Third time is the charm...*PICS 7/19*... broody took incubator babies!

[mmaddie's mom]

Broody accepted babies just like she had hatched them. I've done this successfully before but was concerned with this one because the broody had only been broody for 4 days!?! Original intent was to hand raise them but my DH (who is not interested in chickens at all) saw she had gone broody and suggested it!

She is still sitting on one fake egg but with food and water right next to her, she is teaching the two day olds how to eat and drink without even getting up... I think I'll let her decide when to leave the fake egg and go with the live babies.

Bonding is happening and she is fluffing up and growling when the kittens come around checking it all out... honestly I hope when she is finally loose with the babies that she beats the stuffing out of the kittens (they are 4 months and just learning about chickens and chicks)... it would be a good lesson for them.

Will have pics soon... am having trouble getting them to upload.

And thanks for the prayers... God is good...

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Good Morning !

Hello there !

On ALERT !

And this is how it's done...

I love it when a plan (even a last minute one) comes together!

... All the time... God is good... !

 

[zebserema]

haha she is so pretty what kind of chicken is she?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Muttus Banticus.... her blood line is so lost nobody could find it... Banty mutt )

 

[mmaddie's mom]

She's so funny... up and moving around the pen with the chicks but is also rolling her fake egg around with them.

 

[zebserema]

haha that is hilarious when will she realize that it is fake?

 

[mmaddie's mom]

With the temp @ 93* @ almost 8pm and with a heat index of 110*, the chicks probably don't notice any difference from the incubator!

 

[kellyatric]

Dont they look great together

 

[Mahonri]

Congrats

 

[mmaddie's mom]

eggtopsy results...
out ot 16 eggs (4 my own and 12 from a friend)
4 live chicks (3 of mine and 1 of friend's)
10 w/ no developement at all
1 (friend's) early quitter
1 (friend's) fully developed and died in the last day or two

I am thrilled with the 4 babies that I got but would like better %s... the thing I did different this time was basicly a dry incubation (but outside humidity has been high, 72 % today and NO AC) with a 65% lock-down. I will do that again next time but any other suggestions for future hatches would be appreciated. Thanks!