MAY 2016 "Land of the Free Because of the brave!" Hatch-a-Long Hosted by, Mike & Sally

[wabbit1964]

Updates:
There were 7 chicks born this week of my staggered eggs.
There are currently 2 brown eggs from one of my hens and 2 EE eggs from my Easter Egger in the incubator due to hatch this holiday weekend.

Of the turkeys due the 26th hatched on the 25th one weak and floppy. I have been playing nurse to the weaker one after reading on BYC about Floppy chick syndrome. Now however I am afraid either it has a respiratory thing or it has aspirated when I dipped its beak or syringe fed it as I am hearing a little weird noise that wasn't there yesterday.

 

[junebuggena]

Update on Sunny.
She started walking today! It was like a light switch turned on. Before she would just shuffle around back and forth to the food and then just sit all day. I've been giving her vitamins in her water and she eats eggs everyday as an extra treat. I am so glad I finally see some improvement! It's been a long few weeks!

Um...Sunny is not a she. That's a cockerel...

 

[sdubski]

This is Daisy. Our daughter is naming them as they hatch, of course

This is Periwinkle. She is a Lavender Orpington. There is another Lavender Orpington zipping now. The other four aren't pipped yet.

Two Ameracauna mixes were pipped this morning and haven't hatched yet.

No pips on any of the three Russian Orloffs, the big green Ameracauna mix, or the FBCM.

It's getting a bit crazy in there, the unhatched eggs are getting kicked around quite a bit, but it's not recommended to remove chicks if others are pipped, correct? The black one that hatched at noon is very active.

 

[Honora]

I think Bielfelders look pretty similar to this, right?

 

[billiejw89]

Um...Sunny is not a she. That's a cockerel...

These chickens are about 7 weeks old.
Here is one of the cockerels hatched same day we have 3 of them that look like this, their combs are much larger and more red. I guess Sunny could just be a late bloomer, but I'm keeping fingers crossed it's a pullet.

 

[cabinchicky]

 
Thank you so much!! Unfortunately I am not going to be getting any keets now thanks to my guinea hens.... one decided to attack an egg breaking it open and tried eating it  I had to take all 53 eggs away because I did not want to wake up tomorrow to smashed eggs everywhere in the coop.  I am so upset 

buy some cheap ping pong balls and put the out there. They will peck at them and nothing happens so they abandon the behavior   after a week or so.

When I get an egg eating hen I put golf balls in the nests to stop her from pecking. Have tried ping pong balls and some were dented during use. I think the golf balls being harder helps break the habit somewhat better.

 

[ChexeeChick]

Lucky #13 is out! This morning I asked our daughter what color the first one to hatch would be, and she said black. She was right! She also says it's a girl and her name is Daffodil

Daffodil is displeased with being alone, so hopefully some of her brothers and sisters join her soon!

Still only four others pipped, but haven't checked in an hour so could be more now if the chirping encouraged them.

Thank you all for the encouraging words! I'm a nervous first time chicken mom.

Hey, hey Daffodil... glad you made it!

 

[ChexeeChick]

On the bright side, the breeder where these birds originally came from said day-old chicks are worth $8-$10 each and started birds are worth $25-$50 each, depending on quality. My chicks are high quality, so I'm actually money ahead. Or I will be... later. In a few months...

Sounds to me like you are money ahead!! It's best to just be happy... at least you've got some chicks, right??? LOL....

 

[Bantambird]

Both pics have examples of male and female legbars. In the newborn chick pic, the female has the distinct chipmunk stripes and has more brown, with mascara and no dot or the spot contained within the v of the head marking. Males have large white headspots and are generally greyed out and the markings look faded in comparison. They usually dont have much eyemarking. The second pic shows them in their frst feathers. The male has the grey and white barring and the female has lots more brown and her haxkles should be turning cream, or sometimes gold or silver, thp cream is what you want. they start getting adorable little crests pretty quick, but the crests arent supposed to obstruct vision.

 

[Gwynny7]

buy some cheap ping pong balls and put the out there. They will peck at them and nothing happens so they abandon the behavior   after a week or so.

That is a good idea. I wonder if guineas will go after them since ping pong balls are white and guinea eggs are brown in various shades and have freckles. I had 4 eggs today and they were not broken so I'm wondering if it was a one time thing. I think I am going to take the eggs for a while until I think it's ok to let them try again.