Here are the kids watching one of the chicks hatch yesterday [yes, the 3yo is almost always without clothing despite my best efforts]:
The kids spent half the day watching the chicks in their brooder box [see? We don't need no stinkin' television!]:
And a rare photo of my *clothed* 3yo:
Here are the kids holding the chicks - they did a very good job and were super gentle and careful:
Our final count was 7 Black Australorp chicks [out of 8 fertile eggs - good hatch ratio!], 6 Ameraucanas, or "Easter Egg Chickens" [out of 8 eggs, not quite as good as the BAs], and 4 Marans, or "Chocolate Egg Layers" [out of 8 eggs - not good at all - 50% hatch ratio is pretty poor]. We had 4 BA eggs that weren't fertile at all.
And we have 6 eggs left [1 BA, 2 Ameraucanas, and 3 Marans] that haven't done anything. I'll leave them there for another 24 hours just in case, but don't expect much to happen. We had 1 Maran die while trying to get out of its shell unsuccessfully.
I ended up having to "help" 3 of them last night - the Ameraucanas lay green eggs and the shells are really thick - these three had been trying all day long to hatch and just couldn't. They started out very strong and vigorous but through the day got weaker and weaker until last night I was sure they were dying. I had already lost one to the same problem [pipped and then couldn't break free], so I carefully broke the shells for them. One of them did great immediately and seemed fine, but the other 2 looked for all the world like they were going to die. I was so sad, I went to bed expecting both of them to be dead when I woke up. Got up and checked and they were FINE - very vigorous and hopping around eating and drinking like nobody's business! I was thrilled!
So, thus ends our first adventure with egg hatching! All in all, I think we "done good"! Considering we got the eggs through the mail from strangers on eBay, used a low end cheap-O incubator, and had no idea what we were doing... we got an amazingly high number of chicks to hatch!
Thanks to all of you who have savored our little adventure along with us - I've enjoyed sharing these events with you guys!
5 comments:
Everyone at my house thinks your chicks are totally adorable!
And don't worry about the naked 3yo. There are plenty of times my 8yo runs around naked at home. = )
Hope everything is well with you and yours!
I can just see how enrapt they are! What a wonderful memory to carry with them, you're a great mom!
The chicks are adorable! The kids seem to be loving them. Once I get back from vacation this summer I am so getting started on this. "Build chicken coop" will now be added to my 'Honey-Do' List.
Thanks for sharing your adventure with us all! The boys & I have been totally engrossed in the experience! The chicks and your kiddos are adorable!
busybeemama, I definitely encourage the chicken obsession. They are really nifty - where else can you get a fun pet that actually provides food for your family?!
My dogs are starting to look downright worthless in comparision. LOL!
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