Anyone else raising chicks? I have two broodies sitting at the moment - one is on white leghorn eggs and barnevelder. Just five eggs, she's a small chook. The other chook is even smaller and she's on seven pekin eggs. I can't wait to see what those look like when they hatch out!
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our henkeeper put 10 eggs under an ancient silky bantam who has just done a heroic job of sitting (despite a parasite infestation only identified after the chicks hatched) and rearing the chicks. We only had four hatch, and one of them died hatching or shortly thereafter. I'm convinced 'let mama do it'* is the way to go, but it is usual to have such a low hatch rate?
I put 11 under a banty leghorn cross. Two broke and she seemed to struggle with the number at first. Only one has hatched today. Wanna put money on the sex?
Janine Williams > Shannon McKenzieOctober 10, 2011 at 9:40am
There should be a few more tomorrow... Our last lot took three days to hatch them all. I'm not sure why as they all went under the hen the same day. One was a bantam cross, that was the first to hatch, bantams are only 20 days I think. But it took two more days for the rest. I'm guessing your chick is a girl (hopefully!)
I would leave them with her for a couple of months, if your husband's aunt can spare her. She will protect them, teach them to find food, keep them warm etc. Some hens will mother them forever, some abandon them after a few weeks. I think two months is good, if possible.
I have a silkie sitting on some falsies until my eggs arrive hopefully today. How many eggs can I set under her, will she cope with all 12 or should I split them between her and her sister who should get broody next?
Good luck to all, who are going through this phase.
Oh wow Janine - fantastic. We have bantams, for mothers, and we'd love soem barnvelder eggs, are they your own or did you buy them locally? We're in the Hokianga but we'd come over your way to get fertile eggs. I hope you'll post some chicky pix!
Replies
our henkeeper put 10 eggs under an ancient silky bantam who has just done a heroic job of sitting (despite a parasite infestation only identified after the chicks hatched) and rearing the chicks. We only had four hatch, and one of them died hatching or shortly thereafter. I'm convinced 'let mama do it'* is the way to go, but it is usual to have such a low hatch rate?
(*I found this series of articles really useful: http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html )
Our Chicks catched on Wednesday. Cutie little balls of fluff.
Now we have 5 chicks (of somewhat mixed breeding) just hoping they aren't all roosters!
My husbands Aunt lent us her Silky who was broody to cathc the eggs.
How long do we leave her with the chicks before we return her?
I have a silkie sitting on some falsies until my eggs arrive hopefully today. How many eggs can I set under her, will she cope with all 12 or should I split them between her and her sister who should get broody next?
Good luck to all, who are going through this phase.
cheers, Mo
Oh wow Janine - fantastic. We have bantams, for mothers, and we'd love soem barnvelder eggs, are they your own or did you buy them locally? We're in the Hokianga but we'd come over your way to get fertile eggs. I hope you'll post some chicky pix!
Cheers
Janet