- Thread starter
- #41
We are retired and *both* of us suffer from lifelong ADHD, so 'new' and 'dopamine related' tasks are fun fun fun for us to do lol
Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)
- Thread starter thistlewick
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
8 days left on the incubator, only 3 good eggs left but they were candled on day 10 so 3 days ago.
keeping the humidity steady has been a BEAR... I am not putting it up in the bonus room anymore, too much walking up too many steps lol I am worried about them, but on day 10 the 3 that were viable looked great, proper size air sac. Will candle again on day 18 before lockdown.
I had a dream during my nap this afternoon that Toffee's egg hatched
it would be nice if it did <3
keeping the humidity steady has been a BEAR... I am not putting it up in the bonus room anymore, too much walking up too many steps lol I am worried about them, but on day 10 the 3 that were viable looked great, proper size air sac. Will candle again on day 18 before lockdown.
I had a dream during my nap this afternoon that Toffee's egg hatched
it would be nice if it did <3- Thread starter
- #43
Oh man, so we wanted to give Tilly some chicks...
but for some reason TSC said the minimum was 6.. .not 4-- it was always four, but I think the lady who helped us was just a nasty piece of work. Anyway
All easter eggers
We're delighted!
Tilly didn't want to have anything to do with them. SO we put them in our brooder that we built and are going to try to give her 2 tonight. I kinda DOUBT she will have anything to do with them now, but you never know.
They sure are freakin cute.
Also, really don't know if any of the 3 eggs I am incubating will hatch, but IF they do, they now have some little friends.
Giving Tilly some chicks is really just an experiment to see what she does. Hopefully tonight will work. If it doesn't, we will write her off as a possible mama.
but for some reason TSC said the minimum was 6.. .not 4-- it was always four, but I think the lady who helped us was just a nasty piece of work. Anyway
All easter eggers
We're delighted!Tilly didn't want to have anything to do with them. SO we put them in our brooder that we built and are going to try to give her 2 tonight. I kinda DOUBT she will have anything to do with them now, but you never know.
They sure are freakin cute.
Also, really don't know if any of the 3 eggs I am incubating will hatch, but IF they do, they now have some little friends.
Giving Tilly some chicks is really just an experiment to see what she does. Hopefully tonight will work. If it doesn't, we will write her off as a possible mama.
- Thread starter
- #44
I absolutely did NOT have the heart to throw one chick to the vagaries of a chicken's mood. She pecked at them and try to throw them out yesterday and I read that its just likely she's that way. It is POSSIBLE that she'd accept them at night, but I couldn't just toss a LIFE to the wind like that.
Yep, I'm soft.
I said I'd do it over and over and over again yesterday as my husband and I were chatting about it, but when it came down to do it, I just thought of finding whichever one I picked thrown down and dead in the morning.
I know it's 'just' a chicken, but I just cannot do it.
I candled the eggs yesterday, day 16 and one is lively and moving and one is too dark to tell (maran egg) and Toffee's egg, the last one, looks like a quitter
((((((
I only put 5 in there. Next time I won't be making that mistake and will fill that bator up!
Yep, I'm soft.
I said I'd do it over and over and over again yesterday as my husband and I were chatting about it, but when it came down to do it, I just thought of finding whichever one I picked thrown down and dead in the morning.
I know it's 'just' a chicken, but I just cannot do it.
I candled the eggs yesterday, day 16 and one is lively and moving and one is too dark to tell (maran egg) and Toffee's egg, the last one, looks like a quitter
((((((I only put 5 in there. Next time I won't be making that mistake and will fill that bator up!
Not all hens make good broodies unfortunately. You are a very attentitive momma.I absolutely did NOT have the heart to throw one chick to the vagaries of a chicken's mood. She pecked at them and try to throw them out yesterday and I read that its just likely she's that way. It is POSSIBLE that she'd accept them at night, but I couldn't just toss a LIFE to the wind like that.
Yep, I'm soft.
I said I'd do it over and over and over again yesterday as my husband and I were chatting about it, but when it came down to do it, I just thought of finding whichever one I picked thrown down and dead in the morning.
I know it's 'just' a chicken, but I just cannot do it.
I candled the eggs yesterday, day 16 and one is lively and moving and one is too dark to tell (maran egg) and Toffee's egg, the last one, looks like a quitter
I only put 5 in there. Next time I won't be making that mistake and will fill that bator up!
