I'm so excited....
My homeade bator!
I think he is getting bored now. The one chick who has been trying to come out for 16 hours! ...well this guy is pecking at him through the little hole. I thought I would give him some time and see if he can coax ths other guy out. I know the 3 RIR/Buff orpington crosses will hatch, but my red sexlink and black sexlinks are not coming along very well.
I have shared your great day with a couple friends-
they came to check out your new babies. I have read
that it can take 24 hours from first pip. I hope they
all are able to hatch, mcamden.
I hope so too! 24 hours? Wow...The first guy is awefully tired! He tried climbing into my hand to take a nap a bit ago, but I didnt want to take him out of the bator until he is all dry. He was pretty upse when I put him back down, but now he is sleeping by himself. He is a very pretty color and I am just hoping (even though I am calling them all HE's) that they are mostly girls.
Congratulations!!!! he is so cute and sweet.....
Oh thank you! I am hoping that the rest of them get moving. I didnt realize it took THIS long for them to hatch!
kinda like watching that pot of water that never boils, huh?? after the first one gets some rest, maybe he will be able to help coax the rest of them out.....
Yeah...he has been getting up and working on the chick that is partially out. But he just fell asleep again. :) He is so cute!
he wants a play mate....can't wait to see more of them hatch! I have to thank Joan for telling me about your thread, I have been talking to her about her new arrivals coming in a couple of weeks, it sounds like a lot of fun to raise them!
sorry for lurking, I just had too!! how cute!!
Do you have any info about transferring your chicks into
the brooder? I bet you have everything all warm and toasty
for them. The literature says they are well nourished for
up to 2 days after hatch, from their yolks. I wonder what
a mother hen thinks, and how she acts, while waiting for
her brood to hatch. I guess you are a prime example,
mcamden!LOL
Well??????? What do brand new babies eat? I haven't the foggiest..
Time for more pictures please....
(Thank you so much for sharing)
I do have the brooder ready for them. I have a heat lamp, and all the things I used for my day old chicks we raised last summer. ACTUALLY...the father of these chicks is the survivor from our batch of chicks we did 9 months ago. :)
Hey,ladies! In case you find me missing from elsewhere,
I can be found here, watching this...I have been
impatiently waiting for weeks!!!
My rooster Davey alerted to something out back. When
I opened the door- a FOX ran off! GRUMBLE! grumble!
I sent one of my dogs out to rustle the bushes..I know
that fox will be back!
They eat chick starter. :) I will get some more pictures...but they are not that exciting since no one else has made it out yet.
OH NO.
I love fox...but not when they're looking for chicken (or quail) dinner!
tapping fingers and waiting...........come on little chickies....show your beaks....
Joan, send the goat after him....LOL....
I would keep your chickens in for a few days, and keep the dogs out. We had a fox out here last summer, and after a couple days of dealing with the dogs he moved elsewhere. Good look with that. It can be hard keeping or babies safe! I am working on more pics. This first chick keeps falling asleep...and i just dont want to disturb him! hahaha...I want another one to hatch already!
Hannah, the mama, will butt one of my dogs clear
across the yard! I don't think I could catch those
birds- I only do that after they go to sleep! I sent
both the dogs out to just hang around for a while.
The chickens went under the house for now. It is
a pretty gray fox, just doesn't look good so close:-o
It's hard work hatching out- poor little goober. I guess
you know which one will be the brood boss!LOL
Ok....HERE is a cool picture! #2 finally made it out with help of his 1/2 brother!
Way to go little chickie!!!!
That picture is adorable.....the one still in the shell has a look on his face like he is trying to figure out what to do next...
awww how sweet!!! Thank you for posting these!!
and another...
Oh yeah...he took 18 1/2 hours to hatch!
WOW...what wonderful shots!!! I've got goose bumps..LOL...
The older one was pecking at the toes of this new one...just like brothers! Although...still hoping they are girls. hahaha...
OK...if you guys want to share just the pics I added them to my personal site. I also have a video...but it needs to be encoded before it is viewable.
http://www.freewebs.com/ryanandmelissa/thechicksbirthday.htm
Hi Mel,
This is really sooo neat. Isn't it amazing how they peck an almost perfect little circle. It does seem to take a long time for them to escape their eggs. When I did mine I didn't seem to notice the slower ones, because I had so many, I was busy watching the faster ones.
Just thinking about things here, I wonder, because of their fast growth rate, if they are actually growing themselves out of their eggs?
Just a thought.
JB
You just made me a Granddady,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AGAIN!
Be careful about picking. If they have too bright a
light, they will pick at each other. Sometimes til death.
Do you have a red bulb? They may need a red bulb
in the brooder, for some reason this helps. If they
pick a sore spot, smear it with black tar or a commercial
med for picking, and keep it medicated til the wound is
healed.
I planned on keeping them in the bator until they are dry...I will move out the first two together so they dont have to be alone. I have a blue bulb for the heat lamp for the brooder. I could use a red light that i have as well, but I have the blue in for now. It is a 250 watt. Right now these first two are back sleeping again.
I think you are right JB...I think they maybe do 'grow' out of their shells. I cant believe how uncomfortable it must be in those shells the last couple days.
A perfectly good reason to come out and please
their new mommy!
I moved the first chick into the brooder. He was chirping but as soon as I moved it so he could see me he stopped and fell asleep. I did end up switching the bulb for the 120 red lamp. And now the new hatching doesnt have to get picked on my his older sibling.
can we see a picture of him in his new home?
If you really want I can take one and download, but it is nothing exciting. I just have a large box, their feeder, cup of water, and heat lamp. After they have all hatched I will move them into a larger box and then they will have the nice waterer as well.
After this second chick is all fluffed up I will take a picture of the two of them in there. They are SO cute though!
oh, I can wait on more pictures, whenever you get the time. I've been showing these to my son (he's 16), I thought he would just turn his nose at them, but he has really enjoyed seeing them!!
Thank you so much for letting us all be a part of this....I will check back in in a little bit to see how they are doing.
well I got a picture of them anyway...the newer of the two is in the front. If you look at that fuzz ball in the back you can see his tail. It looks JUST like a cotton ball. I also put the blue light back in because the red one was WAAAY too hot.
That little face just says..Are you my mommy? Has your duck seen them yet?
the one in the front posed real pretty for you....and the older one does look just like a ball of cotton with a beak stuck on it!! they are just too cute.....