ORChick's Not-a-Journal

[BarredBuff]

Sorry for the loss, I lost a BO last week as well. The heat works on them worse for some reason

 

[ORChick]

Sorry for the loss, I lost a BO last week as well. The heat works on them worse for some reason

BB - sorry you lost yours, as well. The thing is, it hasn't been hot here; we even had to turn the heating back on the other day! (And we both actually prefer it a bit cooler than most people; it has been in the low '50's!) I don't know what happened, and probably never will. This is my first chicken death with no immediately discernible cause, so it troubles me. Most of the others were got by dogs; one from a hawk; and one I had to put down because she had a massive prolapse. Still, it happens; I know this, so am trying not to dwell on it. Some of the eggs under my broody are BO eggs (not from my girl; she had no access to the rooster), so maybe I'll get another girl.

BB - You have experience with Orpingtons - how are the roosters? I will probably keep one of the (hoped for) cockerels for the second coop. Are they generally a good choice, in your opinion?

 

[Denim Deb]

Sorry about your chicken.

 

[luvinlife offthegrid]

Sorry to hear about the chicken! I had one die in the fall. A few days before she passed, I noticed her comb and facial area were starting to lighten. She had a wry tail and was smaller than the rest, so I know something wasn't quite right with her. She just keeled over one day when the girls came to greet me when I got home. That morning her face and comb were a sickly gray, but she seems alert and was eating, etc.

 

[ORChick]

Beatrix the Broody has been sitting tight on her eggs, though over the course of the last few weeks 4 out of the eight got broken, and I occasionally found one or the other other of the remaining 4 not quite under her, and sort of cool to the touch. I have been giving her the benefit of the doubt, but really didn't expect much for this clutch. By my reckoning they should have hatched yesterday, and, when they didn't, I decided to leave them till tomorrow (just in case) and move her back into the coop then. However, late this afternoon I heard cheeping! And a little later saw one wee chick. There may be more, but I am quite thrilled (after all my doubts) that she has got at least one I did not candle them as I had planned, deciding instead just to let nature take its course. I was fairly certain that nothing was going to happen, and didn't want to upset her just to prove the point. So, I'll see what the final count is tomorrow, and also if she will be willing to get up and take a bit of exercise. She has been more or less immobile for 4 weeks, and could probably use a stretch.

 

[moolie]

So cool that she at least has one, I hope all the rest hatched too!

 

[ORChick]

Today there are 3 babies in the nest , with one unhatched. I'll give that one till tomorrow before taking it away. I'm so happy that all her hard work isn't for naught. One of the chicks is from a Buff Orpington egg that I got from my friend. I hope that one is a girl, to replace the BO that died a couple of months ago. DH just came in and said "3 chicks now? And all roosters!"

 

[moolie]

Funny guy, glad you got 3 and here's hoping for a 4th!

 

[ORChick]

It turned out to be just the 3. But that's OK. I was so sure that this would turn out to be a total failure that these 3 are just a thrill to watch as they hop about - when mom lets me see them at all, that is. They are all in the brooder box at present; tomorrow I will spend some time setting up a separate corner in the run for them.

 

[moolie]

Glad she managed to hatch 3, please post photos when you can see them all! What breed are they?