PPPHatch Plan B . . . now what?

Do you remember those little fluffy chicks? Well they didn't stay that way for very long, a week later and they had sticky-out feathers; at three weeks they looked like this . . .

. . . quite a handful for big Black Cochin mother-hen, but she took it in her stride and looked after her brood of nine very lively chicks admirably – in fact I think she's the very best mother-hen we've ever seen!

It's now eight weeks since the chicks hatched, the Black Cochin hen is looking wistfully at her friends in the hen-run where she used to live, so my neighbour and I are making plans for the chicks' futures . . .

. . . and that's proving quite tricky! It's going to mean making some very difficult choices.

Nine chicks hatched:

2 Red Silkies – 1 x male / 1 x female ?

2 Marans – 1 x male / 1 x female ?

2 x Silver Partridge Pekin Bantams – 1 x male / 1 x female ?

3 x Lavender Araucanas – 2 x male / 1 x female

Have you spotted the problem yet? Yeah right! A lot of boys!!!!!

After a lot of pacing up and down, phone calls, text messages and sitting on a seat in my neighbours garden looking at the chicks and willing them to change sex, we have the start of a plan . . . and the first stage was to move all three Araucanas into my garden, so they can settle down and get used to being away from their mum.

We noticed that the Araucanas were growing and maturing much quicker than the other breeds; they are inquisitive and sociable; they love to perch on things and explore . . .

One of the boys is bigger and a slightly darker shade of dove-grey, someone in the village in interested in eventually giving him a home with their flock of hens. But he needs to grow a bit more before that happens, so he's staying with his brother and sister for a few more weeks.

The smaller boy and the girl are a cute pair, I'd like to keep them as a breeding pair . . . but there's a slight problem – our mature cockerel, Tarragon. Another difficult decision I'll have to face.

In the mean-time all three of them are settling down in their new home, and getting along just fine :-) After Tarragon, the senior under-gardeners and Spice Girls are in bed, the little Araucanas are allowed out of their small run to explore the lawn. They love catching insects!

They are also very enthusiastic apprentice under-gardeners! Did I want holes dug there? Mmmm :-/

Celia

x

Breakfast time in the coop

The Black Cochin hen is totally engrossed in teaching her new brood of nine chicks to peck their food – yes, the little weak chick is up and about with the others. I don't think any more words are necessary . . . I'll let you watch while I get down to work (a digital artwork commission for some rather diverse maps - I may be quiet for some time!)

In case you're wondering why there is a pretty blue gingham tablecloth in the coop – it's not just to make it look cute; tiny chicks' legs are very delicate and if their feet can't grip on the floor they skid and do the splits resulting in the bones setting at the wrong angle and a crippled chick; so a rough textured tea-towel makes a perfect floor covering for little feet.

Celia
x

PPPHatch Plan B - success?

Sadly the first PPPHatch was unsuccessful, despite being quietly confident that Tarragon was doing what cockerels should do (eggs supplied to a hen-keeper in a nearby village for her broody Buff Orpington resulted in two healthy chicks) he obviously hadn't been on target all the time! In fact I've noticed that his 'wifelets' spend the hour before bedtime (when he's pretty frisky!) sitting on the back rail of the garden seat . . . mmm? I think the honeymoon is over, don't you?

So, back to PPPHatch Plan B, my neighbour and owner of the lovely big fluffy Black Cochin decided that hatching eggs and sharing the resulting chicks between us was a good idea; she had a bevy of other broodies (I love Cochins but I'd forgotten what a pain they can be in summer) so while I was having fun in Holt she hatched Plan B.

Well, in fact it ended up as 'Plan B amended' . . . the initial idea was to obtain some Cochin hatching eggs, but unfortunately the Cochin breeder she visited had lost her flock to a fox attack, so my neighbour went in search of hatching eggs elsewhere and came back with a dozen mixed breed eggs. Faced with a clutch of eggs, one by one the new broodies had a reality check and decided they weren't interested!!!! However the lovely Black Cochin would-be mum was still determined. So after a fraught and stressful afternoon she was allowed to continue her vigil and sit on the knew clutch of eggs.

