UPDATE!! page 2 hatch under porch in a screen

[Chick-N-Fun]

Put video on YouTube then post the link here!

 

[kefiren]

just took a look and there is one very active chick now and 3 chick butts that aren't moving tucked into various places under her

 

[kefiren]

question: I've got another broody that I've been taking eggs away from! I'm wondering if I should do something creative, like take an egg or two (from this hatch) and put it under her to finalize her broodiness and also to keep her from stealing the babies?

perhaps I should start another thread for this question.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's not a bad plan. However, do you have a plan to keep others from volunteering more eggs to her nest?

 

[kefiren]

I guess I would mark the warm ones, and keep taking away any new ones?
I suppose the trouble might be figuring out a lively egg and not a dud to give her.

 

[kefiren]

Perhaps if she gets off the nest I could listen for peeps...

 

[kefiren]

Dad is a free rare chick from the hatchery, who I think is a Cochin, and mom is a white leghorn.

 

[kefiren]

13 chicks will write more

 

[kefiren]

THANKS SO MUCH TO : Chicken Canoe, KikisGirls, RidgeRunner, ChickNFun, Chickens4Life (hope I'm not forgetting anyone). SUCH GOOD ADVICE WAS GIVEN HERE!!!!!!

(mostly to do the least but not to do nothing, lol!)
So, this is how the story has gone since yesterday.
Nothing much had changed as of sunup today, (Mama#1 remained up under the porch floor boards all night as chicks hatched)

I left to pick up a family member around 8:30 am, (or as I like to call him, my chicken helper!) when I returned about 2 hours later, she was down, and 10 chicks had followed her down. And they were trying to eek out a living in the hard cold gravel under the porch (ouch!)

Two babies were actually stuck up in the rafters and seemed weak, cold, and recent. We had a box with a separate cover. Helper and I both belly crawled below. I held the box cover under the nest while my helper carefully cut the screen with a box cutter, and eventually both chicks (and also some unhatched eggs) were safely in the box lid.

The cold babies were glad to be with mom, but she was actively teaching scratching and didn't want to sit. SO we ended up putting 3 cold/weak/more recent babies under my OTHER BROODY (mama#2). Who took them in gracefully.

We also numbered the unhatched eggs from under the porch, and put them under mama#2 as well, we will only leave them there for a short time.

We devoted my very oldest coop to Mama #1 and her babies, while Mama #2 will get the dog crate and be more main-streamed. This will at least keep the mamas apart.

Mama #1 is barely out of pullet-hood (if I'm not mistaken) HOWEVER she looks worse for the wear and tear. Her comb is faded and limp. OR she could be one of my old biddies, but I didn't think I had one missing. This has been hard on her.

 

[kefiren]

They are mostly white-gold (like my avie) with a few spots here and there, with light feathering on the legs. (avie pic is not a new chick tho)