chicks, big and small

Last weekend saw our second blue marans hatch – this time twelve. Little disappointed as we set twenty four eggs – never had such a low rate – but we were breeding from a particular breeding group and eggs were limited, and we did set some eggs that were on the old side… maybe that was the reason?  The fertility was high, but they didn’t pip.  We also invested in a turning cradle, as turning the eggs five times a day is a bit of a commitment and makes going out for the day difficult.. so maybe it was that?  Dunno yet.. but twelve is still a good crowd.

Thankfully, we had a broody hen (well three  - like buses they call come at the same time), and we slipped the twelve chicks under our tried and tested broody who accepted them as her own – once again she sat on a plastic egg for a week and hatched 12 offspring and is sure she is very clever!

I do like seeing chicks being raised by a hen, she is so careful with them, taking them inside when it rains, and scratching the ground for worms, with a well practised routine she steps forward, the chicks rush away, she scratches the ground, finds some worms, they all rush in an scoff… and repeat.  These chicks are on a high protein diet thanks to her.

Meanwhile the first hatch are looking good and like mini chickens at at seven weeks, and very happy in their large grassy run.  In this hatch we have two gold tops, which we are naming Enid and Edna as this year is E and we plan to keep them.  The reason we have these is for broody hen futures, my old broodies are knocking on and I am told a Goldtop – which is a gold silkie x light sussex is a good bet for a broody – The silkies are notorious for their brooding, but crossed with a larger hen, are a more sensible size with more sensible feathers etc…

I’ve never seen the attraction of silkies – I like ‘proper looking chickens’ – but actually these goldtops are great looking, and very friendly, so I might be a convert.

With so much more going on for us this year, we decided on just one hatch, so obviously the second hatch is a figment of our imaginations. As is the third in the incubator, the duckling situation, and the meat bird chicks on order. Obviously….

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chicks in a trug

A few days ago we had our second (last?) hatch of the year, 15/16 – and they fairly charged out of their eggshells, unlike the last hatch which was a bit slow and troublesome.  This lot are crossbreeds, all from the blue marans cockerel, and crossed with welsummers and welsummerxbuff leghorn.

Partly I just wanted to see what colour combinations we got – I spend a fair bit of time playing with this genetic predictor program - I could get very nerdy and into chicken genetics…     and partly the ongoing quest to find the best combination to get replacement laying hens and decent weight cockerels at 20 weeks.  A lot of the heavier meat birds seem to need a big longer, but 20 weeks is our limit on listening to multiple cock crowing.

I was cleaning their box out today (lack of broodies means these will be hand reared), and put them in the trug on the windowsill whilst room service was going on, and they looked so cute peering out  at the world, that I could not resist taking a picture.

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first hatch

We had figured on our first hatch of the year being muscovy ducks. But the due date came and went.  It is a bit tricky to decide when they start sitting, as they seem to sit some of the time for a while before getting on with it properly. But we are a week over now.. and doubtful of a happy outcome now.  The problem is poor Chloe chose a really difficult time for her brood – she was laying the first of the eggs in the heat wave, and since then we have had all weathers thrown at us – and if the due date was right and it was last week, that was when the Westcountry had floods, the rain was a downpour, and maybe too much wet and cold got into the nest?  We did some egg post mortems – two were bad, and one had a fully formed duckling.  So.. we might have commited duckicide.. or it might have been doomed by the weather.  We are giving her a few more days.

In happier news, the first chick hatch of the year is here. After waiting and waiting for a broody, I finally gave in and set some eggs in the incubator, all from my blue marans crowd.

And just in the nick of time Ginger-Whitey became broody – I was dubious about trying to foster onto her as she had only been sitting tight four days when we slipped 15 chicks under her, but we used her as a broody last year, so I knew she was fairly reliable and  as soon as the first had rummaged under for the warmth, she was clucking at it and giving us a hard time for touching her chicks!. She has been out in today’s sunshine with them today, and they are adorable as always.

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fostering chicks at midnight

New chicks hatched – and a really good hatch this time – we had 22/23 (blanks removed on candling ).  This hatch was made up of half of our eggs – crossbreeds and welsummers, and half blue marans.

Blue marans don’t breed true, so you get a mixture of blue and splash.  It looks like we have one definitely blue, and the pale dirty white one will probably end up splash, the rest.. being blue with white chests, I’m not sure – I’ve had black hens that started with white chests, chicks seem to go through several colour changes before adulthood, so we shall see.  I plan to breed blue marans.  Then again I also plan to breed cuckoo marans and continue with welsummers and I only have two runs.  And have yet to build the second hen house…

Had hoped to get them all under one of our broodies, as that would just mean one pen, but 22 might be pushing it, and we have two sitting on fake eggs.  So late last night (dusk would have done but we were not home at dusk), we were out there in the blowing wind with a couple of shoe boxes full of fluffy chicks and torches, and popped eleven under each foster mum.