Now - please don't do this at home folks! Letting a hen sit for six weeks isn't to be recommended, but sometimes rules are there to be broken. Phone calls to various experienced hen-wives reassured us that if our broody was in good health we should let her carry on and go through another three weeks sitting. It was a risk, not least to her health, so we've been very careful to leave her undisturbed apart from ensuring she eats and drinks at least once a day.


I know that something has been happening behind that door this weekend, so let's have a peep inside . . .

The Black Cochin mum does look weary doesn't she? I do hope she's OK. This afternoon we hope she'll have a good stretch outside and a well deserved crop-full of food – and show us all her chicks :-) I wonder how many there are?

Celia
x

LATEST UPDATE:

12.30pm Monday 4th June
10 eggs reached the full term of incubation
There are 8 healthy chicks; 1 chick hatched but sadly died shortly afterwards and another is looking frail.

Black Cochin Mum has stretched her legs and we've washed her messy bottom feathers (not the most pleasant of jobs but very necessary) she had a walk about in the sunshine and dust bath! It looks as if she is being a good mum – she has been encouraging the chicks that hatched first to peck mashed hard-boiled egg and chick crumbs. All the chicks are now snuggled under her clean dry feathers in a clean fresh nest in the larger end of cleaned-out coop. We've left the door open a little and she has chick crumbs, fresh mashed egg and water nearby.

PPPHatch – Day 21

Three weeks ago Terry helped me to put 9 eggs under my neighbour's Black Cochin broody hen . . . 8 eggs remain (one broke and was unfertile) . . . what will happen in the next 48 hours?



Time will tell . . . success isn't guaranteed.

I've got my fingers crossed . . . and my toes . . .


Celia
x


LATEST . . .

16.50 Tues 7 June: The hen is clucking encouragements to the chicks inside the eggs – we can hear tiny scraping sounds of chick beaks on shell (she allowed us to very gently check 2 eggs).

20.20 Tues 7 June: No chicks yet... the hen has settled down for the night. We'll just have to wait until morning.

7.00 Wed 8 June: Still no chicks yet... checking again at 11.00... we don't want to disturb her too often. Not giving up hope yet – later today or tomorrow was my original guess for hatching.

11.15 Wed 8 June: No change... we're still waiting... 8 warm eggs under those cosy black fluffy feathers.

15.30 Wed 8 June: No change... we're still waiting... but we haven't given up.

08.30 Thurs 9 June: ditto... but all is not lost yet. I checked with the dates from a friend who had eggs from my flock to hatch, they were due on a Tuesday and actually hatched on the following Friday.

Sunday 12 June: Sadly none of the eggs hatched - which was very disappointing, but these things happen.

BUT – there are rumours that PPPHatch II is scheduled, so keep an eye on the blog over the next few weeks – you'll be the first to know ;-)

PPPHatch – the 3rd and final week

I've been very careful not to disturb the Black Cochin broody, she's in a shady quiet corner of my friend's garden. Over the past week she has got used to daily visits to attend to her needs, and we know she trusts us not to harm her or the precious eggs; this morning it was my turn to get her up for her breakfast – and today she allowed me to take some photos.

Last night she had 'melted' down so flat it was as if she had deflated, here she is this morning just waking up . . .


I gently lifted her off the eggs; I noticed that two eggs were cool – mmmm? maybe she knows these are infertile and had pushed them aside, we'll see what happens this evening.


She quickly tucked into her breakfast! She had a drink of cool water and shook herself like a Black Labrador does when it's wet :-) She stretched her legs and paced about a bit and scratched the grass – then she turned towards her nest.


She checked the eggs very carefully . . .


And rolled them towards her, tucking them under her soft breast feathers . . .



Here's a little video of her settling down for another day, 14 days completed, another 7 or 8 to go.

I mustn't count my chicks before they hatch, but I'm getting a tiny bit excited!

Celia
x


PS: Remember, you can click on the side-bar link and follow updates on Twitter #PPPHatch.