Posted by Suzanne McMinn @ 5:05 am | Permalink
Chickens, In the Barnyard
Lucky reads all of your comments.
He says thank you!
Today is Day 23 for the second batch. Lucky hatched on Day 23, the sole survivor from the ill-fated first batch, and with my incubator at 100-degrees, that’s about right. I think today is the day for the second batch! I’ll be updating throughout the day with our newest arrivals (hopeful, I am!), so come back? We’ve had pecking and peeping since yesterday! Those babies are working!
Update: 7:30 am.
Meet Lucky’s first new friend! Love the dramatic coloring!
As advised, I’m letting sweet little Tatiana remain in the incubator for awhile to talk her siblings out of their shells!
Update: 9:55 am.
Tatiana is fluffing and getting rambunctious inside the incubator!
Update: 10:30 am.
Life, as it happened.
Tatiana hopped over to greet the newcomer.
Isn’t that the sweetest thing?!
Update: Noon.
Lucky, meet Tatiana!
Update: 1:10 pm.
Another baby talked out of its shell!
Update: 4:15 pm.
Bigger than the new chicks, and slightly rowdy, Lucky’s been temporarily separated to his own digs. According to the books (I rely heavily on books-and you all!), chicks need newspaper for the first day or so in order to develop good pecking habits without other litter material interfering, then they should be removed from paper to avoid foot/leg damage. I don’t have any wood shavings, but I hope straw will provide the traction Lucky needs now. I had to find another makeshift light source, too. His new water dish is a tart pan.
And we’ve got the first banty coming!
Bantams are miniature chickens, usually about one-fifth to one-quarter the size of standard chickens. See the picture, above right, comparing a banty egg to a standard-sized egg. I’ve got a banty working on its shell now. What a tiny baby it will be! I can’t wait to see!
Update: 8:50 pm. Our little banty is slow coming out. (I hope it’s okay!) We’ve got a green egg, an Araucana (the ones that make the “Easter” eggs), pecking, too, and another white egg cracking.
