New Chick on the farm (pict heavy)

[canesisters]

My little hen Lido decided to be broody. I gave her 8 eggs to see what would happen. She has not been very good at it - leaving the eggs for hours at a time, belly flopping into the nest and breaking eggs, etc. I was not hopeful at all that ANY of them would actually hatch but decided to leave them the full 'term' plus a few days.
Well, surprise to me, on day 21 I came home from work to find that one of the final 5 eggs had hatched - but been killed. I guess that Lido was not pleased by suddenly finding a loud, wiggley 'thing' in HER precious nest. Another chick had just piped. I rushed around getting my brooder ready (remember, I was NOT expecting any of them to hatch) and around 8:30 the chick had a hole in the egg that was about the size of a dime. I was afraid to leave it with Lido any longer - the peeping was starting to get her riled. So I sat in the coop holding the egg - tapping it to encourage it and very carefully picking bits of shell away. About 10:30 or so 'she' was finally free of the shell. Having a chick hatch in my hand was the COOLEST thing I've done in a long time.







back in the brooder after a long photo-shoot


LOL! The chicken version of a baby falling asleep in a bowl of mac&cheese!

 

[Wishin']

That last picture just makes you smile.
Glad you could save er from mamma.

 

[lesa]

How cool is that? So cute! She will be your favorite chicken, for sure...

 

[so lucky]

That is such a neat thing to have happen, Cane. You are going to have a special relationship with this one.

 

[baymule]

Aww..... that is so sweet. What a cutie chickie!

 

[canesisters]

'She' has been SO Lonely in that big brooder all by herself, so I called around and found a friend who had a hatch a week before. The 'runt' of her hatch was lame when it hatched. It's better now but is way behind it's hatchmates. She said 'If you want to come get Gimpy, he can keep Lonely company for a while." LOL "Gimpy & Lonely" are having a great time together. 'He' is actually the same size as 'she' is (poor little thing) and seems to either have the most laid-back disposition I've ever seen or 'he's got more going on than a little lameness. 'She' is running all around and flapping her tiny, little, fuzzy wings and 'he's just watching her and then trying to snuggle up under her when she finally gets still.

 

[Nyboy]

How cool good luck with them.

 

[the1honeycomb]

Vrry cool I have a hen broody mow her first so have my fingers crossed!
Great job,

 

[journey11]

What a good mama you are, Cane! She's adorable! Is that the only one to make it? Undoubtedly she will become your favorite.

 

[canesisters]

Yes, she (I hope,hope,hope it's a she) is the only survivor from the 8 eggs. There is still one under the hen but it's almost a week late and no sign of hatching. The brooder is 4'x3' and looks so strange with 2 intsy-bintsy chicks in it..... I believe I need more.