Silkie thread!

[DebraM]

Mmm, good idea but no local silkie breeders around here. The local produce store has none either. Not even a couple of Isa Browns or anything!! Will keep m ears to the ground tho. Good idea, thank you.

Hey Sanna,
How excited am I!!! Went down to chicken coop and heard another cheep coming from little Snowy's pen. Yay!!! One of her little eggs had hatched into a beautiful little yellow chick!!! 5days overdue and all. Sooooo relieved and happy for her. I went to work this arvo so I don't know if the other hatched yet. Will have. Look in morning. How amazing that I decided to give the eggs another day or two. Phew!!!

 

[sheeshshe]

I thought the chicks started to hatch under my hen... I could hear my hen doing her little cluck cluck call that she does when she has chicks. But nothing hatched! Do they talk to the chicks before they hatch out? LOL

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I thought the chicks started to hatch under my hen...  I could hear my hen doing her little cluck cluck call that she does when she has chicks.  But nothing hatched!  Do they talk to the chicks before they hatch out? LOL

Yes! My broodies psych me out like that all the time. They'll be clucking on their nest, I check and there's nothing.
The last time I hatched eggs in my incubator, I played the alarm on my phone for them (the alarm is a hen cackling) on day 21 and the eggs would peep and rock back and forth. It was very cool. I think the hens "talk" to their eggs to encourage them to hatch. I notice in the bator that once the first chick is out and making noise (or I play the hen alarm) that it really gets the others moving too

 

[sheeshshe]

Yes! My broodies psych me out like that all the time. They'll be clucking on their nest, I check and there's nothing.
The last time I hatched eggs in my incubator, I played the alarm on my phone for them (the alarm is a hen cackling) on day 21 and the eggs would peep and rock back and forth. It was very cool. I think the hens "talk" to their eggs to encourage them to hatch. I notice in the bator that once the first chick is out and making noise (or I play the hen alarm) that it really gets the others moving too

Ok, so this is so cool, thanks for sharing!!! So the clucking, must mean that they'll be hatching soon! They're due today or tomorrow, I can't remember exactly. EEE!!!

 

[Orps]

Yes! My broodies psych me out like that all the time. They'll be clucking on their nest, I check and there's nothing.
The last time I hatched eggs in my incubator, I played the alarm on my phone for them (the alarm is a hen cackling) on day 21 and the eggs would peep and rock back and forth. It was very cool. I think the hens "talk" to their eggs to encourage them to hatch. I notice in the bator that once the first chick is out and making noise (or I play the hen alarm) that it really gets the others moving too

If that is the case, I think my hens(orpingtons) and chicks(silkies) are slackers. My hens never clucked or even made a sound. Nor did any of the chicks make a peep in the egg. I didn't realize they even hatched until I reached under the hen and pulled out 1/2 a shell instead of a whole egg(they hatched 1 day earlier than I expected).

 

[Maligator Love]

Ok, so this is so cool, thanks for sharing!!! So the clucking, must mean that they'll be hatching soon! They're due today or tomorrow, I can't remember exactly. EEE!!!

I was told that once one chick hatches and starts peeping the rest will be inspired to hatch. However, even if some of the chicks are not completely done developing they still may try to hatch. I have 2 batches of eggs under a momma hen and they are about 3 days apart, so once one chick hatched I took it out so the younger eggs wouldn't hurt them selves by trying to get out to early.

 

[NOLA Chicks]

Quote: Both are such beautiful birds.

They wore themselves out. Aren't they cute?

They're so cute when wear down.

My splash cockerel out of Karen's eggs.





I don't have any wing pictures. He also has horns on his comb but other than that a very nice young guy. Love him!

Gorgeous!!!

I think I've finally found what killed my white pullet last year. I thought it was a rat, because there is a rat hole. I think it was a polecat. Lots of people call skunks pole cats, but they are a different animal. Anyway, one was visiting my brother's place (so was a raccoon, and a opposum- he has no garbage out, and no animals!.. They are prowling in his recyclables. Anyway- looks like the one in this pic (pic not of the actual culprit).

Looks like a mink or weasel. -Pam

This is a Ferret. Probably someone's pet that either escaped (they're little Houdini's) or they let loose after tiring of taking care of it. I used to have a couple as pets back in the day.

I think he likes his picture taken.

I just adore this picture!! She's letting everyone know she has arrived! Hahaha

 

[Feathersprings]

Never mind. I never get my questions answered, so I don't know why I bother to even post here. Thanks for making a new chicken owner feel sooooo welcome. I feel like I've entered some clique and aren't welcome here.

Like others mentioned, many times people dont see every post. I looked back at your previous posts and didnt actually see a question to answer or picture to comment on. They were more of a comment about having lost a few chicks and were getting more, moving them out, something about color, but not a question. When you were going to ask a question I guess you changed you mind and said "never mind" I find very few people on these forums to be intentionally rude. Yes, there are a lot of people that become very friendly through participation so it can seem like they are "cliquey" but that is what happens when you are with friends. You should jump back in and this time ask questions and send pictures Im sure you werent being intentionally ignored. I read every day but dont participate a lot.

 

[Feathersprings]

I'm devastated. Something just took my favorite Silkie, Bubbles. - probably a raccoon or cat. He was there when I checked on the flock late this afternoon. When I went to put them up for the night he was gone. My DH found a clump of his feathers where whatever it was pulled him under the house. I'm so upset!!!

I know this is part of owning chickens but it's my first predator incident and I don't like it one bit!

Here are a couple of picture I took last week. He was almost 6 months old; a Bobbie Porto baby.
He would follow me around in the back yard especially when I was working in the gardens. Knew I was likely to dig up some treats for him.




Im so sorry, I havent lost one to a predator. I hate to even think of it

Usually those sort of things happen at night... odd it was daylight.

 

[NOLA Chicks]

i'm so sorry

He was beautiful.

OMG I'm so sorry my first lost was my Partridge silkie a couple of months ago and I cried for a week. It sucks but we are here for you.

So sorry, he was so pretty.

you should try and trap what got him it will be back.

Lost two to predators before I built them an enclosed exercise pen, then lost one to possibly ecological. I may never know, it nevergetsany easier!

Im so sorry, I havent lost one to a predator. I hate to even think of it

Usually those sort of things happen at night... odd it was daylight.

Thank you so much for your warm thoughts. My DH went under the house this morning to remove the carcass but it was only feathers. He found the tracks of Boonie, our next door neighbor's raccoon, where she had dragged the bird over to their house. Boonie was brought to them as a baby so they hand-raised it. It's an indoor/outdoor coon and they feed it very well. That's why I didn't think she would go to the trouble of catching a chicken when she never wants for food. Obviously I was wrong. Lesson learned. I'll take extra measures to keep the flock safe.