Day 21...............

[julesapple]

..................is tomorrow!

But three eggs have pipped and two are making noises. The other three are quiet, but maybe they'll pip overnight or tomorrow. Morag is sat tight, but tilting her head first one way then the other and listening intently. Very eggciting!!

Pics to follow as soon as it's possible!

Jules

[OverWyreGrower]

How exciting! I almost wish one of my other hens was broody then I could get more chicks!

[julesapple]

So far we have four little fluffball chicks, and one other pipping. I'm hoping the pipping one will make it as his egg had gone inside the empty shell of another and I think he's a bit tired.

No signs of hatching from the other three, although they were fertile at eight days. Still, we'll give it time as it's only day 21 today.

Jules

[SuzyB]

Jules how brillliant!

I've got til weekend to wait. Is it really obvious when they start pipping? Is it something you can hear or do you have to actually see it? My broody is finally behaving like a well behaved expectant mum, I hope all her hard work comes to fruition!

Dont forget to post photos!

[julesapple]

Jules how brillliant!

I've got til weekend to wait. Is it really obvious when they start pipping? Is it something you can hear or do you have to actually see it? My broody is finally behaving like a well behaved expectant mum, I hope all her hard work comes to fruition!

Dont forget to post photos!

You can see the pipping as it's a hole in the shell, but if you are very very quiet you can hear the chick scratching inside the shell before it pips. DD does this by lifting the egg to her ear and scratching the outside with her fingernail which usually results in an answering scratch. I prefer to just leave mum & eggs well alone after our last hatching experience. Having said that, I'm just going out now to peek at the pipping egg to see if it's made any progress.

Jules

[sheena]

Aww, well done Jules... can't wait for the piccies.

I still got 2 weeks to wait and also wondered about the pipping, thanks for the heads up.

I think the pressure of hatching is getting to me, i dreamt last night that 8 of my egg's got broken Was so relieved that they were all ok, had to get up and check, as you do!

[julesapple]

Out of the eight eggs; Five fluffballs, two that show nothing good under candling and one Marans egg we think still might do something if we're very lucky. Mum looks very pleased with herself.

All five fluffballs have good legs etc so that's a relief. I'll get a pic this afternoon, hopefully.

We candled our 21 bator eggs that are due in a fortnight. Not so good. None of my 6 Friesian Fowl eggs are fertile. 5/6 Blue Leghorns are fertile. 4/4 lucky dip Heinz 57's are fertile and we think that 4 out of 5 Coronation Sussex are fertile.

Under Daisy we think that 5/6 Coronations are definitely fertile and one Heinz 57. One egg got crushed last week so out of the remaining 8 we might get 6.

[jessmorris]

How exciting!!
I have 9 Pekins due this Sunday (day 19) but won't fuss mum as she's a proven decent brooder, and will try to resist peeking at the Pekins (some hope) until at least day 20!
By the way, my Maranses harched on days 22 and 23 (but the weather was COLD).
Good luck with the others and well done. Hurrah!

[julesapple]

How exciting!!
I have 9 Pekins due this Sunday (day 19) but won't fuss mum as she's a proven decent brooder, and will try to resist peeking at the Pekins (some hope) until at least day 20!
By the way, my Maranses harched on days 22 and 23 (but the weather was COLD).
Good luck with the others and well done. Hurrah!

Our weather has ranged from swelteringly hot to cold & cloudy whilst Morag has been sitting, and we've had some warm days with fairly chilly nights too. One Marans egg has already hatched, so I don't hold out huge hopes for this one but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt for a while yet.

Jules

[julesapple]

Here they are, our new additions. I don't think the other Marans egg is going to do anything, and the other two didn't develop properly.

Jules

[furball]

Sooo adorable, which is which, sorry to be so dumb

[julesapple]

The lemon ones are Light Sussex, the chipmunk ones are.....jings, I've forgotten, Welsummers...and the ginger is, I think, a Rhode Island Red. Although, there were two chocolate brown Marans eggs in there and one did hatch.......

I knew I should have pencilled everything on the eggs when we got them, but (stupidly) I thought I'd remember

Jules

[SuzyB]

Gorgeous! 'Chipmunk ones' made me laugh

[jessmorris]

Lovelies! (and very smart looking broody box!)

[RichmondHens]

They look lovely Jules. You always take the most brilliant pics.