The first egg hatched on the 12th, a cute full of fluff half Leghorn and half Turken. (Hatched from a white egg, only hen at the time laying a white egg was the Leghorn).
Such personality at only 12hrs old!
The next 2 eggs hatched the next day, both full Turkens! Sadly one of them I knew wasn't going to last very long. It wasn't healthy looking, looked a little deformed. Had no fluff on the top of its head and I was not able to see the eyes. I think it was blind.
The 3 babies together, Middle one is the unhealthy one. I think the Turken ones were only a few hours old and the fluffy one was 24 hours old.
The unhealthy baby did pass when it was about 18 hours old. I was in a way glad to see it go, as it would be difficult for it to live and survive without seeing, but sad to see one of the babies go.
At the time of the picture taken, this cute fluff ball was 72 hrs old
This little unique one was 48 hrs old at the time when the picture was taken.
Sadly it was the last picture I will get of fluff ball. On Sunday morning when I opened the pen both babies were still in the pen with the mother. That afternoon, fluff ball was missing. There was no evidents of the baby in the pen, almost like it vanished. I figured a cat climbed into the pen and got the baby. That evening, I measured, cut, and pinned together a trampoline net. Just needed to sew it together in the morning and attached to the pen to save the last baby.
Opening the pen this morning and baby was still with the mother. I was going to get a few things done in the house and then get the netting sewn together and put up. I went to go check on them a few hours later and the last baby was gone. Again a cat got to it.
No more baby chicks. I'm a little upset and bummed that they are gone. I am going to be better prepared for the next time that I let a hen sit on eggs.
This whole thing has been a great learning experience and I have learned a lot. The mother was a great mother. She hardly ever got off the eggs and was so protective of the chicks when I went in to see how things were going. I know now from experience that Turkens are very good setters and mothers. ( I did read after I let her sit, that Turkens are good setters.)
If there is another hen that becomes broody within the next week or so, I will be letting her sit on eggs. I will be picking and choosing what eggs I will let a hen sit on. My new to me hens are just now letting the rooster come close and they lay white eggs, same as the Leghorn. So all brown eggs (from the Turkens) will be under the hen as I know that those will be fertile. I will put about 10-12 eggs in the nesting box for the next hen, only if it is this week or next. That way when the eggs hatch it will be middle to the end of September, in time before it gets to cold and hopefully they will be old enough and can handle the cold. If no hen is broody then, maybe there will be one the end of February. Would love to have baby chicks in time for Easter for the kids!!
The last picture of both babies together.
Even though I am upset about losing both of the baby chicks, I am proud of myself for even getting to the point of the eggs hatching (well, the mother hen did that, but me caring and watching over them) And I am looking forward to the next batch of eggs to hatch whether it be this year (fingers crossed for this year, maybe an early birthday present for me!!) or next year!! I am ready for them and will be better prepared to keep them all safe!!
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