So after being gone over the weekend, I was really excited to check in on Lucy and Ethel. Monday night was one full week of sitting on their eggs. I was excited to candle them and see where they were at growth wise. I am happy to report that all 16 eggs are showing growth and movement. Lucy and Ethel are getting better about letting me check the eggs, they didn't even attempt to peck me. Just a little scream here and there.
With the eggs showing growth and movement, it is exciting to think about what is going on in there over the past few days. The embryos have now started developing a tongue and on the fifth day, their gender was determined...so I am hoping we have a lot of girls growing inside those eggs. The beak is also beginning to form. So much happening in such a small space in only 7 days. What really amazes me is that the hens can keep the temperature and humidity just right on those eggs. I have computerized incubators and can still have problems with incubating eggs. Mother Nature knows best. I am also impressed with how the hen rotate the eggs by moving their wings and belly just right...every so gently, so as not to crack the egg. The hens pluck their belly clean and use the feathers to add to the nest. Having their bellies clean of feathers allows the egg to be in direct contact with the skin. Simply amazing.
This past weekend, I was in snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park and met up with a lovely couple from Utah. We had lunch at Old Faithful together and spent a lot of time talking chicken. I think she might have the chicken bug...gotta love that!
For today I thought I would share a picture of some of the eggs I collect from my girls. I love how the size and color are all so different. Oh, and one more quick tidbit, if you like this blog, please join it by clicking the blue "Join this site" button on the right hand side of your screen. You will get an email notification every time I add a new entry. :)
So tonight under the cover of darkness my son and I went to candle the eggs to check for growth. So we started with Lucy. Lucy was originally given 8 eggs, numbered 1-8. The other day I found one of the eggs broken under her, so she is down to 7. Out of the seven I could clearly see spider veining in five of them. I left the other two, just in case I couldn't see the growth yet. Generally on or about day 3of incubation you can see what looks like a spider developing on the yolk when you hold the egg up to a bright light source. I use a Brinsea OvaScope. With some shells, especially darker brown and green ones it is difficult to see through the shell until there is more development. So while Lucy was not happy with me pulling the eggs out from under her super warm belly...especially with my cold hands, I was super happy to see all the veining.
Then on to Ethel. Now little miss Ethel...she is a fiery hen...she is very protective and lets me know with a quick sharp peck that she is not a fan of me. Well she had her butt facing the crate door, so I thought it would be perfect to go right in under her and pull the eggs out one at a time to candle them. So as I pulled one and then another out candling them, I would tell the results to my son who was diligently taking notes and petting his favorite rooster. Ethel was originally given 8 eggs as well, lettered A-H. I ended up finding one that didn't have a letter, a green egg..not sure where she got it, if she stole it or if another hen got in the crate and layed it one of the times I had it open for Ethel to get out and stretch her legs and use the facilities. So she has nine eggs now and of the nine, seven are showing growth. So I am quite pleased with my fertility rate.
Well I was just pulling the last egg out when Ethel decided she had had enough for the night. She stood up and started to turn around to peck me when she let loose of the biggest broody poop I have ever seen. This was an epic chicken crap! Likely for me, she was turning her head towards me, which meant her butt turned away from me and narrowly missed landing on my hand and the egg I was trying to get out from under her. I said "Oh my, that was just a huge broody poop, Ethel...and a stinky one!" About 20 seconds later, the smell hit Alex...."Mom, what is that smell? It is is sick!" I was laughing and Ethel was not amused at all.
So what is a broody poop you ask??? Well a chicken poops on average once every hour (geese poop about once every ten minutes...ewwww gross). But when a hen is broody, her job is to heat those eggs and protect them. So she holds in her poops...for very long periods of time. Especially at the beginning and ending of the three week sitting cycle. So these girls have not really gotten off of the eggs since Monday night....So when I disturbed her enough and she stood up, naturally she could not hold it anymore and she let go of at least 24 hours of poop! Alex had to go out of the coop...I thought he was going to vomit...and I have the weaker stomach. You know how you can change your own kids diaper and it doesn't bother you...well it must be like that for me with the chickens. I can gag over the dog or cat poop, but the chickens don't bother me. Imagine that!
