Status Update on our 2013 Christmas Season Hatchlings….
Over the course of four days, our brood of seven hens and one rooster grew by three…you all welcomed, Loa Ri-dah, a few days ago (see previous post)…today I’d like to introduce you to Jag,
Top – Little “VW”, to the left – 1st hatched “Loa Ri-dah”, to the right – Jag
and sweet little, pure yellow VW, named after my daughter, Roni’s, little yellow bug.
Jag and Loa Ri-dah are Buff Orpington/Rhode Island Red crosses…while VW, at this point, looks like a pure Buff Orpington whose parents can only be Claudio (hen) and our gentleman rooster, Benedict….who by the way…is “DA MAN!!!”
If you remember, Chardonnay has been sitting on 14 eggs, she started with 7 and added 7 as that first week went on. Roni and I decided to candle the remaining eggs in the nest to get an idea of things to come, and if it seemed that there were more viable eggs. Due to the difference in time, it is hard to gauge when to take the eggs away and let Mama just go about raising the 3 that hatched. Candling is really cool! I hadn’t ever done this before, so I was quite amazed. Out of the 11 remaining eggs, 4 had not formed, but 7 had. Within each of those 7 eggs was a definite air pocket, and complete blackness indicating the growth of a chick.
A beautiful air pocket within this shell.
This egg is very full…close to hatching??
Whether or not the eggs are still viable at this point, only time will tell…we have a few more days for the next hatching window (actually from today through Christmas.) In the meantime, Chardonnay is loving on her babies…she is such a good Mama Hen! In the cold of winter, she provides a consistent place of warmth, and her babies know it.
Staying warm with Mama
Speaking of the cold, it has been a challenge. I am using long throw rugs to block drafts from the people door that leads from the main chicken room into the now revised people/brooder room. I’m using this same method for the people door that leads outdoors. By doing this, using a heat lamp, and an abundance of pine wood shavings, I think our little family is keeping warm and toasty. Chardonnay’s nest is in a bit of a covey not directly in line with the heat lamp, keeping it at a more moderate temperature for Mama. She seems to be thriving there.
I have been amazed at this entire process of our broody hen, however, one event holds a high amount of respect. Mama had been on the nest for a few days. I went in to check on the family, and found that she was off the nest…..and the eggs (11 at that point) had been moved…completely moved from her nesting area. Chardonnay moved her eggs directly under the heat lamp;
The seven developing eggs after candling, and removing the four nonviable eggs.
she and the babies were sitting away from them. I scratched my head thinking…”Maybe she feels it’s time to abandon the nest?” I decided to totally just clean her nesting area with new shavings and see if that made a difference. I went away for a little while, and lo and behold, when I returned, the eggs were back in their proper place, and Mama was back on the nest! UNBELIEVABLE! That was completely AWESOME…but then again, my little Chardonnay is completely AWESOME!!!
Build Me a Dream 
Comments on: "The Three Amigos" (4)
That is amazing Tami. Thanks for sharig all this stuff. You would never think that a Hen is that smart. Are the eggs small enough to fit in her beak? or did she have to use her tallons?
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She doesn’t seem to use her feet at all. From what I have seen, she moves them around the her head/ beak/neck combo. She doesn’t open her mouth…the eggs are as big as you buy in the store. She extends her neck, wraps her head/beak around and under the egg, then pulls them close in under herself. I’m not sure if that is what she did to move them under the heat lamp.
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This is so interesting! I am learning something new. Thanks for helping us to enjoy this with you!
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I’m so excited about all of this, there is no way I could keep it to myself!! Thank you for reading my posts!!
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