Posted by Suzanne McMinn on April 27, 2008 @ 5:05 am
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.
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Posted by Suzanne McMinn on April 27, 2008 @ 5:05 am
6:44
am
6:53
am
Love the “Lucky reading the comments” photo!
Can’t wait to see the new kids!
I was in a Ranch and Farm Supply store yesterday and they have their chicken/turkey chicks. There were hundreds and a big sign that said all were sold!
7:33
am
How cute is that….he is a celebrity. Now he just has to wait for some peeps.
8:05
am
8:13
am
8:25
am
This is so exciting! Tatiana is a welcome sight. I can’t wait to see what she looks like all fluffy. Her coloring is really pretty.
This could be a soap opera..”As the Chicken Turns”! ‘Course now it’s “As the Chicken Hatches”!
8:48
am
9:04
am
You keep refering to Lucky as a “he”.. how do you know what the sex is? Just curious.
9:07
am
I don’t know what Lucky’s sex is at all!
I just don’t like to say “it” all the time!
9:12
am
ooh a new friend for Lucky. I love Tatiana as a name. Do you have name already planned?
9:14
am
Aww, Tatiana is so cute. Where did you come up with the name? I bet you went out and bought one of those chicken baby names books, didn’t you? I knew it.
9:15
am
This is exciting! Isn’t it hard to resist helping them out of their shells? Poor little things are so tired when they finally break out.
Lucky was indeed lucky-lucky that you were willing to take the time to continue turing the eggs when you had so little hope of any hatchlings.
Your new chick looks like a Wyandotte or possibly a barred rock (Dominecker). Beautiful colors!
9:29
am
LOL, Sarah. I’m a romance writer-I have a head full of dramatic, flowery names.
Dru, I told myself I wasn’t even going to name any from this batch yet because hatched together, they may be hard to tell apart for awhile for those that have similar coloring. Lucky is a few days ahead of them so will be a bit bigger for awhile and easier to tell apart until he comes into his own. But I couldn’t resist naming this one. I’ll probably hold off on naming the others till I’m sure I can tell them apart.
Granny Sue (and anyone else who knows)-I’d love to hear what you think they are as they hatch! Tatiana came out of a big white egg, that’s all I know.
Lucky came out of a big brown egg. I described him and his egg to my chicken lady over the phone and she said she thought he might be a Golden Buff.
I’ve got several more pecking holes in the sides of their shells right now! I’ll post pictures as they hatch!
9:38
am
As a country girl I find all of this so funny, but it touches my heart to see that people everywhere do still enjoy the simple things in life, no wait, the miracles of life and they are not so simple are they? Happy Hatching!
9:45
am
WoooHOOOO! More chickies! I’m glad this batch are better hatchers. Exciting happenings at your house!
:J
10:01
am
I can’t wait to see all the new chicks as they arrive! I’ll have to reload your page every hour, expecting an update!
10:06
am
This is fun watching all that life happen. Lots of pictures, please!
10:11
am
Man! I wish I didn’t have to go to work today! I would love to sit here and watch chicks hatch. This is so exciting! Oh gosh! I kinda sound like I need a life…but I love critters, and watching new ones come into the world makes me happy, what can I say? (Besides who wouldn’t want to stay home from work for ANY reason?)
10:16
am
This is too exciting! Now I am living vicariously in an incubator…
10:16
am
Good answer!! i AM SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY ALL LOOK LIKE.
10:25
am
I love Tatiana’s coloring. She is going to be a pretty little chicken. Cant’ wait to watch the others come out and party.
10:57
am
Checking for an update. I decided since I was going to be here on your page for most of the day, I’d make some Grandmother Bread. It’s rising now. I made some the other day and it is a wonderful recipe, first time I’ve made bread without the bread machine that it actually worked!
10:59
am
Aw, now Lucky has some peeps!!!
10:59
am
Thanks for the updates Suzanne! I wish I were there to hear the peeping and pecking!
11:21
am
11:51
am
I just love watching little ones coming into the world! You can never get tried of it.
12:06
pm
Be sure to refresh your computer if you’re missing updates-I’m posting new pictures. (Last update-noon!)
12:23
pm
Suzanne! You have chickens! How wonderful. And thanks for posting all the updates. 9 is having a great time watching the baby chicks be born (though he is now hassling me to get some chick eggs….)
1:24
pm
It seems to me you are going to need another box and light soon!
1:27
pm
Tatiana is sooo lovely! Can’t wait to see more pix.
I love human names for animals, I once named a kitten Nigel, then found out it was a she.
1:54
pm
Seems sorta silly but this sixty year old city girl is getting a big kick out of seeing your chicks!
(How do you like all that accidental alliteration in the first line?)
Thanks for your updates and great photos.
Jeannie in OKC
2:19
pm
Are you going to take out the X and O eggs now that no more of them have hatched? It will make more room for the 2nd batch to hatch. I just linked to your blog from mine. I’m so excited for you! I hope the chicken coop is nearing completion… otherwise 52 needs to get busy.
2:22
pm
I can’t believe how much fun it is to check over here for the lastest update. You’re going to have do some LOLChicks, Suzanne. lol.
2:30
pm
Thanks, Jodie! We’re working on the chicken house today, actually! I haven’t taken the X/O eggs out yet, but I know I should. It’s hard to let go.
2:30
pm
Sure brings back childhood memories from the nice feeling of holding a fluffy “biddy” in my hand to getting flogged by a mother hen when I ventured too close so I could get a peek of her brood.
I didn’t comment the other day but I was so happy that you found your cat. It warmed my heart knowing how happy you both must have been to have found each other.
