| Archive for The Potting Shed A forum to discuss Crafts, Cooking, Gardening, Countryside, Livestock and Pets |
| Kathy |
Agapanthus's ChicksOne has hatched, yesterday at 4.45, no sign of any of the others yet. It's now in the brooder and cheeps all the time, noisy wee thing it is! It's pooed, eaten and drank so I'm assuming it's all in working order!
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| Lizzie |
Awwww - little fluff-ball 
When are they back Kathy? I think you're very brave taking on egg/chick-sitting duties....rather you than me! |
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| Kathy |
They only went on Tuesday, for 2 weeks. 
There was a problem with the passport so they went later than intended, hence the timing with the eggs. Agapanthus will tell you I was a tad reluctant to take this on, but she asked me so nicely and said not to worry, if they live they live, if they don't they don't! Everytime the chick here's my voice it starts cheeping, I'm having to tip toe around the place, hope some of the others hatch! 
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| Jojo |
So cute Kathy,don't they say the first thing a chick see's it thinks it is it's Mum what do you feed them?
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| nanny-now and forever |
jojo for the first 24 hours they don't need feeding as they are still absorbing the albumen from the egg then you feed them chick crumbs
i would feel very responsible for them kathy, i think you are very brave nice though isn't it to have chicks in the house...... |
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| Kathy |
It's a holy terror, keeps trying to flap out of the box and hardly ever shuts up cheeping. Hope some of the others hatch to keep it occupied.
Nanny, my living room resembles a cross between a greenhouse and a hatchery...................... |
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| coco331 |
None of the other ones have hatched yet.....I don't know if they will or not.....They are very late, it's a shame, wee chikadee is lonely, we gave him a cuddly toy for comfort but it would be better if he had some fellow chicks!
We don't actually know if it's a boy, but we just started calling it a him, so it's a him for now |
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| Kathy |
Here he is with his cuddly toy!
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| Becki |
The dogs eaten it
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| Kathy |
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| Cabbagepatch |
aaaaw bless him, i hope his brothers and sisters hatch soon to keep him company.
otherwise, you are going to have to rush out somewhere and get some day old chicks......... |
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| TheGirlsMum |
What are they Kathy?
We have got some Light Sussex eggs in an incubator hoping to hatch out the end of this month, just to boost her numbers really. We are frantically trying to source some pallets so that OH can make a house for the new ones, but with littlw success at the moment. |
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| Kathy |
I think the one that's hatched is a leghorn, there a brahma still in there but none of them are showing any signs of hatching. After reading about it I think it's unlikely that they'll hatch now. Someone said to put a mirror in if there's a lone chick so I've done that.
Hope Agapanthus isn't too disappointed, I followed all the instructions.  
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| Libby |
Lottie does lots of egg hatching, she is currently hatching quail, if your worried give her a buzz by leaving a message on her blog
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| Kathy |
Oh yes, I forgot Lottie was hen mad!
Anyway, I phoned up a chap this morning, Peter Siddons who breeds the Black Rocks (he lives just along the road from me), had a chat and by chance he had some day old chicks, so I decided to buy 2 to keep the other one company. Here's Aggie's chick showing first feathers 
And the newcomers: 
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| Libby |
AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!! | ||
| Becki |
We had to help some of ours out by breaking a bit of the shell. | ||
| nanny-now and forever |
kathy you big softie
what are you going to do with the black rocks then? keep them? i like chicks actually it is a wonder of nature..... |
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| Jojo |
You have a kind heart Kathy Bet he's happy with some company,and like Nanny says are you going to keep the chicks? | ||
| Kathy |
We had planned on getting a couple of black rocks anyway, I mentioned it in another thread somewhere and I think it was Bovey who recommended them, they are good layers apparently. We told E that more eggs had hatched, she was a bit upset that only one hatched, bless her!
TGM, I'll be interested to know how you get on with your hatching, what incubator are you using? Chick 1 was most perturbed by their presence, kept grabbing legs and pecking at them.  They seem to have settled all right now though.
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| TheGirlsMum |
We are using a Brinsea Octagon 20 worked really well last time. | ||
| Kathy |
That's what this one is TGM! We opened the eggs this morning, 1 was recognisable as a chick, one was a sort of half formed blob and the rest were empty. I don't know anything about the subject so not sure what that means really. I did read that an egg that doesn't hatch (assuming the environment is right) probably has something wrong with it.
