- Apr 16, 2012
- 15
- 0
- 22
Hi All,
Thanks so much for the advice to this first timer and all the great info here in this forum! We had 5 new chicks hatch on Mother's Day! How fitting
After my last failed attempt to move one of my BA's who was brooding in the woods, the next day I combined two hidden nests and another broody BA in the broody stall I had already set up. Even though I moved her in the daytime, she took to it like a champ! She originally had one egg, and must have been thrilled that I added nine others from the second nest, lol!
I candled at about day 7 and thought they all looked fertile. Then one broke at about day 14, so I candled again and got rid of 3 more that didn't look viable. That left us with six eggs. All of them hatched on Mother's Day, but the next morning I went out & one little one had perished in the night. It was still under mom, but either was too weak to survive or just got squished. No way to tell.
I thought I might add a few more to the nest, so yesterday I went to the farm store in the evening and bought 4 more... two BA's and two Barred Rocks. She didn't even blink when I slipped them under her at dusk last night, and this morning all are doing well! I'm attaching a pic of the original brood. Mama(s) are I think either Barred Rock or Black Austrolorp. I also have a speckled sussex and an americauna hen, so the little grey one could be part of either of those I guess. Possible daddies are 1) white silkie 2) white Frizzle 3) White Cochin. All the babies have feathered feet & are so darling... even if they are mutts![Smile :) :)](/styles/byc-smilies/smile.png)
Thanks again for all the advice!
![](https://www.backyardchickens.com/image/id/7235294/width/600/height/472)
Thanks so much for the advice to this first timer and all the great info here in this forum! We had 5 new chicks hatch on Mother's Day! How fitting
![Smile :) :)](/styles/byc-smilies/smile.png)
I candled at about day 7 and thought they all looked fertile. Then one broke at about day 14, so I candled again and got rid of 3 more that didn't look viable. That left us with six eggs. All of them hatched on Mother's Day, but the next morning I went out & one little one had perished in the night. It was still under mom, but either was too weak to survive or just got squished. No way to tell.
I thought I might add a few more to the nest, so yesterday I went to the farm store in the evening and bought 4 more... two BA's and two Barred Rocks. She didn't even blink when I slipped them under her at dusk last night, and this morning all are doing well! I'm attaching a pic of the original brood. Mama(s) are I think either Barred Rock or Black Austrolorp. I also have a speckled sussex and an americauna hen, so the little grey one could be part of either of those I guess. Possible daddies are 1) white silkie 2) white Frizzle 3) White Cochin. All the babies have feathered feet & are so darling... even if they are mutts
![Smile :) :)](/styles/byc-smilies/smile.png)
Thanks again for all the advice!