# We have babies!!!!



## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

Willow, our partridge Cochin bantam has been setting on 3 eggs for the past almost 3 weeks, and today is day 20 for one of the eggs. I checked on her today and she must've known its lock-down time because she deposited the biggest crap I've ever seen on top of her nest box. It stunk!

Normally I would not move her at this point, but the poo was right on top of the nest box and it REALLY stunk! So I filled a dish pan with pine shavings, used a large plastic serving spoon to move each egg into the new nest so I could at least scrape the top of her nest box off. That was when I heard the peeps coming from the egg that was laid on 7/5. The other 2 were from 7/7. There was a hole in the egg and I saw a beak and lots of peeps. It would've been so much more convenient to just have her in the dish pan, but she was not having it. So I went and scraped off the poop and moved them all back to the original nest.

I can't wait to meet them! Those are not her eggs. They are regualar eggs. 2 came from a black copper Marans and one came from a white leghorn. The rooster is a white silkie, so they will be interesting combinations.


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Awww, babies!!! How eggciting! Can't wait for pics.


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

Is it normal for the hen to 'help' the chick break out? There was only a couple of holes a few hours ago. Now the chick is out and the hen has egg shell stuck to her beak. Will the chick make it?


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Looks like momma pecked a little to early or to hard. That looks like an awful lot of blood loss.


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

Apyl said:


> Looks like momma pecked a little to early or to hard. That looks like an awful lot of blood loss.


So is it bad? There's no blood around though. The momma ate the membrane and slimy stuff.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

As long as the chick is alive and moving its fine. I only mentioned it cause there is a blood vessel that runs over the air sack and if they are forced out to early the blood loss can to much.


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

Apyl said:


> As long as the chick is alive and moving its fine. I only mentioned it cause there is a blood vessel that runs over the air sack and if they are forced out to early the blood loss can to much.


It's not moving around much, but it's chirping every few minutes (loudly) and it looks like it was trying to move it's head.


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

New update:

Here is a picture of the baby I took this morning. I think maybe the baby hatched too early. It's moving around a lot and chirping a lot, but its eyes are not open and it has a red chunk of what looks like an umbilical cord stuck to her abdomen. 

Any advise? It is moving and vocalizing a lot that it sounds healthy to me, but that red lump scares me.

I've attached a couple of pictures to show you all. I moved the baby so I could take the pictures. I used a large plastic spoon and never touched it.


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

Update:

I said a little prayer to either have the chick live to take it now, and a few moments later the chick was not breathing anymore. So this one did not survive. I think the hen helped it too early.

The 2nd egg is now hatching. It has already pipped all around the entire circle, with a hole big enough to see its beak. That egg was also laid on 7/5 and this is day 21. Lets hope for the best.


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

2nd chick hatched out sometime in the middle of the night. It is much healthier looking. This one is a white leghorn and white silkie mix. It has the black skin of the silkie as well as feathered feet and 5 toes. 

It is doing very well and the hen is tucking it under her wing while she waits on the last egg to hatch.


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Sorry for your loss. The first chick definitely was hatched before it was ready. The red is the insides and umbilical cord spot which usually absorbs back into the body right before they hatch. By the mom breaking the egg open it made the baby hatch to early. This is exactly why I always advise against people helping when they are incubating and such. Especially when they are worried it taking to long. Nature knows exactly when and how long these babies need to hatch strong and healthy. 

Also congrats on the new baby, so fluffy and cute !


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

The last chick has hatched!! It is a black copper Marans and white silkie mix. It also has the black feathered feet and 5 toes


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

Here are pictures of the chicks. They are doing great.


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## Chicka-Js (May 3, 2013)

Soo cute!!


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## jennifer (May 14, 2013)

Maran and silkie? Cool! What color will the eggs be?


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## Elfinworld (Jul 11, 2013)

jennifer said:


> Maran and silkie? Cool! What color will the eggs be?


I have no idea. They are only 2 weeks old this Saturday. It'll be a while yet before they lay......or crow


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