Growing my little flock

[DonyaQuick]

I got a dozen eggs last year from a breeder, and 7 hatched, most in the incubator though a couple actually hatched under a broody. I moved the hatched chicks under Rahab in the evening, and in the morning she was proud as could be with her chicks! .Tamar hatched one, and was happy with the second one that I snuck under her.

I'm praying for some broody, any broody at this point! Some of the hatching and post-hatch things are just so much easier with one. I think I'm hoping in vain though...just got more snow. I know some hens will go broody when it's cold, but mine never have. More likely I'm in for a couple weeks of getting up in the middle of the night to push a fuzzy butt or two back under the heat plate.

 

[DonyaQuick]

So this is interesting.

Here is Chungus from 2023 earlier in this thread. This is basically always what she's looked like up until the past few months.

Chungus today, albeit being very unimpressed with the fact that I interrupted her nap on my lap. I don't think I'm imagining the growth in that comb! And in vibrant rooster red all the time now. She's done laying eggs as far as I can tell. I wonder if I'm going to start seening pointy hackles/saddles at some point...

 

[fuzzi]

When I was roosterless for a short time Hannah grew a big comb, started acting more like a rooster. Now that I have two boys she's meek again.

 

[DonyaQuick]

When I was roosterless for a short time Hannah grew a big comb, started acting more like a rooster. Now that I have two boys she's meek again.

Huh - didn't know they can shrink back!

I'm wondering whether Chungus's situation may be to do with the whole undiferentiated gonad thing that chickens have going on. It's been a while since I read about that stuff but I recall if the active ovary shuts down then the other one, which is undeveloped, can sometimes do weird testosterone stuff.

No shortage of roosters in Miss Chungus's flock, so it won't be a lack of those derps causing her comb. She's still got 9lb Mr Monster with his beautiful big comb and, er, um...well...yes there is also the hot mess that is look-ma-I-gave-myself-double-frostbite Mr Cuddles Junior. Maybe that's the real reason Chungus is growing out her comb: to take attention off of how fugly his is turning out lol.

(All joking aside though I am still very thankful that he survived the situation that led to that comb - but it was his own stupid fault and I'm sure the chivalrous fool would do it again given the opportunity)

 

[DonyaQuick]

BROODY BIGFOOT! She is hoarding eggs...she is doing the noises and sitting in that box for 2 days...but it's halfway through incubation already! Assuming she still sits once I move her tomorrow, that would be just 12-ish days of her being broody before there are babies.

I built her a nest box today to move her indoors anyway...I'll just have to see how she does after that.

 

[fuzzi]

BROODY BIGFOOT! She is hoarding eggs...she is doing the noises and sitting in that box for 2 days...but it's halfway through incubation already! Assuming she still sits once I move her tomorrow, that would be just 12-ish days of her being broody before there are babies.
View attachment 4088422

I built her a nest box today to move her indoors anyway...I'll just have to see how she does after that.

That is a really nice photo!

 

[DonyaQuick]

Disappointing candling result today...I think it's actually going to be a full wipeout on bean flock eggs. The Coco egg that showed some promise at first is now seeming too glowy relative to what it should be. And the other bean flock egg that I know for sure had some development...I think I see the dreaded blood ring forming. Neither egg is stinky so I will give both the benefit of the doubt for now Meanwhile, all of the main flock eggs are all looking good; they're just dark at this point with some veins visible near the air sack. I expect all five of those to make it to hatch.

I will have to try another round of bean eggs later this year. I'm not sure how long I can leave the eggs sitting while trying to stack them up for the same hatching batch; might try collecting 3-4 days worth next time.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Brand new nest box built and one grumpy fluffy pancake moved into the house.

Because it's late in the game, I'm going to let the hatch take place in the incubator and then try to move the chicks rather than risk a big humidity change as lockdown is approaching. I did one last round of candling tonight. I removed the dead blood ring egg and the 4 glowy ones that were becoming obvious duds. I left the one Coco egg that I can't see into well enough to judge, but I'm not really expecting anything from that one, just being paranoid more than anything. All five main flock eggs have good sized, wiggly critters in them with visible movement. One of those actually looks somewhat ahead of schedule.

 

[fuzzi]

Brand new nest box built and one grumpy fluffy pancake moved into the house.
View attachment 4090403

Because it's late in the game, I'm going to let the hatch take place in the incubator and then try to move the chicks rather than risk a big humidity change as lockdown is approaching. I did one last round of candling tonight. I removed the dead blood ring egg and the 4 glowy ones that were becoming obvious duds. I left the one Coco egg that I can't see into well enough to judge, but I'm not really expecting anything from that one, just being paranoid more than anything. All five main flock eggs have good sized, wiggly critters in them with visible movement. One of those actually looks somewhat ahead of schedule.

When I incubated I put the chicks under Rahab in the dark. No issues, and she was so proud of herself in the morning!

 

[DonyaQuick]

When I incubated I put the chicks under Rahab in the dark. No issues, and she was so proud of herself in the morning!
View attachment 4090439

How long did you wait after hatch to move them under? The only other chick swap I did was with the cackle ones I got last year, which of course is like 2-3 days old by the time of the swaperoo.