Currently only have the following two birds on eggs...unintentional breeding, no nest box up. Their nest box is the cage floor. Elly (hen, normal mauve) and Sunshine (cock, olive dominant pied.) Seven egs in nest...some are definately ertile...others are definately not. I failed to write down the dates they were all layed so will leave them with her until end of January before removing them. Not holding out much hope that this will be successful with her choice of nesting spot.

 

 

(Please tell me I sized them correctly this time! )

(Please tell me I sized them correctly this time! )

 

Perfect

Well, DF, I for one am excited for you!

 

There have been others who have successfully raised clutches on the cage floor. Yours could turn out fine.

 

At least they have you looking out and trying to help them. For instance, I think putting the concave down made a big difference for Elly.

 

You said you didn't write down when the eggs were laid, but do you have an idea of when she started sitting?

 

I reccomend this: say "I'm sure I still have a couple of days before any hatch." So far it has worked for me, and both times there was a chick almost immediately after I uttered this phrase!

 

 

I am expecting good things for you, and will be eagerly following this topic!

Thanks Finnie

 

I wish I'd kept an online breeding journal for last yeaars breeding. The pictorial progression would have been great. I'm already starting to eye up potential pairs for this spring. Most of my birds are not ones I've bred myself so I have no idea of their parentage and what they might be split to so it's very exciting when you see new chicks with mutions you didn't expect! Like Christmas in the breeding room ...the eggs are like neatly wrapped surprises!

Edited January 11, 201015 yr by KAZ

I know what you mean. I have about 11 young birds that I'm looking forward to breeding in September, and seeing what they produce. One is a yellow DEC, and one is a yellow DF spangle, and almost every day I look at them and wonder "what are you really?"

Sadly...still not much to report...I think only one of 7 remains fertile. I'll leave them with her a while longer but losing hope. Sad to see her trying so hard having taken such a difficult path.

I can't believe it!!!! One egg has hatched! Just hope it makes it through the night. I've turned up the heat in the room to try to help her keep the chick warm. Keep your fingers crossed and send good vibes!

I can't believe it!!!! One egg has hatched! Just hope it makes it through the night. I've turned up the heat in the room to try to help her keep the chick warm. Keep your fingers crossed and send good vibes!

Best of luck with your chickie baby

 

 

Have to laugh at you turning up the heat and here we are sweltering in over 107 degrees F

I can't believe it!!!! One egg has hatched! Just hope it makes it through the night. I've turned up the heat in the room to try to help her keep the chick warm. Keep your fingers crossed and send good vibes!

 

 

Yay for the chick!

Well, it's mid day and the chick has made it through the night!!!!

 

But it was a night to remember....Huge windstorm blew in just after midnight and wreaked havoc. 300 foot firs down over powerlines and roads all over the place. The power was out all night and the house got really cold so I laid there worried about the little chick all night. The electricty was out for probably about 9 or 10 hours. The schools were all closed, roads closed and ferries shut down. My ex husbands house was hit by a falling tree at about 2 am ...ripped off his gutters then went on to land on his boat, his truck and his SUV!!!

 

But it's gorgeous now! Sun is shining, chicky is all warm again and peeping under it's mama. Life is good!

Good!

well all in all the only thing that matters is the one little chick that suvived through it all

mabe storm or rain could be name options

My ex husbands house was hit by a falling tree at about 2 am ...ripped off his gutters then went on to land on his boat, his truck and his SUV!!!

 

 

Is this a good thing?

My ex husbands house was hit by a falling tree at about 2 am ...ripped off his gutters then went on to land on his boat, his truck and his SUV!!!

 

 

Is this a good thing?

 

LOL...nah...our family and his family are all good friends

Congratulations on your "new-born"!

 

Yes, keeping a journal is great fun and you learn loads from doing so. The times I have been diligent enough to do so I have found it very educational. Members input has made me question things and review some things.

okay...Little chick is doing great...full crop, good colour and fairly active...three days old now. But it looks like I might have a new problem brewing between the parents. When I came home tonight the cock has a bit of dried blood on the side of his face under his eye (not from the eye itself) and I thought there might have been a faint mark on the hen's abdomen but she wouldn't let me look. My firt instinct is to separate them just in case but here are my concerns:

 

1. The male seems so instrumental in the care of the hen and chicks especially around feeding and with the odds already stacked against them I'd hate to make it harder for the hen...no nestbox and all.

2 This pair is not in any way hand tamed...they were rehomed to me as abandoned birds and if I try to get him out there is going to be a huge amount of flapping and flying and chasing and I am worried the baby is going to get hurt in the fray.

 

I'm desperate for advice!!!!!!

I don't know what to tell you. Maybe someone more experienced will come on. At first glance, I think you should leave them together, and keep an eye out. Maybe it is an isolated incident. Plus it's getting late now in Canada, and this probably isn't a good time to move the father around to another cage.

 

With only one chick, the mother would probably be okay feeding it, but maybe not if her mate leaves, and all she cares about is getting him back.

 

Maybe you can just leave it as is until morning, and by then, others with more experience might have better advice for you.

That is the position I've taken for tonight Finnie. Problem is I'm at work all day tomorrow can't am unable to watch them closely.

Get a family member to watch them? If you removed the daddy, well I'm not an expert but the chick might starve seeing as the hen has to feed herself?

Well, DF, I can't believe more people aren't answering this. Maybe if you bring it up as a separate topic, you will get more advice. My concern is more that the hen will abandon the chick if she starts calling for her partner. But maybe this is groundless.

Edited January 21, 201015 yr by Finnie

I guess I was wrong with my last assessment of the other 6 eggs and thinking they'd become no longer viable....2 more chicks hatched today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sadly, one has passed :grouphug: but the other is active and a nice healthy pink colour. To see the first chick so large compared to the newest gave me great hope and now I know the chick is being fed well.

 

And it doesn't seem that either of the parents has attacked the other today so that's good too!

 

I will just be very relieved when the chicks can come out of there and I can split up the adult birds.

Sorry about the loss of your little one, but congratulations on another pinkie!! :grouphug:

Congrats on your newest baby... sorry to hear your loss... We all have to take the good with bad, sad at times... We all know... Hope all goes well though...

My goodness...to my amazement, a fourth egg hatched this afternoon!!!! Here is a couple of pictures of my three adorable chicks!

 

 

They truly are my miracle chicks! I never thought we'd see any of them hatch :fear

Awwww