two buff sussex chicks
I put eggs from three different suppliers from all over the country – courtesy of ebay! – in my old incubator on 5 March, and lo and behold, on 26 March the first one hatched.
She was a Buff Sussex, and for some reason it took nearly another day for the other Buff Sussex’s to hatch, and some of the Barnevelders and Marans, and by last night, 27 March, all that were going to hatch, had hatched!
barnvelder out of the incubator, and behind him is the maran (grey) and a buff sussex chick
So out of 18 eggs, I got about 11 chicks – still not sure because the move around so much I’m not sure which ones I’ve counted!
But its a good ratio, because sometimes, almost nothing hatches, because the eggs were infertile in the first place.
I am hoping to start a flock with these three breeds, which are the ones I like best, although there are plenty other rare breeds that are just as nice.
A crop from one of the group pictures
I had intended to photograph the eggs as they were hatching, but I seem to have killed my old camera, by pressing the card down on the pins, in the wrong position. Its annoying, because the rest of the camera works fine, but I doubt that it would be worth sending it off for repair, because someone would charge an arm and a leg to dismantle the camera and put some new pins in!
I didn’t even bother finding out – altho if anyone reading this
the group photo
knows of someone who could do the job – in the UK, I’d be glad to have their email address.
So, having sold some nice yarns to Romania and the USA in the last week, I decided to put the money to good use, and bought a basic digital camera. I felt bereft without one, I saw some wonderful pictures during the eclipse and I didn’t have anything to take them with!
But I think they will stay in my head, because the light was so special.
what’s outside this warm place?
I haven’t yet got my head round this new-fangled digital thing – see the stuff I wrote on the Julz Cards page – but I did manage to take a few pics of the chicks – they are between 1 and 3 days old – I will be moving them out of the incubator tomorrow, as you can see they were curious enough to come out already!
Hope you enjoy these, may take some more later, when I’ve got the hang of this new camera!
Linked to Clare & Deans photo of the week event:
the spare 
Such cute little fluffs of feathers! I will look forward to watching them grow!!
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will take some more photos soon – they are already changing – smile
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Oh my,
How cute these little fluffies are, and just in time for Easter.
Clare
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I agree with Elle, they are adorable, now! The grown ones are frightening…
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oh dear, another one who’s been frightened as a child!
There is a big difference between home reared cockerels, and those reared commercially.
I handle all my chicks from day one, say hallo to them, and its not daft. They get used to my voice, and to being touched – even the ones that are lucky enuf to have been hatched under a hen.
And I make sure I handle them, all through the growing period. If I have reared a huge cockerel, I can pick him up any time, and he won’t fight me, and if children are lucky enuf to be allowed to do the same, they won’t be frightened either.
Any kids that come to see them, I always give them a chick to hold for a few moments, and that thrill stays with them for the rest of their life! Pity neither you or Elle got that chance!
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I grew up in Boston, never met a chicken until I was in my thirties!
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I grew up in London and never met a chicken until I was in my 30’s either – the first ones I bought were from a local farmer, who saw me coming and got rid of all his ‘rubbish’ on me, including an aggressive cockerel – but I still loved having chickens – guess its just how you are!
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No, it was the experience I had with chickens in my thirties! Never to late to learn how chickens can be.
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OK, OK – can’t convince you!
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When my sister and I were little and at a fair in upstate New York, we were looking at the pigs. The farmer came by and was moving the sow out. He said, “Would you like to hold a piglet?” Of course we said yes, so he put us in among the piglets. They were not interested in being held and ran and squealed as we tried to “hold” one. The farmer and my parents laughed! We loved it and were so surprised at how fast and strong the small piglets were!
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So cute when they are that small but I’m still scared of the fully grown ones! ~Elle
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I remember – you told me about a cockerel chasing you when your were a child – its a pity you had such a bad experience – but at least you can look at them in virtual form here!
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