Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[joletabey]

come on SC2!!!!

 

[Laney]

Ok.....Some pics....

Here is SawsAll.....named by Shannon because he/she came out of his egg like he/she had power tools.

And now, little SC2.....I'm praying that he/she makes it. This little one will never be a breeder, but as you all know, it will still be close to my heart if it does.

Laney

Heart in Crisis.

 

[speckledhen]

Laney, all you can do is keep it warm and wait. Either it will live or it will just stop breathing at some point. You'd be amazed at the ones who have jumped up and been running around within 24 hours, when all they'd do after hatching was just lay there and shake.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Quote:
Yes! We noticed that wheezing bit too!

 

[Laney]

My husband LOVEs it when Roosters are learning to crow. He's always out there making fun of them..... Cocka doodle..hack cough cough.....wheeze.... Can someone pass me my inhaler? He makes up little monologues for them etc. I think for him it's the best part. At least that's what he'll tell you, but when you see him sitting there zen like holding a chicken or chick...you know the truth.

Laney

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

keep the chick pics coming, I can't have any chicks til March/april/June or so, as we do not want them brooded in the house any longer than we have to (and ideally not at all).

So tired of the cold...need patterns for stocking caps for roosters and water-proof wattle covers. They had such beautiful wattles.

Saving my money for building insulation...

 

[kathyinmo]

Well, I have new pictures .... BUT, my BYC uploads is 94% full. I have to upload on photobucket... and that takes forever!

You should hear the rooster choir here ... good grief! I have several growing out, and the 20 week old are hilarious! They try to crow, and then Obama, or another roo will begin the chase .... so the half-hearted crow stops midway through. They are a pitiful choir, I tell you! I think there are about a dozen of them, in with the group of 40 or so. Time to start culling is near! I got an egg today, that makes 5 this week ... but don't know who from! Not a Marans or an Easter Egger, I know that! I doubt it is a Jersey Giant, and am thinking it may be a Cochin.

The next group, in another grow-out brooder, is the Halloween hatch. Again, around 40 of them. They aren't really crowing, but are growing like mad now.

Next lot are the Christmas hatch ... my babies. They are still in the garage brooder .... but headed outside, to their new home this weekend! (Cuz the next batch will be hatching soon! LOL) ...

Working on the breeder pens, and hope to have them done in the next couple weeks. Time to get them separated.

 

[Laney]

JoAnn

I actually have every intention of popping these babies outside. As usual my plans are falling through. I figured about 4 Delawares would hatch, plus Pebbles from 2 weeks ago. Instead I have 2 in the indoor brooder (a rabbit/guinea pig cage) and 1 in intensive care in the incubator.

My outdoor brooder can bring up the temp about 40 degrees above outdoor ambient right now. If I double up the insulation, probably increase that by 20 degrees. I had also thought about a second heat lamp.

The problem is that the cold snap kept me from introducing Libra to the flock. That and rooster aggression. I am in the process of trying to rehome 4 roosters and then Libra who is 11 weeks old can be integrated into the flock.

Good news is that SC2 is now flopping around the incubator and even wriggled herself out of the washcloth.

Laney

 

[Laney]

RIP SC2. With her getting so much stronger we took her out and gave her a good physical exam. Her intestines were hanging out behind the yolk sac which was now absorbed. Her abdomen had started to blacken which I am assuming was gangrene. Her eyes were bulging about 1/4 inch outside her skull, and she was leaking green fluid.

It was time, but culling stinks.

I'm going to go be sad for a while.

Laney

 

[joletabey]

Oh,Laney, I am SO sorry!

But I sent a thought to Superchick, and he collected SC2 at the Rainbow Bridge. See? SDWD has made it to heaven!