Chicks due today

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

I am so nervous and excited. They're under Rocky my broddy hen. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

broody hen even.

Good Luck! It must be so exciting and I wish I could do this too.

I am now picturing Sylvester Stallone clucking comfortably on top of your eggs.

Just spotted that you are a midwife. You will be able to help them out of the shell. Let us know how it goes.

Fingers crossed as requested. Can you hear the eggs cheeping? Do you know how many she's sitting on?

My eggs are in an incy and have 2 weeks to wait. [impatient face]

ours are due on the 17th. there are 300 in there for a friend of my brothers, and then we are going to put some of our own in

300? Wow. That's a lot of chicks!

yes I know!

It is my fil incy, and it is the size of a fridge!

Well came home from work and 3 are hatched out ok. No sign of anything from the other 3, but then there wasn't any sign of anything from any of the 6 yesterday. So I'm hoping that the last 3 will hatch out tomorrow.....

Can't hear any cheaping.

I've put chick crumbs in the hopper now, Rocky ate some earlier this afternoon. Do I need to give her any corn over the next few weeks while she's in with the chicks?

Congratulations!!

I'd give her mixed corn or similar rather than pellets stripey, she'll still need an energy boost after all that sitting down. And put it up high so the chicks don't get in it.

I need another hopper then!

Those long thin feeders for chicks are only about £3.00. The bars/wire over the top stop the chicks standing & pooing in their food and as bigger hens can't get their heads through the bars, they don't eat it all before the chicks get a look in.

Congratulations to you and Rocky.

My Maran hen has hatched out two chicks out of a clutch of 6 eggs.
Just noticed that she is not sitting on the other eggs anymore.
One poor chick was dead in its shell, could just see its face and the other eggs are stone cold.
Looks like she just wants to get on with looking after the two she managed to hatch.

Hens often have a knack of knowing whether the eggs are hatchers or not, perhaps she was only sitting on all 6 until these two came out. Enjoy your two though.

My broody came off the other 3 (unhatched) eggs today as well. I raced round next door with them and stuck them under their broody hen

But they were a bit cool so not holding my breath. Will keep them there till Sat and then admit defeat.

What accommodating neighbours!!

The neighbours are very excited - think they're going to be more disappointed than me when they don't hatch.

Must admit I'm suprised only 3 have hatched out when I picked the eggs up in person and they've been under a broody. Thought I'd get at least 4 or 5. The cockeral only had one hen to be busy with so thought eggs would be super fertile.

Perhaps Rocky was too keen to fuss over her hatched chicks? Has she had chicks before?

I did wonder that. They are her first (and my) chicks!

Me and my DD2 (aged 3) had a look at the eggs that were left and 2 were not even formed, but one did had a poor little chick inside.
Next year i think i'll give her "fake" eggs and hatch the chicks out in an incubator!

I think that hatching rates are meant to be better under a broody than in an incubator? No faffing about with humidity, etc.