Always an anxious moment, as she could turn on the chicks and kill them, but..  general clucking followed, so we retreated.

This morning, well I have not had a head count, and got a peck just from lifting a wing to take a peek! – but there are no bodies!, and I saw a few heads emerge from the feathers.  So far so good.

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mixed up day

A bit of everything sort of day.

The day started with the arrival of the first chick hatching (I told himself I could hear chirping), Home education first thing, including driving my son to his course, then back to count the chicks.. 4 by then.

Out to check on the animals.  Am very glad we have sheared the sheep, as today was hot – and yesterday we had rain.  Not the useful fill water butts type.. just the get the wool wet and attract flies type..

The ducklings (nearly ducks) denied having been in their swimming pool.. funny since they were wet.. and the pool muddy and water everywhere.  We still haven’t moved the muscovy ducks in, we thought we should give the ducklings a moment before introducing something else to be scared of.  That and muscovy ducks have claws and we will have to carry them.  Chloe is still sitting tight on her nest, so we shall leave her in situ.

I made more rhubarb cordial, and we picked elderflowers to make more champagne and cordial, and I moved lots and lots of plants out of the greenhouse to harden off. Mostly because of lack of space in greenhouse as I plant the last of the tomatoes.  I think I shall end up bringing them back in later in the week as there are strong winds forecast.

We planted the last of the peas – hurrah! definitely sick of the sight of them now after all that sowing and planting and pea sticks poking you etc.

A walk with himself in the evening, in an effort to strike that work life balance thingy.. and to appreciate what a lovely place we live in.

Tea of home made spaghetti puttenesca (pasta made with a mix of duck and hens eggs!) and then we cracked and opened the incubator as there were so many chicks charging about it seemed a good idea.  Eleven out, more pipping.

And then the watering of the greenhouses and pots.. which seem to take longer every day. Fortunately it is light until past nine now.

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dusk

We’ve reached a certain point in the season, we were pushing out our evening meal later and later, now we stop to eat, before going back out to again, to do just a big more on the duck run, or digging or watering, before the light fades.

I’m just in from putting the birds to bed.  The ducklings take themselves to their little shelter in their pen, and I just have to slide the ‘door’ over the hole.  The broody and her chicks went to bed long ago, and the broodies sitting on their plastic eggs stay put.  The older hens were just arguing over the best bit of perch, but the teenagers, our ten week old chicks  - looking like mini hens and cockerels were still faffing about – they all want to settle down just in the pop hole, and eventually the last few cant get it.  I have to go and shovel them further in, and then in the excitement the very friendly cuckoo marans come to see if they can perch on me for the night.. Eventually there are all shovelled gently in, although if we leave it they do eventually work it out by themselves.

The Muscovy ducks usually perch for the night on the trailer , but tonight as with yesterday night, Capt Speck sleeps alone.  Chloe has been laying eggs in the house, and has been sitting on them since this afternoon – typical because we are just about to move them to duck run phase 2.  If she is serious about sitting, then we shall fence her off in that corner and leave her to it.  Janey from Hedgecombers tells me they often give up in their first year.. so we shall see.  I think Clarissa is making a nest under the trailer….

Walking back up to the house I’m hit with a fugg of scent.  This too goes in turns, a little while back it was the hawthorn blossom, followed by the lilacs, but now it is the mock orange and honey suckle.

And in now for what is left of the evening.

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seven little chicks

Another two broodies.. one sitting on plastic eggs (and I hope to foster some chicks onto later) one sulking in isolation.
Meanwhile, ginger whitey has hatched seven little chicks. Not all shown, as they would not stand in line..
I was greeted this afternoon by the hens and a chick.. who had obviously gone to some trouble to get out of the pen… it rushed over with the big hens enthusiastically. I caught it and then had trouble putting it back in as the mother hen was sure I was a chick nabber, and was all defensive..

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chicks

We have chicks hatching – 15 out. maybe more to come.  Probably a mistake to put two breeds in the one incubator, as the barnevelders rushed out, and the marans.. well.. didn’t.  They are supposed to take longer to hatch, and have a harder time hatching as their shells are thicker and more waterproof.  So having loads of chicks hatching around them and messing up the humidity and temperature, then of course I have to turf the chicks out after 24 hours..

Still, we shall see. Meantime 15 is a good crowd, we have barnevelders, cuckoo marans and some welsummers.  Alvin, our welsummer cockerel is not doing so well, so we hope to breed a replacement.

Nothing so cheering as a day old chick.

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