lived closer! I know all too well the lonely, quiet life... if there is anything I can do, even from my distance, please do not hesitate to get a hold of me. I hope you come up with a plan that allows you to balance it all...

 

[chickenlindz]

I have not said anything to anyone else on BYC, but I may be giving up chickens. The deal was that if my DH went back to being a truck driver (we didn't really expect him to since the multiple back surgeries, and the surgeon said no) I would put the chickens in the freezer. Well, I won't be freezing them (most anyway), but I am alone here. I don't drive, and I have no family around. I am not from this town (or even state) and I don't work. No friends, no family, no company. No creature is meant to be alone. The silence is getting to me, and I am thinking WAY too much. So, it looks like I am going back on the road with my husband. I don't know when I will do this. It is not what I want. The city girl that thought all birds were gross (especially chickens!) is now very much in love with her flock! Not to mention the work and time spent building/maintaining the coop. Anyhoot, JC, I have prayed for you, and will keep you in my prayers. And if you are wondering why I am telling you this crap, it is because I have chick envy! No point dreaming of chicks if I won't be keeping them though.

don't think of it as giving up chickens... just postponing for another day sometime in the future. Another week... My 5 remaining chickens look very good esp. the 2 marans. I can see butt feathers starting to grow. We pick up the coop this weekend which I'm thrilled about mainly because I found someone on Craigslist who has 3 hens for sale (an EE, silkie and leghorn). I am "annoyed" (that's the word I'll use) because my husband freaked out and told me I couldn't get them. I understand he's feeling a bit overwhelmed (we bought a house, got married and are spending all our free time clearing land for fences) but what he doesn't understand is that if I bring them on then it's my problem to deal with figuring stuff out... not his. Oh well, we'll adjust. After I made him cupcakes (while still annoyed) he did say I could get them... Next week I get another set - 5 EE will be on their way!

 

[showbarnmom]

Mc where do you live? I'm from a trucker family, and completely understand!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

<sigh> I have not said anything to anyone else on BYC, but I may be giving up chickens. The deal was that if my DH went back to being a truck driver (we didn't really expect him to since the multiple back surgeries, and the surgeon said no) I would put the chickens in the freezer. Well, I won't be freezing them (most anyway), but I am alone here. I don't drive, and I have no family around. I am not from this town (or even state) and I don't work. No friends, no family, no company. No creature is meant to be alone. The silence is getting to me, and I am thinking WAY too much. So, it looks like I am going back on the road with my husband.
I don't know when I will do this. It is not what I want. The city girl that thought all birds were gross (especially chickens!) is now very much in love with her flock! Not to mention the work and time spent building/maintaining the coop.
Anyhoot, JC, I have prayed for you, and will keep you in my prayers.
And if you are wondering why I am telling you this crap, it is because I have chick envy! No point dreaming of chicks if I won't be keeping them though.

Oh, that's a bummer, MC. Your DH is probably lonely too. I sometimes struggle with wanting security from putting down roots or having the freedom to able to live out of a suitcase and see the world. So far the roots have won, but after the boys have left the nest, I can see myself cutting back and hitting the road with hubs. Chickenlindz is right, you can settle down with chickens in the future. If you really need a chicken in your life, swing by on one of your trips through CA, and I'll find you a sweet little Serama pullet. We have 2 that are so friendly, they fly out of the cage so they can be held and pet. So tiny, they'd make an excellent truck mascot.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Wish me luck. One was almost completely out of the shell, but very cold. Hen abandoned the nest. So if it survived will put itunder hen tonight. The others aren't due till today, but she already had 5 hatch and left them. So want to give them a chance.

Good luck, sbmom! I hope the hen will adopt the newbies too.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

this is the best picture I have as yet of the Silkie. I probably should catch it and bring it in for pictures where I have more control over the lighting. it is so hard to get any detail outdoors. it's so reflective. I posted some pics in a Silkie sexing thread, got a couple responses for both sexes... the crest is pretty much still pin feathers. I'll try later today...

Sillie's getting big! Aoxa started a new thread about sexing in general with some pics. Maybe it will help.
Sexing Chicks by Comb, Colour, Legs, and Feathering Reference
I think jchny might be right about Sillie being a pullet.

Oh dear! Wonder what's in duck eggs that upsets your tum. Do they eat/have access to mushrooms? My mom was super sensitive to mushrooms, so maybe it's something they are eating that gets into the eggs that upset you. A mystery!