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This week was filled with new life in the form of hatching eggs. The Swedish Flower Hen broody had 6 SFH eggs to hatch out and the IncuView Incubator held 13 fertile Silver Gray Dorking eggs.
Broody SFH hen: 6 Swedish Flower Hen eggs
Monday night October 23, 2017: Broody hen 1, Incubator 0.
Tuesday morning she was hiding whatever she had. I decided to leave her alone. I could faintly hear at least one chick chirping above the multiple rooster crows. Another part of a shell appeared in front of her part way through the day
She stayed on the nest all day Tuesday. But one chick appeared in the evening.
On Wednesday morning she was off of the nest.
Oh the fluffy cuteness of newly hatched Swedish Flower Hen chicks.
I think she did good for a first time broody hen less than a year old. This hen sat on eggs for 5 weeks at least. She is being a good momma to her 3 chicks.
IncuView Incubator: 13 Silver Gray Dorking eggs
I found the first pip Monday afternoon shortly after 3 pm. Oh, I felt excitement. I always do when an egg pips! Now this rainy, dreary day had new life written into it.
It was Tue morning about 8:30 am before the piped egg hatched. There were 3 more eggs piped by this time.
The anticipation and excitement continued for the next day and a half.
As one or two would hatch a couple more would pip.
I kept a close watch and if one was not making progress and it had been several hours, then I helped out a little. Deciding to help has its benefits and heart aches. I have helped chicks out finding them perfectly normal. Some times there is a reason the chick is not making it out on its own. Those reasons are unpleasant. More on that in a future post.
Thursday morning I moved the chicks to their brooder pen in the house. This particular group of chicks will be going to a new home in a few days.
Hatching chicks keeps me young at heart. I never seem to tire of the beauty of new life in babies.
