Part 0800.0005

[jellykelly]

I'm getting impatient!! I'm like any expectant relative. I feel that I should be doing something, but what??

I keep peeking in on mum - she's doing a great job. she' sitting tight and mumbling away to herself, bless her. It must be boring sitting on your own for three weeks though!

 

I have one quick question. As the eggs are SS Hamburgs (bantams) Is there a chance that they may hatch earlier then day 21? How I ever managed to wait for my 4 babies to emerge I'll never know!

[Lewis]

They could do, I think the farm banties were usually day 19 but recently everywhere I read people are saying banties hatch on day 21 too

Our banties (and LF) were on day 21 together

 

You should try waiting 28 days for a duckling!

[jellykelly]

Oooo - No way - I haven't got the patience!

[jellykelly]

Another question I'm afraid.

All the time she has been broody , Barack'o has been clearing the bottom of the nest so the aggs are laying on bear wood. I keep adding straw or woodshavings to cushion the eggs but she will insist on moving it again.

Are the eggs ok like this? I'm think that chicken must know best since she is doing what comes naturally. I guess I'm just getting the final stages nerves now.

Now there's only a few days left, I'm getting worried that nothing will happen. Then if thats the case, what'll I do with broody Barack'o??

[Chook n Boo Mum]

In the wild she probably would have had them on bare ground, so she's just going back to her roots, I reackon she'll be fine without the straw you so lovingly lay for her

 

If the worst case scenario happens (go & see my Holly thread ), see if you have any day old chicks in your area that you could tuck under her..I just have, though I haven't posted it yet & I'm that she's accepting the babies

 

Have you candled the eggs at all? With hindsight I should have, but didn't, so I suspect I have not one leg to stand on with the breeder..though I fail to see how infertile at 7 days is any different to infertile at 24 days

 

Sha x

[jellykelly]

No I haven't candled them. I didn't think I'd have any idea what to look for. Plus, I don't think my sons Thomas the tank engine torch is up to the job!

If the hatch fails, is it nicer to give day old chicks or should I just break her broodiness?

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I didn't know what to look for either which was one reason why I didn't, I also valued my hands...Holly was very protective of the eggs early on

 

Well I felt better having got the chicks ..she'd been such good little sitter that I felt she'd earned the right to be a proper mum..if there hadn't been any chicks available I'd have brought her in, broken the brood & fed her up for a few days before putting her back with the others

 

I'd been offered some more eggs to set, but feel a month on the nest with only comfort breaks is enough for any small bird...Holly is a Pekin.

 

She seems quite happy now she's got wrigglers underneath

 

Sha x

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Here's a site which shows you some candling pics........http://shilala.homestead.com/candling.html

 

Google "candling chicken egg" or similar & you'll get loads come up....youtube has some good videos too.

 

Good luck

 

Sha x

[jellykelly]

I have just candled one of the eggs. It looks like the picture under the eggs section. There is an air sac at the blunt end and a dark shape with a stickly out thing in the middle. The shape didn't wiggle and wave like babies do during an ultra sound though.

I hope that it's good news and that it means that there's a chickie developing nicely in there.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

 

Sha x