[tosca100]

After the disappointment on losing the whole clutch of silver laced wyandotte eggs when we first moved out, due to nightly storms putting out the electricity, we now have our first Shumen chick. So exciting. It is not related to our cockerel so we will be keeping it whatever it's sex, if it survives. Unfortunately, the first one to externally pip didn't get any further, though it looked perfect.

Our chick fighting it's way out, with the one which died behind it.


Aw bless

[splash101]

Congratulations, so exciting after the disappointment of the wyandottes.

[tosca100]

Two now.

[ANHBUC]

Crossing my fingers that they will be girls for you.   

[tosca100]

Crossing my fingers that they will be girls for you.   

Bless you. But I am a realist!

[New shoot]

 

If we all send 'let them be girls' vibes you never know   

[tosca100]

If we all send 'let them be girls' vibes you never know   

Worth a try, thanks.

[tosca100]

Well, that was almost a total disaster! Having to change incubators part way through hasn't done any good! The brand new incubator we bought before coming out here was a totally useless bit of kit, but unfortunately we couldn't find any reviews for it and went for the wrong one. Since then we have found one review from someone who had the same results as us.

In a nutshell, only the first chick has survived, and though it's a strong hen I don't know if it can survive much longer alone. We have been out to a local market to see if we could get a couple of buddies for it, but they were all older. We will try another market tomorrow but they are likely to be he same producers. Hopefully we will get at least one from the next hatch due on Sunday. I am hoping one of the hens will go broody next year, they do a much better job....though the ancient incubator we were given seems OK.

[ANHBUC]

Is the chick feeding and drinking?  If not encourage it to do so by using your finger to tap on the food and the water.  They usually get the hang of it fairly quickly, if not dip the tip of its beak in the water and it should drink.

I would not risk introducing chicks from an unknown source tosca, a chick can be fine on its own.  If there is only a week or so between the two hatches you should be able to introduce the older one.  You will have to give the new batch time to grow a little first but if they are in sight and sound of each other they should be ok.  The chirping of your new chick can also help to encourage your other eggs to hatch when they are ready.

Incubators are a bit hit and miss though as I bought the best I could afford.  It has an auto cradle and a humidity pump with auto controls but I have still had less success than with a broody.  Some of the fails looked as if the chicks were just too big and did not manage to turn so their beak could access the air sack for hatching.  Some meat bird eggs I bought in also did not make it and that could be down to needing even higher humidity as their shells were very strong.  It is frustrating when they develop and fall at the final hurdle but sometimes that is natures way of selecting stronger birds.

[tosca100]

Thanks ANHBUC. When we came back from the market OH put a mirror in with little chick as she was running around cheeping frantically (other chick went this morning) and it seems to have calmed it down a lot. The lamp will have to be adjusted but if it keeps her company for a week it will be worth it She is eating and drinking ok.

[ANHBUC]

I hope she makes it, she looks strong enough and a week will pass really quickly.

[tosca100]

Solo is doing well, OH says she flew yesterday!

Today three more are on the way, so we are chewing fingers and hoping there will be more by tonight.

[LittleRedHen]

I m so very happy for you!  I love the excitement of hatching chicks.  Good success at last!

[tosca100]

Ah....well....there seems to have been a mix up.

The Shumen lay white eggs, but one is brighter white than the other. The legbar crosses lay light brown eggs, but one lays very light eggs.

We have two black Shumen chicks with white bums, like Solo. Then one looks like a blue, like Dad.

The last one definitely has yellow on it. So not Shumen, but a legbar cross/shumen. Sneaky!

To be continued.............

[tosca100]

Three are now with Solo. We were going to keep them separate till they grew, but they are active and strong and Solo is already showing them how to eat. She is not much bigger than them, but has amazing feathers already. She still wants her mirror though and tried to fly out to get to it! The one with yellow on is still in the incubator as it hatched later and is still a bit wobbly, and it is yelling at no 5 to get a move on out of that shell!