new chicks

Maj's eggs have started to hatch out in the cat house.  So far two have hatched.  It looks like her sister has been sneaking in to lay eggs while noone is watching, because this hatch is too staggered to all have been set for the same amount of time.  We have put both chicks in the brooder, so maj doesn't get off her eggs (because there is NO room in the incubator).  Both chicks have full beards.

Here are a couple photos of chicks from a few different hens, including some eggs that were in the incubator.  The bulk of the eggs in now are set to hatch in the middle of next week.

chickens

Last Friday, and Saturday (before the flood) these were the only two babies waiting in the incubator for me.  We lost Power after the flood on Sunday and lost the rest of the eggs that were set to hatch.  After candling last night, it seems that it's not a total loss, the eggs still set to hatch early next week seem to be alive.  We'll see.  Creek hen lost all her chicks to the flood but we were able to save one. It was soaking wet.  We threw it in the incubator before the power went out, so it was able to dry out and actually lived.

The cats have officially been evicted from their house, by Maj, for her hatching efforts.

chickens and eggs

Well chicken still has two living babies, It's nice to see her protecting them from the turkeys that like to pick on anything little.  Here she is with one of her biddies, settling into the woodpile for the night.

Cathouse chicken (Maj) was on the these eggs again last night until this morning.  I really hope she goes broody.

Also, the nest boxes that we built last weekend were a huge hit.  So far the girls have tried them all out.  One egg in each box.  I'm so relieved that the hens even want to still lay in the chicken house, after being free range for so long.

creek hen

Nothing really new to report, this hen's bitties are all doing well. Just wanted to post these because I know everyone likes to see fresh fuzzy baby chicks.

without a nest box.

This  easter egger hen hatched out 7 chicks sometime over the weekend. Because there were no nest boxes up in the chicken house (yet), she layed out somewhere near the creek, or under a building.  I'm glad she did, because this represents 7 less eggs to have to turn in the incubator.  Also it seems like chicks that are raised by a hen do a lot better, when it comes to survival.

Well chicken, on the other hand, is turning out to be a terrible mother.  She did fine hatching 14 babies, but is now down to 2 chicks.  The next time she goes broody we'll let her hatch and then steal her babies and take care of them in a brooder. 

well chicken

Well Chicken has been moved out of the well with her children.  She started out with 14, and hid the food from them and acted crazy.  Only 5 have survived.

more well chicken and her little ones.

All the sebrights that we tried to transplant under this hen died, I'm not sure if she recognized that they weren't hers, or if they were too stupid to learn what a mother is.  Maybe a combination of both.  When you're born in a hatchery and you have a long history of imbreeding and motherlessness, there are bound to be complications.

and finally a study in camouflage...obviously white/yellow isn't the best choice when trying to blend in with the leaf litter of the forest floor.