Hatchlings Happening!

[Karen]

Though we have had some mama hens - and a mama duck - brooding eggs, and Lola hatched nine chicks of her own, Lady Kathering had three, lost one and adopted the baby chicks we bought to bring to church down in Belmont, Massachusetts for Easter, we did end up buying an incubator last months, as we had eggs aplenty, and were not sure any of the hens would stay broody long enough to hatch any. Lady Katherine's chicks are older, and getting huge by the way!

Lola, who is a Rapa Nui hen, hid her nest until suddenly there were nine - three yellow, three black and three brown. Madeline has her own she is hatching, but we the humans are in charge of the incubator! Just had another one hatch that I got to discover, it is drying off and staying warm in the incubator currently.

So exciting here at the farm! And we have at least two duckings - Cardamom hatched three, but stepped on one.

[cats4ever]

That is really exciting!
Do you have some pictures of all those babies?

[Karen]

I keep trying, but normally they are too busy moving too fast! Will see what I can dig up!

[phesina]

Wow! Your family has grown, for sure!

Best wishes to all!!!

[Karen]

Thanks, dark now and everyone is sleeping, but will try for pictures tomorrow!

[Karen]

Okay, some pictures!

We do not give hatchlings names until they are in their full feather - too many hazards out there for them, and of course we don't really know them yet!

But here is what I managed to get:

Mama Cardamom - Muscovy Duck and her two ducklings:

[Karen]

A Rapa Nui chick and a Freedom ranger chick I think:

[Karen]

Four little fluffs:

[Karen]

Lady Katherine the Copperscotch and five of her eight - two are her own, the others she adopted when I bought them to take down to Boston for Easter Sunday:

[Karen]

Mama Lola, a Rapa Nui and her nine - yes 9 babies, three yellow, three black and three brown. She hid her nest away from everyone and everything, and we only found her when one of the chicks escaped and was halfway across the yard one day. Kermit figured out the direction it came from, and we waited until dark and got the whole clutch and mama to safety for a few days for them to get a bit bigger.

[Karen]

One new hatchling last night, but it was sadly too adventurous for its own good. It first wedged itself next to the incubator's heating element, and when I rescued it from there, it then got itself stuck, upside down, between the egg turner and the incubator wall, and injured itself badly in the process. I rescued it again, coddled t a little, but it passed away a while later, after I set it back in the incubator to dry out,



But everyone else is doing well today! And Millicent is finally getting broody, and sitting on her eggs at night, so maybe there will be more!

[cats4ever]

I am so sorry about that little baby! They are so fragile.
You have quite a hatchling nursery now. They're adorable!

[Karen]

Thank you. Kermit picked up four new Wynadotte chicks today, so the brooder is a little busier.

Millicent is not sitting on her nest tonight, so no idea if any of hers will hatch.

[phesina]

What wonderful additions to your family, Karen! Delightful!

[Karen]

Thanks. Millicent is now sitting on her nest again, and we'll keep her in there until there are babies - that's the plan anyway!