Glad I didn't rely on my broody to sit while we were gone... She was up off the nest and on the roost last night. She kicked up a fuss yesterday afternoon after we got home when I marked the eggs she was sitting on. This morning they were ice cold- hadn't been there all night. So they've been...
Our other black Ameraucana went broody yesterday... More vocal than Sicky was. Debating on giving her eggs or not. She was the one that would pretend to be broody when Sicky would get off her nest once in a while
Mostly finished with my breeding pen today:
Just need the tin for the roof and the paint and we're done! Also got more framing done for the bantam coop:
Just need to do the roof framing and then she'll be ready for plywood siding/roofing. Going to do the roof tomorrow.
One of the broody's chicks went missing today. :'( poor baby. My husband looked all over and couldn't find it, so we think s/he escaped the run and got lost or was a snack for a snake...
It's not perfect, and my husband used up our pressure treated wood even tho I asked him not to. Have to do some framing for where the doors will be, and on the sides and then cut down the poles for the roof... and do the siding. I'm not sure we're gonna get it done lol.
Also, here's a breeding...
So my husband and I are frantically trying to build a bantam coop (autocorrect put Batman lol) before we go to Seattle for the memorial day weekend so our house sitter doesn't have to deal worth garage chickens. Abt half way there. Will have to take pics.
Ugh so ordered barnevelder eggs from eBay, even with the pdf of how I wanted them shipped, the person wrapped them in a piece of newspaper each, single sheet of bubble wrap on the bottom, single on top... 3 eggs completely smashed, another 4 cracked, 2 already weeping. All the rest (they sent 2...
So I have a shoulder photo that isn't contest worthy as I still have sleep hair and not enough coffee... I will share because I have no shame.
Not poultry, but still cute he does this every morning after I do my feed rounds when I sit to drink coffee and play on my phone.
#8 was out and about when I got home.... 100% hatch from lockdown!! (66% from start of incubation..) The broody currently has 4 of the babies under her... Gonna try and slip some more under her after dark tonight. She's being such a good mommy to the first 4... So cute!
@Sally Sunshine I guess I'll have to break out my good camera for all these photo contests you have... Hoping my camera software is still downloaded on my computer lol.
Edit: as far as my hatch currently, at 7/8 out. #8 is pipped and working on elongating that pip as I left for work.
I traded eggs with my broody, her eggs everyone laid for her for 2 in my incubator. They did just fine, 2 fluffy chicks this morning from 2 pips last night, babies doing good, stuck 2 more hatched babies with her tonight after sleep time lol. She's taking to her role like a fish to water.
Had 8 local eggs go into lock down, 7 Have pipped. Originally had 12, but had 2 clears, 1 blood ring, 1 random quit between day 7-9 (didn't eggtopsy that one). Not bad over all.
I just had a bit of fun. My geese are finally becoming more friendly. Just sat for 10 min just petting and loving on the geese.
Also my free eggs are on lockdown. And I just purchased a dozen barnevelder eggs, should be here mid week.just hoping no one else goes broody, I don't like worrying...
Well, I am not convinced I hatch better, especially with the bantam breeds... Last hatch, 9 in lock down, 4 hatched successfully, but one had edema (bubbles of fluid under the skin, exhaling fluids) and passed within 48 hours. A 5th was malpositioned attempted assist, didn't last over 24 hrs...
Well, we have our first broody....
Sickie, one of our Ameraucanas has not left the nest in 3 days. She will go outside about 2x's a day to eat/drink/mingle, about 30 min to an hr at a time, and during that time, another hen takes up residence for a while until she returns and boots them out...