Hopefully something hatches for you, there will be many "next times" I'm sure! 
- Thread starter
- #46
Yes absolutely everything is a learning experience!
Went out this morning for chicken chores, and Ginger -- something aint right with this chicken lol First it was the workshop... now, it's the POOP BOARD.
I moved her several times, she just kept going back. I gave up trying to move her but I told her how weird she was.
The Ducklings are out and about now! This was the first time they managed to make it up into the hen house on their own yesterday. They were very tickled, much tail wagging ensued.
The chicks on the floor brooder are bonded with them and I hated to have to separate them but they were getting everything and everyone wet. They are now wholly outside (except at night of course!! we spent a week or so helping them up the ramp every night) and now they can walk up themselves from the front step.
Yesterday they came and visited the chicks many times, but always found themselves back in the run and roaming around the pasture. They know where their pool is and stop by for a paddle. It is cute as HECK to have some ducks. Though I don't think I'd ever brood with chicks again - ducks can have their own space to stink it up lolol
I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but the White Layer is a hen and the Fawn and White Runner is a Drake. Hurricane and Spitfire! My husband named them for favorite jets
The new brooder we built is a GODSEND. I just can stand and not lean over and oh my word what a wonderful thing.
The chicks are very busy and curious and doing chick things.
Have our first cross beak from the older group - noticed it today. Chick is 4 weeks old and growing so it's not impacting her. If she ever needs help I will of course assist.
We have several just.. absolutely bonkers chicks this go around;
Quasimodo:
She's been like this since day 2 and she's 4 weeks old now, growing fine but her crop is so massive it pushes her head sideways like this. lol I have no idea what her QOL is, but after her first week, where she slept a lot, she now is just as active and bustling as anyone else and she can fly and jump and do all the things. So I'm just letting her be. lol Her name is Fiona but I tease and call her Quasimodo bc... well... hunchback...
She's supposed to be a calico princess but the colors don't match and she might be getting a little crest?? so yeah... going to make a post actually about some of the 'breeds' I got from TSC...
Went out this morning for chicken chores, and Ginger -- something aint right with this chicken lol First it was the workshop... now, it's the POOP BOARD.
I moved her several times, she just kept going back. I gave up trying to move her but I told her how weird she was.
The Ducklings are out and about now! This was the first time they managed to make it up into the hen house on their own yesterday. They were very tickled, much tail wagging ensued.
The chicks on the floor brooder are bonded with them and I hated to have to separate them but they were getting everything and everyone wet. They are now wholly outside (except at night of course!! we spent a week or so helping them up the ramp every night) and now they can walk up themselves from the front step.
Yesterday they came and visited the chicks many times, but always found themselves back in the run and roaming around the pasture. They know where their pool is and stop by for a paddle. It is cute as HECK to have some ducks. Though I don't think I'd ever brood with chicks again - ducks can have their own space to stink it up lolol
I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but the White Layer is a hen and the Fawn and White Runner is a Drake. Hurricane and Spitfire! My husband named them for favorite jets
The new brooder we built is a GODSEND. I just can stand and not lean over and oh my word what a wonderful thing.
The chicks are very busy and curious and doing chick things.
Have our first cross beak from the older group - noticed it today. Chick is 4 weeks old and growing so it's not impacting her. If she ever needs help I will of course assist.
We have several just.. absolutely bonkers chicks this go around;
Quasimodo:
She's been like this since day 2 and she's 4 weeks old now, growing fine but her crop is so massive it pushes her head sideways like this. lol I have no idea what her QOL is, but after her first week, where she slept a lot, she now is just as active and bustling as anyone else and she can fly and jump and do all the things. So I'm just letting her be. lol Her name is Fiona but I tease and call her Quasimodo bc... well... hunchback...
She's supposed to be a calico princess but the colors don't match and she might be getting a little crest?? so yeah... going to make a post actually about some of the 'breeds' I got from TSC...
Very nice everything! I just love your facilities!Yes absolutely everything is a learning experience!
Went out this morning for chicken chores, and Ginger -- something aint right with this chicken lol First it was the workshop... now, it's the POOP BOARD.
View attachment 4094555
I moved her several times, she just kept going back. I gave up trying to move her but I told her how weird she was.
The Ducklings are out and about now! This was the first time they managed to make it up into the hen house on their own yesterday. They were very tickled, much tail wagging ensued.
