The tiny serama; a Hatching adventure

[WoDia]

Holy cow! That's incredible!

I’m still amazed by the whole thing, and I think of that day often as I’m tending to them. They’ll always be extra special.

 

[WoDia]

Wow! You hatched chicks like a bush turkey!

Well, that’s a hidden talent I didn’t even know I had!

 

[fluffycrow]

Well, that’s a hidden talent I didn’t even know I had!

Special is the understatement of the century! You're probably the first to have chickens hatch that way! Or as the real Lady Gaga put it, what you did was

 

[WoDia]

Special is the understatement of the century! You're probably the first to have chickens hatch that way! Or as the real Lady Gaga put it, what you did was

Thank you Fluffy! I wouldn’t wish to have that happen again though!! I’m still so amazed by it. Reminiscent of how seaturtles bury their eggs in the sand and leave them. After I discovered the chicks, I felt really bad for Onyx. I should’ve paid closer attention.

 

[fluffycrow]

Thank you Fluffy! I wouldn’t wish to have that happen again though!! I’m still so amazed by it. Reminiscent of how seaturtles bury their eggs in the sand and leave them. After I discovered the chicks, I felt really bad for Onyx. I should’ve paid closer attention.

It's such a cool way to hatch! From what I know, the only bird to do this as a means of hatching is the Australian bush turkey (the gorgeous bird Gwenyth got her name from). The birds hatched this way are so rare! I totally get not wanting to hatch any more chicks this way, it's a very undocumented, and very risky!

 

[WoDia]

It's such a cool way to hatch! From what I know, the only bird to do this as a means of hatching is the Australian bush turkey (the gorgeous bird Gwenyth got her name from). The birds hatched this way are so rare! I totally get not wanting to hatch any more chicks this way, it's a very undocumented, and very risky!

But…. since we are discussing it, there’s probably going to be someone on here who wants to try it. I wouldn’t try to simulate what happened with mine, because I’d worry about any sad outcomes. And, I think that what happened with Onyx’s chicks was a sweet, once in a lifetime blessing. I’ll leave it to the experts… the birds.

 

[fluffycrow]

Couldn't have said it better myself. What happened to you was so unique, but it's not something to try to emulate.

But…. since we are discussing it, there’s probably going to be someone on here who wants to try it. I wouldn’t try to simulate what happened with mine, because I’d worry about any sad outcomes. And, I think that what happened with Onyx’s chicks was a sweet, once in a lifetime blessing. I’ll leave it to the experts… the birds.

Team leave it to the birds all the way!

 

[fluffycrow]

On the topic of leaving it to the birds...a slight derailing from the usual serama programing, to talk about broody raised birds. I only have two that I know have been raised by a broody for sure. They are now both free ranging birds, and I cannot stress enough how much they amaze me on both their level of maturity, but also their excellent health and agility

. I'd love to have enough broodies so I can have the serama raised under one. I'm afraid that if I put both serama and Tsouloufati eggs under Cruella, one of the breeds will hatch first, leaving the other breed's eggs to die

 

[BDutch]

Maybe that's why WoDia does small hatches? It's more natural for a bantam to have a clutch of six rather than say a clutch of 24

My broodies just don’t cover many eggs with their tiny bodies. I never tried to hatch more than 6 in a single nest. Because the other hens lay extra eggs in the nest, I find sometimes more eggs under a broody. And with 8 they start to become visible under the broody.

 

[fluffycrow]

My broodies just don’t cover many eggs with their tiny bodies. I never tried to hatch more than 6 in a single nest. Because the other hens lay extra eggs in the nest, I find sometimes more eggs under a broody. And with 8 they start to become visible under the broody.

Yeah, I could see that as something to consider. What I can tell you is that Cruella hid her 15 eggs very well from everyone, and 14 hatched. I do think that they can handle more eggs than we give them credit for. That being said, I'd imagine a Dutch Bantam is slightly smaller than Cruella, although she's a relatively small hen