Live chicks are all fine, that yellow one is lively, it can flap quite high now so I've had to cover a bit of the box over! |
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| Libby |
Like you avatar pic Kathy:lol: | ||
| TheGirlsMum |
We candled the eggs today and out of the 12 Light Sussex eggs bought from a certain large fowl place in Honeybourne only 4 are fertile and at £1 an egg I feel a bit seen off, but you live and learn. Unfortunately Mr Fox seems to be very busy around here so any replacements are very welcome. | ||
| nanny-now and forever |
it's always a bit sad when you find an egg that hasn't hatched has a chick in it that wouldn't have made it anyway....seems such a waste of a little life to me
still thinking here about hatching our own but need to have the poultry area sorted out first.....we have all the chicken wire - just need mr nanny to get down to it....i might have to do it myself if he doesn't move it on a bit...... now i have my own tool kit, the world is my oyster.............. |
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| Kathy |
Go to it Nanny, amazing what you can do when you have your own toolkit!
TGM, that seems a bit steep, can't the eggs be checked before selling? Those Black rock chicks cost £1 each, I'm assuming the "pedigrees" (is that the right term) would be more expensive than hybrids. |
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| lloyd |
Just a thought, Kathy....A broody mum if sitting on a clutch will turn them regularly. Were these turned? | ||
| alison |
Kathy, proberbly yours are female, guarenteed, so in fact they were really 50p, to account for the "male" one, not needed too. | ||
| Kathy |
Yes Lloyd, they were in an automatic turner thing, temp stayed stable and I followed instructions for humidity too. Aggie gave me a full list of instructions and a pile of books!
Hadn't thought of that Alison, makes sense though. 
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| lloyd |
Oh well, win some lose some. | ||
| Kathy |
They managed to see the thread I did on the other forum for them (via an Internet cafe) and are delighted with the 3 chicks. From what I've read about hatching chicks you have to be a bit philosophical as it's quite difficult to emulate a hen, takes time and experience to get it just right I think. | ||
| lloyd |
And in due course when they have a larger flock, this little hen will be more special due to the circumstances. | ||
| Becki |
I don't want to teach you how to suck eggs (ha ha) but I'm sure we had to stop turning them at some point? | ||
| Kathy |
Yes, Becki. we stopped turning 2 days before the due date! I really sweated over this one, kept reading and googling to make sure I was doing everything right, as Lloyd says, you win some you lose some.
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| lloyd |
These things happen, no use pondering it, just be glad for the little miracles that you have. | ||
| Kathy |
The little blighter had a hair hanging out of his mouth today, couldn't get it out so I hope it goes the way of all things that pass through a chicken's mouth.
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| Jojo |
When do you hand him back Kathy
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| Kathy |
Agapanthus and Muntjac come back on Tuesday I think Jojo. | ||
| Kathy |
Growing fast!
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| lloyd |
Is she a light Sussex? | ||
| Jojo |
She's very pretty
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| Kathy |
The yellow chick is male and I think Aggie said he's a leghorn. The blackies are Black Rock hens.
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| Libby |
How do you know so early, does he rattle??? | ||
| Kathy |
Someone on another forum said it was to do with the colour Libby.
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| Jojo |
So will they still want him Kathy,he won't lay eggs
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| Kathy |
Yes, Jojo, they were hoping for a cockerel.
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| Jojo |
Thats Lucky for him
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| Kathy |
Yes indeed!
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| lloyd |
Sexing young birds is very difficult, but a young cock can always make a very tasty meal once he starts crowing if you wish.
So when are Munty and Aggie going to post again then????
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| Kathy |
They're still on holiday Lloyd, due back today but not sure when they're picking up the chicks.
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| Kathy |
The chicks have gone.
Munty and Aggie got back today and collected chicks this evening. The living room is very quiet tonight without them. Having said that, the dogs are pleased, they haven't been allowed in there since the egg hatched!
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| lloyd |
Best get some more then, Kathy! | ||
| Kathy |
Love your avatar Lloyd!
Not getting any more at the moment, cute as they are, 4 is plenty for me!
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| nanny-now and forever |
well i have noticed that our new cockerell rooster cockburn is at last getting his claws under the table with the girls
i saw all of them disappearing into the shelter in the front paddock the other day and there was a lot of crowing going on in there so perhaps we will have some fertile eggs..... better make up my mind as to whether or not i want to start all that malarkey...... |
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| Cabbagepatch |
Of course you do Nanny, and Kathy, will all that space you really should increase your little flock.........
you both know it makes sense....... |
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| Kathy |
No no, don't start that again things happen when you say that..........................
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| Cabbagepatch |
But these things always happen for a reason............. ...............I'm gazing into my crystal ball.............................I see........................
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| Libby |
scary things by the look of the smileys
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| Kathy |
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