2:59
pm
I’m so glad Lucky has company!! I feel like I’m there - how exciting.
3:29
pm
WooHoo! Playmates for Lucky!
4:24
pm
How many chicks now?
4:38
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4:46
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4:47
pm
YEA!!! Lucky and Tatiana…..what a pair they are! IS THIS NOT THE MOST FUN IN THE WORLD???? so great! I so wish I was watching chicks hatch…gotta get my man to move off sidewalks and out into the country…he would love it…
I am making your Whole grain wheat Grandmother bread….wish me luck!
Tresh in Oklahoma
4:56
pm
I read that hey is better for the chicks than wood shavings, because they can’t eat it. Maybe I have the wrong book. It seems logical. Have you read anything like that?
5:01
pm
I’ve been lurking for months now. The chicks have brought me out of hiding!
I grew up on the Reedy side of Roane County. I lived the life your daughter is experiencing now. Sadly, I grew up and moved away — I do come home for visits. I love the pictures on your site — I have a visual of the seasons. I also recognize many of the people you write about.
I had chickens — named them all! Just wanted to caution you about the light bulb. We had a wooden box filled with babies in the garage — light bulb keeping them cozy… A friend drove by the house and noticed smoke billowing out. She stopped and saved many lives that day (and probably the house!). I only had one “fried chicken” — but one is more than enough!
6:01
pm
Gee, I missed a lot, being off-line most of the day!
I *love* Tatiana’s colouring. And that of his/her sibling.
We’ll all expect an update tomorrow, of course, and a chick count!
-Kim
7:20
pm
This is so much coming back and seeing the new pictures!!
8:10
pm
Oh, you’re doing much better than me with names. All my white chickens are Claire, and all the black ones are Ana Lucia. It made things simpler for me!
9:05
pm
WOW! Thanks so much for sharing - what an uplift!
9:13
pm
Remudamom: OMG! That is so funny! Kinda like every time my dad has ever lost a dog and gets a new one he names them all the same. He has had many Nicks in his life!
Suzanne: I am so loving coming home from work and finding more babies…I mean…chicks! You are a good farmer! Thank you so much for sharing. It was a long day and I was excited to get home and check on the chicks, just like I would have done were they right here in my house!
9:17
pm
neat o neat o neat o! I want my laying hens back!
BW (in a jealous rage!)
11:11
pm
Aw, they are so adorable. My daughter made arrangements last year for her 3rd and 4th grade class to learn by doing with a farm-loaned incubator and an egg for each child in the class. I can’t recall if they all hatched, or all hatched except one (I think it was the latter.) They got to keep the chicks in the classroom for several weeks, then they were returned to the farm from whence they came. My daughter was very proud of her class, they took such good care of the chicks. I think if I got a chance to to raise some baby chicks, I’d be as excited as those kids were, and as excited as it seems you are. Congratulations Suzanne! That’s a lot of babies to take care of!
5:08
pm
CUTE CHIKEN
IM A COMPUTER PERSON
YA ROCK ON
6:35
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9:13
am
2:12
pm
That IS soooo exciting….and they are so adorable..just think you are their MOMMA..now you CAN”T possibly eat one of your babies! LOL
8:18
am
Thanks for all the updating. It is great to see the hatching process and you are having good success.
10:59
pm
Thanks now I know which way to lay the eggs, going to try my first batch using an electric frypan, dont know if it will work. I am on a pension so I have to do with what I have got around the house. Made a candling box with a globe and carboard box. had an old frypan that I have put a ceramic container for water in the bottom with a wire rack on top then little plastic egg holder to go on top ( was my oil paint mixing tray that I cut up, wont be painting pictures for a while), then I going to place the eggs on top. Just got a normal human digital thermometer that I can test the temp each day, going to put the lid on vent opened and pray that it will be a good atmosphere to hatch my the babies
7:54
pm
I am very sad to day as I got up this morning to turn my eggs and they were really hot, temp read nearly 110F humidity 60% so I think I cooked them
8:40
pm
Merilyn, maybe, but don’t be too quick to give up hope. Read my post about my baby born after I thought I’d cooked my eggs:
http://suzannemcminn.com/blog/2008/04/25/lucky/
Good luck!!!
5:27
am
Suzanne looked at your sight about lucky.I to can not bring myself to give up yet just incase one is alive in there. I a still turning them but it is so hard to get the temp right using a frypan. is your incubator home made or bought. If home made do you have a sight with instructions
6:56
am
Merilyn, I used a still-air incubator that I bought. I’ve never tried a homemade incubator, so I don’t know anything about that, I’m sorry! You might try starting a topic thread in my forum and see if anyone knows about them! There’s a helpful group there!
1:29
am
I have seen a second hand incubator that is being auctioned that I am thinking of bidding on it would be great as it turns the eggs itself every hour and half. If I win it I will start a new batch in it and keep these onesw going I am getting the temperature closer to what it should be, so I am hoping the the one in the center didn’t get to hot. I made a candling box to check the eggs but when I tried it on a egg I couldn’t see through it. my eggs are brown can anyone help
8:20
am
Well I tried candling my eggs today still cant see properly through my brown eggs but can see that the air pockets are getting bigger dropped one putting it back in my frypan and there was a little baby inside with blood around it does this mean that I didn’t cook them 4 days ago
8:25
am
Merilyn, I’m not sure. Since this is an older post from a few months, not very many people will see this right now. The best way for more people to see your question and hopefully know the answer would be to go to the forum and post a note in the Old Barn topic area. You can start a topic thread about incubating chickens. Just click start a new topic once you’re on the Old Barn forum! Good luck!