Saving Homestead: 6 of 8 Hatched to Date

Thursday, September 1, 2011

6 of 8 Hatched to Date

Chicks hatched on day 20 and I don't think the dates are wrong. 2 to go, due tomorrow.

I think I see some barred prospects!

I came to the realization that I am getting better at taking care of broody hens and their eggs! Yes, winners hatched proves it. My first broody hen experience involved two hens each sitting on about 10 eggs. Some eggs exploded, some did nothing and only 6 hatched out. That's 3 chicks per hen. My last hatch, Little Black Hen's first, involved her sitting on 10 or more eggs depending on if some one else climbed in the nest to leave her a new egg. Four hatched that time and one fully developed but died trying to escape its shell. Now this hatch, she set on 9 eggs, 7 placed under her one day and two more the next. Two are left to hatch, 6 are out and one was unfertilized and eaten! So already, much improvement. Yay nurture!

This top picture is in an upper nest box which sits about 3 feet off the ground. I was delighted to come home after another long volunteer day to fuzzwads and glad to see none had fallen from the nest but they need to be moved. Broody Mama was clucking her worries to keep them in that nest.

Unsuggested by no other, I moved her in the day light. Broody hens have surprised me at how well they take to circumsrtances. I put my chicks and 2 yet to hatch eggs in a basket and carried my hen by the armfull to my aframe coop, which has been of endless use. Put her chicks and eggs down in a spiraled nest of self collected hay I made and she jumped right in, huddled her chicks and rolled the two eggs under her. Beautiful.