Silkie has hatched 4 chicks, is she abandoning the remaining 11?

[DrChickenKev]

Ok, so everything seems to be fine once again.... for now.....!!

I managed to put together a quick brooder from a plastic crate and one of those movable lights with a clamp

Moved the chicks - mum was SERIOUSLY not happy, bless her, but then sat back on the reamining eggs - result!!

Chicks have been in the brooder now for around 5 hours now, temp up to about 85-90 F, so looks ok, they're also walking out of the heat to get food and water, so another good sign - and so funny I have been watching them all afternoon, chirping away, so sweet...

Now, you suggest I put them back with mum at bedtime... although we shall then have to go through the same upsetting (for mother) procedure in the morning when seperaing the chicks?? Or should we leave them in the brooder now?

 

[DrChickenKev]

Update:

Chicks back in with mum, she seemed overjoyed at first, coming out to greet them; and then sat back on her eggs and was almost angry at the chicks when they followed her, she growled a bit and pecked at two of them and I thought I was going to have to take them back out. But then they all shuffled under her and she seemed happy...

Hopefully she will not abandon the eggs tomorrow.... or else they'll need to come out again...

 

[DrChickenKev]

So this morning mum was sat on her eggs, then later got off to feed with the chicks and was sat with them in the corner, eggs going cold...

So I've removed the four chicks to the indoor brooder again... she wont be happy again tonight

Is it not a little cruel to keep bobbing them back and forth? Would it be better to keep them in the brooder for now?

 

[silky_3699]

She can get angry and upset, but when the others hatch, everythig should be fine and they will be one big happy family! just keep up what your doing! take them away in the morning and back again at night! Keep me updated!

 

[DrChickenKev]

Ok thanks.. will do... kids and other half dont mind cos they like watching them and hearing the loud cheeps.. but then again so do I..

 

[silky_3699]

Quote:
thats great everything is fine!

 

[DrChickenKev]

Chicks back in the brooder again today, no sign of any more eggs hatching... three days now... 13 eggs unhatched...??

 

[silky_3699]

Quote:
maybe you might only get the 4. not that i am sounding, umm, neggtive, it can happen. how many days of incubation has it been now?

 

[DrChickenKev]

Well 21 days under mum was last saturday, so its now been a week over...

First cheeps we heard on Sunday last week... and then four showed themselves a day later

So I took all the remaining 13 eggs last night and candled them... 6 were clear, infertile or very early death, remaining seven were solid with small air sacks... tried to pip a couple and they immediately whooshed out a horrible smell, evidently dead and rotting... remainder had greeny, black goop inside so looks like they hadnt developed properly or were a late death

What we think is that because she had 17 eggs she couldnt keep them all properly underneath her, and the weather went hot/cold and perhaps we should have had her hutch in the shed before last sunday...

Who knows, its sad we only had 4, but I think it her first batch; two chicks are a golden colour with slightly lighter yellow stripes on their back, another is yellow wth some gray, and the fourth (and biggest) is almost black with some light stripes...

So, our first delivery of life has had some success and I think we are still excited, just a little disappointed as well.

Muscovy eggs in the incubator though, six of the ten remaining after a 14-day candle found 4 undeveloped.

And then there's spring with the wyandotte and hybrid hens....

Thanks for your help, I'll try and get some pics of the chicks on here

k

 

[silky_3699]

Quote:
oh well, as you go on with your chook adventures i'm sure you will get bigger hatchs. at least you got 4. that will be great to see the chicks and you are welcome for the advice. you will have so much fun watching them grow up!