My Marans eggs!

[matthew2riches]

Good things always come in threes so here is another of Nicos' pics

Those picutres remind me of when mine hatched

[Nicos]

Thanks Jeanied!

M2R....I was rather surprised at the little eyellow blotches behind 2 of their eyes- but noticed that seems pretty normal when I've Googled piccies!!

Did your babies have smaller outer toes too ?( the ones which are feathered???)....all mine seem to be about 1/2 the 'normal' length!!!

The 4 gals brooding together have squeezed into a 12x16" box together- and my other 2 which are still laying are clambering in amongst them to lay!! ( and yup- there are 3 other boxes free next to it for them to lay in!!

Will be separating them all in the next couple of days once the chicks seems established with Tippy Toes!

[matthew2riches]

Thanks Jeanied!

M2R....I was rather surprised at the little eyellow blotches behind 2 of their eyes- but noticed that seems pretty normal when I've Googled piccies!!

Did your babies have smaller outer toes too ?( the ones which are feathered???)....all mine seem to be about 1/2 the 'normal' length!!!

The 4 gals brooding together have squeezed into a 12x16" box together- and my other 2 which are still laying are clambering in amongst them to lay!! ( and yup- there are 3 other boxes free next to it for them to lay in!!

Will be separating them all in the next couple of days once the chicks seems established with Tippy Toes!

To be honest with you... i can't really remember what their feet were like

The blotches are fairly normal

[Nicos]

OMG!!!!!

you know I'm letting one of my gals sit on the 2 left over eggs-( which seemed to spend more time out in the cold than under mom)?????...well I'd decided to leave the eggs there until Monday and then chuck them!

Guess what- I just chucked mom out for a wee etc and listened to the eggs- and I HEARD A CHEEP!!!!! OMG....I can hardly believe that a chick could have survived that sort of neglect!!!

Next thing of course is to see whether it has developed properly and is strong enoughto get out of the shell!!!


Happy???...Me?????? you bet!!!!!

..watch this place!

[Suechooks]

Thats really wild!!!!!!!!! Fingers crossed!

[RichmondHens]

Wow, how much over the original date are they?

[Nicos]

One week!

Is the air volume inside the shell going to be a problem????

[Nicos]

OMG!!!!


Oh has just tucked them all away for the night cos we're off out- and he says it's pipping!!!!

Darn- I'll have to wait til morning now!!

fingers crossed peeps!

[Glutton4...]

Oh Nicos - how could you?


Leave us in suspense, I mean!!!!!

[Nicos]

Well- I rushed to check up on them....only to find that nothing has happened!!!

My OH meant he heard a tapping on the shell, and a cheep- but the shell hadn't started cracking.

But.....there's no signs of pipping still this morning.

The chick cheeped when I lifted the egg, so it's still alive ( no sound from the other one).

Oh dear- we have to play the waiting game again- and this time I'm concerned cos one of the first batch chipped a good 2" out of the shell ( in a line) and didn't make it out of the shell.

So- at any point should I interfere? Gut feeling is leave well alone- and expect to either lose the chick or be pleasantly surprised????

Maybe it's a boy- and had a good sleep overnight and will now get down to some hard work?

Hatching vibes to the chick please peeps!

[di]

Fingers crossed Nicos(again one of us has to get an 'odd egg' )
I had to do a considerable amount of helping out with our last batch,but felt obliged as they were in the incubator and it went a bit potty towards the end so felt it wasn't their fault they were struggling.I think I'd leave it to nature....but then I guess I didn't Boo
I guess the only useful thing I can say is Good Luck!xxx

[Nicos]

It's broken through the shell...now it just needs to chip away!!!!
...and the second one cheeped at me for the first time!!!!!

[di]

[shirlthegirl43]

Ooh, just read through this lot - what an easter you had!!

Good luck with the last two Nicos

[Nicos]

One 'difficult' hatching.
Couldn't get out of the shell cos the yolk sac was still stuck to it!!
Looked exhausted too.
Managed to carefully tear the membrane leaving the whole yolk sac attatched to the chick- and put her back under mom.

Came back 1/2 ago and checked on the little un and the yolk sac ( sp???) had gone. Chick nearly dry - so will check again in the morning

2nd egg...hadn't broken the shell after all
Anyway it's still cheeping- so expect something to happen tomorrow.

Problem is.... ( isn't there always one Di???).....I think the first one may have splayed feet. Will decide tomorrow- maybe it was something to do with the yolksac being there????
May need some help tomorrow peeps re splinting!!!! ( it's on shavings in the nest)

watch this space!!