So what is happening as far as growth in those eggs so far? Well during the 25th hour the heart began to form and ten hours later the ears started to form. At 42 hours the heart began to beat. Awe...pumping of the blood...amazing. From breakfast food to a beating heart in 42 hours. At 60 hours the nose begins to form and by 62 the legs begin forming. Finally during day three the wings begin to form. It still amazes me how the hen knows and can regulate the temperature under her belly and keep the eggs rotated so the eggs form just right...and on schedule.
Just a quick update on the broody girls and their eggs:
They have been named, thank you Mary for the great suggestions of Lucy and Ethel!!!
Last night when I checked on them I noticed one of Lucy's eggs was out from under her and off to the side. I reached in to tuck it under here and discovered it was broken. It was egg number 6, so she is now down to 7 eggs under her, but all the others seemed fine. This egg did appear to be a bit softer in the shell than others, so perhaps she broke it on purpose to eliminate it. Ethel has all of hers and is super protective...I love how she screams at me when I try to check in on her. Her eggs are lettered...this will help me keep better track of them.
So lets talk about egg development. My plan is to share how and what is developing within the egg/embryo over the next three weeks. Provided the egg has been fertilized, a lot happens in the first 24 hours under the hen or in an incubator. By hour 20 there is already enough cell growth that there is a beginning appearance of a vertebra and within just a few more hours the head is beginning to form. At the end of 24 hours, the eyes are starting to form. Of course, this is all microscopic and we will not be able to see anything for a few more days. Amazing, that this all happens so quickly.
What is more impressive to me is that a chicken can regulate the temperature under her so that each egg stays at the right temperature and is provided with the proper humidity to grow. Mother Nature is impressive.
I will candle them tomorrow night, and hopefully I will be able to see some spider veining. Then I will know for sure which ones are fertile. I would be super pleased with a 50% hatch rate. So keep your fingers crossed.
Here is a picture of Ethel, right after I gave her eggs...she was scooting them under her belly. I think she is going to be a great momma...she is very protective.
Wow, it sure has been a long time since I posted a new entry. I have been encouraged to get back to it, so that is what I am going to do. And what could be a better time than today...you see, because today I am allowing two broody hens to get to work and hatch some spring chicks.
So this morning we did a rough cleaning of both coops. I don't like to do deep cleaning in the winter because all of that built up poop and bedding makes for very nice insulation, but we did take some out and added in new bedding. When the coops were all cleaned and the chickens approved I set up two dog crates and moved the broody mommas from their high nesting boxes to the dog crates. Why do they always pick the most inappropriate nesting boxes??? Silly girls! So I am doing a little test with them for the next 24 hours or so. I gave them a few eggs to sit on today and I want to see how serious they are about sitting. In the past I have had girls sit for a few days, lose interest and quit. So before I decide just how many and which ones they will get for a full incubation, I will test them first.
Right now, all of my flock is running together, so it is hard to determine fertility rate and all the chicks will be mixed breeds...but that is okay, there is a lot to be said about hybrid vigor. My neighbor needs some chicks to replenish her flock, and she doesn't care if they are mutts. So I think I will give each hen about 8-10 eggs each and hope for a 50% hatch rate. Since there is not a way to determine if an egg is fertile without cracking it open, we just have to hope for the best. It is all part of the fun of it.
So here are the broody girls.
Both of these girls are Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. I got them at the same time last year as day old chicks. I like to think of them as sisters. As you can see the girl in the top photo has more blue in her coloring and the one below has more red. They need names...I have always just referred to them as the Blue Laced Sisters. So if you have suggestions for names, we would love to hear them.
And finally, here is a picture of Lou, my little white Silkie hen...I believe she is about to lay her first egg. She gets in the box for a while, gets out and sings and then gets back in the box. I just love her and would love to have more Silkies.
