- Jan 30, 2009
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I think my husband and kids would rather die than actually join a bulletin board about chickens. My family is semi-tolerant at best, mocking me most of the time.
I tell mine it's a valuable resource and he's even got into a few gun forums when researching old gun stuff!
OK...end of the chick story. Since mom was mean and eggs got cold numerous times we broke open the rest of the full size. All were bad but two (so not near as fertile as banty hens). We could hear one trying to tap it's way out but not being effective and worried it didn't have the tooth developed enuf (Dora's did but her shell was much thinner).
This egg was from a full size white leghorn, father one of the lone ranger banty EE's. We started at the air sac and worked our way down (per Dr Cynthia's instructions). We were so concerned we didn't stop to take pics. It lay there with its eyes closed and didn't look well, but was alive (and all this to be expected per Dr). Inside shell was dry and no yolk so we know it was ready.
Kept him/her warm (and taking it in a hot showered bathrm for humidity) and slowly she/he started moving/peeping/struggling to get up. We kept her legs under her and would rub her body gently to help with circulation. She's in with the other two now. Still a little unsteady on but perky. I don't think she'll go stradle (hope not anyway) but does rock back...but she's not much more than 12 hrs old. Named her/him Stormy. She's a very light grey (blue?) and at first her legs were as yellow as Sunny's but I can see them going grey or green and has puffy cheeks compared to Sunny but not as much as Dora.
Did the same with the other egg but unfortunately it still had yolk attached and died quickly.

Our little experiment was still drying and my daughter was out collecting another broody hen (buff orp) and more eggs.

So here's a pic of the trio. Stormy will be a cool roo or if pullet, I'll be excited to see what color of eggs she lays. She's almost as big as Sunny surprisingly. Dora's still a peanut but very active and was a mean to the new one last night so Dora spent the night isolated. Poor little Stormy kept trying to follow Sunny around and crawl under her. All that walking did her good tho. The feathers on the top of her head finally fluffed up after the photo. Sunny showed pure joy at having Dora back tho - cute!