Meet the 2015 hatch!!

Miss Marigold has been broody all Spring so I thought I would let her hatch out some chicks. Here's the best part, she now has 3 new baby chicks AND a Pekin duck!! Follow through on the amazing journey of hatching with a hen! The wonder of hatching is an experience you would never want to miss!!

before I gave her hatching eggs I moved her to a dog crate, in the separated part of the coop. I made sure she had enough straw and checked on her to see if she excepted the new location. She did!! I snuck under 10 eggs, freedom rangers, 1 polish from Cruella, my top hatter, and 1 Pekin duck. Yes I did say duck!! Hens of chickens and turkeys have all successfully hatched out ducks, so I felt good that she would make a great mother.

 

 Marigold is a Buff Orpington, which make the best mothers and brooders in my case. After she accepted the eggs with no problem, I made sure she had food and water near her. I give the mother hen chick starter, which is high in protein, helping her since she gets of the nest once or twice a day. Now time to sit back and enjoy the incubation then the hatch!

WEEK 1

duck egg

Week 1: you can see little vein development and see the embryo move.

Week 2





Week 3: you can see lots of development and see a faint outline of the duckling inside.

 
 
 
 
 



 



Hatch Date




One of the chicken eggs first pip




Few hours after external pip







Baby chick after hatching



 

 

Baby duck hatched and fluffed up after hatch

 

 

Shell from duckling

Marigold and her Brood

Caring for Marigold and her brood has been very easy lately. Just gave her the duck house as a broody enclose, and provided chick starter and sugar water.

Mixing sugar into the chicks water helps boost their enegy

Mixing  3 1/4 tsp of sugar in the water helps boost your chicks energy

I am giving Marigold chick starter, because chicks should not eat layer feed, as it might damage their kidneys. I also make it a habit to give them fresh greens and water melon, all which the chicks enjoy!! Adding herbs and herbal therapy is also what I give them.  

 

 

 

Hen teaching her babies what's good to eat and drink

 

 

 

 











 

 

Welcome into the world, 2015 Hatchlings!!