View attachment 4094556
The chicks on the floor brooder are bonded with them and I hated to have to separate them but they were getting everything and everyone wet. They are now wholly outside (except at night of course!! we spent a week or so helping them up the ramp every night) and now they can walk up themselves from the front step.
Yesterday they came and visited the chicks many times, but always found themselves back in the run and roaming around the pasture. They know where their pool is and stop by for a paddle. It is cute as HECK to have some ducks. Though I don't think I'd ever brood with chicks again - ducks can have their own space to stink it up lolol
I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but the White Layer is a hen and the Fawn and White Runner is a Drake. Hurricane and Spitfire! My husband named them for favorite jets
The new brooder we built is a GODSEND. I just can stand and not lean over and oh my word what a wonderful thing.
The chicks are very busy and curious and doing chick things.
Have our first cross beak from the older group - noticed it today. Chick is 4 weeks old and growing so it's not impacting her. If she ever needs help I will of course assist.
We have several just.. absolutely bonkers chicks this go around;
Quasimodo:
View attachment 4094557
She's been like this since day 2 and she's 4 weeks old now, growing fine but her crop is so massive it pushes her head sideways like this. lol I have no idea what her QOL is, but after her first week, where she slept a lot, she now is just as active and bustling as anyone else and she can fly and jump and do all the things. So I'm just letting her be. lol Her name is Fiona but I tease and call her Quasimodo bc... well... hunchback...
She's supposed to be a calico princess but the colors don't match and she might be getting a little crest?? so yeah... going to make a post actually about some of the 'breeds' I got from TSC...
- Thread starter
- #48
Thank you so much I am in debt up to my eyeballs and these chickens will never pay it off, but I don't carrreeeeee hahahaVery nice everything! I just love your facilities!
seriously though you only live once, and life is 10000000000x better with chickens, it's worth it. worth it worth it!
- Thread starter
- #49
Lockdown!!! It began yesterday at 2pm -- humidity is holding steady now at 64%
It went from 72-68 dipped to 61, then I closed the window a TEENSY bit (it's still open 80% of the way) and boom, stable humidity at 64% so I am very happy about that
Here they are last night:
And here they are this morning, there is movement!!
They both are slightly rotating to the right. No one comes in this room but me, the door is closed, so no bumping from the cat or anything. He is big mad that he hasn't been allowed up here for 3 weeks -- most of the time I walk up the stairs to come up here he RUNS and races me, but then like the absolute gentleman he is, he sits at the door and doesn't push through. He knows he isn't allowed. He's the BEST kitty
Those slippers are now the property of our dog lol
I am trying not to be too excited about this hatch, it's just 2 eggs, I tossed them in as a lark because I really wanted to hatch some Toffee babies -- but none of her eggs (I put in 3 of hers) lasted. But these two have been doing great the entire time. These aren't big eggs, which I didn't even think about or really know about until after I set them, so I am worried about that, too.
The moms are over 8 months old. So that's good at least... but yeah I just hope everything goes well. So many variables!
It went from 72-68 dipped to 61, then I closed the window a TEENSY bit (it's still open 80% of the way) and boom, stable humidity at 64% so I am very happy about that
Here they are last night:
And here they are this morning, there is movement!!
They both are slightly rotating to the right. No one comes in this room but me, the door is closed, so no bumping from the cat or anything. He is big mad that he hasn't been allowed up here for 3 weeks -- most of the time I walk up the stairs to come up here he RUNS and races me, but then like the absolute gentleman he is, he sits at the door and doesn't push through. He knows he isn't allowed. He's the BEST kitty
Those slippers are now the property of our dog lol
I am trying not to be too excited about this hatch, it's just 2 eggs, I tossed them in as a lark because I really wanted to hatch some Toffee babies -- but none of her eggs (I put in 3 of hers) lasted. But these two have been doing great the entire time. These aren't big eggs, which I didn't even think about or really know about until after I set them, so I am worried about that, too.
The moms are over 8 months old. So that's good at least... but yeah I just hope everything goes well. So many variables!
Yes chickens are incredibly expensive once you start getting involved but it's a journey you will never regret taking.
A chicken friend of mine had this poster made up for me years ago of my flock, my hubby finally got around to framing it recently,
but I just just love this. Life IS just better with chickens!
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