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Egg Lou

Time to confess ..chicks !

By Egg Lou, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

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Egg Lou Chatty Chicken

Egg Lou

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Please bear with me all and please do not make a judgement before hearing me out .. I didn't plan on posting this at all but cannot keep all my cute photos to myself any longer! So here I am putting my neck on the line so to speak..

 

I know all to well what you all think about hatching and usually agree with most comments.. believe me although I had always planned to try at some point, it was not on the agenda for at least a year..

 

Well.. about 3 weeks ago a friend of my parents called as they had eggs under a broody who suddenly decided to give up after only a few days.. they had 13 eggs under her and knowing I had a very determined broody (been broody since about day 4 of getting her :evil:) asked if I would like to try to continue to hatch..

 

I had already looked into the pros and cons, so established they would be keen to take upto 2 cockerels back for their large flock, also found backup in the form of DD who has friend with a huge farm who would be happy to have more boys if needed. (all 3 phones in use at once!)

 

So agreed to take 6 of the eggs (as more than enough!) hopefully choose 6 pekins and popped them under Beanz in a large rabbit hutch..

 

Hopefully you will understand I was very prepared.. boys sorted.. hutch for hatching and night time nursey, sectioned of cube run for daytime.. suitable feeder and drinker etc etc. All this with a slim chance of a good hatch rate as about 3 hours away from a broody.

 

 

All went well and if your not too bored of reading.. then I would like to introduce .. in order of appearance into this world..

 

Chicks1234014Small.jpg

 

Mercedes

Chicks1234004Small.jpg

Skye

Threedaysold034Small.jpg

Peaches

Threedaysold039Small.jpg

Mini

Chicks1234010Small.jpg

 

Nightime nursery

HatchingDay003Small.jpg

Daytime nursery

Threedaysold001Small.jpg

With Mum

Chicks1dayoldfirstventureoutside039.jpg

Meeting Aunties

Threedaysold010Small.jpg

 

Beanz is doing a fabulous job as Mum and cannot be faulted.. I will also be ordering an 2nd extension so I can adapt a bigger section of run until they are older. Its been a fab four days since they hatched and although it will be hard to part with some or all if boys I know they will be going to great pet homes.

 

Now please don't slate me! :pray:

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JamesH Chicken Eggspert

JamesH

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they look great, well done that broody, what breeds are they?

 

No one could flame you, you've clearly researched and planned and prepared everything. Even going as far as finding homes for boys! Personally I do not see any shame in dispatching any that turn out to be boys, as long as it's done properly and without any fuss. It's not like the eggs from supermarkets came from boy free hatches.

 

I think what really upsets people is when people turn up saying "help i've hatched an ostrich, it's scaring the cat and isn't laying any eggs, i think it's a boy what do I do? Also I have some ducks in the incubator can I feed them chick crumb or release them in the park?"

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Egg Lou Chatty Chicken

Egg Lou

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they look great, well done that broody, what breeds are they?

 

No one could flame you, you've clearly researched and planned and prepared everything. Even going as far as finding homes for boys! Personally I do not see any shame in dispatching any that turn out to be boys, as long as it's done properly and without any fuss. It's not like the eggs from supermarkets came from boy free hatches.

 

I think what really upsets people is when people turn up saying "help i've hatched an ostrich, it's scaring the cat and isn't laying any eggs, i think it's a boy what do I do? Also I have some ducks in the incubator can I feed them chick crumb or release them in the park?"

 

Thanks for your kind comments! I also agree with the the eating side.Even as a vege I don't have an issue with anyone raising for the table its all about the life they lead first so far better to raise yourself.. obviously as a vege I wouldn't eat anyway.. but also these are all pekins ( lavendar?! ) so doubt much meant anyway :lol:

 

I have also read with horror some of the postings regarding hatching and believe me would not have entered into this if I had any such queries.. but know this has left many people understandably very sceptical of all hatchings. I guess I was just nervous of being tarred with the same brush.

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Egg Lou Chatty Chicken

Egg Lou

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Congratulations! They are absolutely beautiful. Lovely fluffy feet & Skye has a really fluffy head, just like my sister's Orville had & it's a girl! So fingers crossed for you.

 

Emma.x

 

Here's hoping! but I do have my doubts as Skye stands very upright and is always the first to leave mum and dive out of hutch,.. very bold!

 

I have been trying to do the feather sexing but must be doing it wrong as all look like girls on that basis!

Really hoping mini is a girl as she was the last out and much smaller than the other three, stays close to mum so needs extra tlc.. also DD's favourite!

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superjules Chatty Chicken

superjules

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How cute! Well done you and your broody!

 

Our pekin chicks were pretty obvious what sex they were from around 3 weeks, so you won't have long to wait. In the first few days when they were like little bumble bees, we had a heart stopping moment when Sonic managed to get through the run mesh and ran straight into the dog's mouth!!

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Joojoo Chatty Chicken

Joojoo

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No one could flame you, you've clearly researched and planned and prepared everything. Even going as far as finding homes for boys! Personally I do not see any shame in dispatching any that turn out to be boys, as long as it's done properly and without any fuss. It's not like the eggs from supermarkets came from boy free hatches.

 

I think what really upsets people is when people turn up saying "help i've hatched an ostrich, it's scaring the cat and isn't laying any eggs, i think it's a boy what do I do? Also I have some ducks in the incubator can I feed them chick crumb or release them in the park?"

.

 

Well done you and Beanz. They are absolutely gorgeous - especially Mini :lol: :lol:

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Egg Lou Chatty Chicken

Egg Lou

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How cute! Well done you and your broody!

 

Our pekin chicks were pretty obvious what sex they were from around 3 weeks, so you won't have long to wait. In the first few days when they were like little bumble bees, we had a heart stopping moment when Sonic managed to get through the run mesh and ran straight into the dog's mouth!!

 

Hi Jules

 

Phew very glad Sonic mad it then! I do have you thank actually as I read in a previous post of yours that they could fit through mesh.. so had already planned for it .. the mesh partition from other girls is very small and I've put extra high wood "skirting" around the nursery area so it should keep them in safe until big enough!

 

Would be good to find out sex asap I guess, as although planning to keep all for at least 16/18 weeks so they are strong enough to cope with new homes (hopefully won't crow before then?) it would be nice to know which ones to not get quite as attached to :(

 

Egluntine.. oh yes I'll post pics.. although you may get bored of them as already have loads! growing so quickly.. they had wings feathers coming through on day 3..

 

oh and the other two eggs didn't hatch so removed 36 hrs after last Mini hatched. I did pop them in freezer for a hour before disposing just in case as didn't want a slow dustbin death :(

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Egluntyne Eggsistentialist

Egluntyne

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Egluntine.. oh yes I'll post pics.. although you may get bored of them as already have loads! growing so quickly.. they had wings feathers coming through on day 3..

 

Never in a million years would we get bored. :D

 

Step by step photos would be interesting to see, especially if the differences between the boys and girls are apparent.

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superjules Chatty Chicken

superjules

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Well done egg lou, you have obviously thought of everything and researched it in true anorak style! :wink: Only teasing - it's such a relief to be reading this rather than a "Help our eggs are hatching - where can I get chick crumb and what else do I need" thread.

 

Keep the pictures coming!!

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