34. Just Hatched!

Amazing, amazing, AMAZING!!

We incubated 12 eggs, 5 blue/green Ameraucana and 7 brown Cochin, Astraulorp, and Black Star. ALL 12 Hatched!!! After hand turning the eggs 3 times a day and maintaining the temperature and water levels inside, they began to pip (poke holes), zip (cut a line of holes across the shell) and hatch 19 days after incubation. Wow!

The baby chicks are now all settled in a brooder fabricated out of a clear plastic storage bin and a red heat lamp. They are doing very well! We have 5 that look unmistakably Ameraucana, three that are grey/black and 4 that are yellow. Adorable! And just in time for spring!
Here is some of the new hatch... Cute!

33. News!

Perhaps we are crazy...
12 eggs incubating, due March 21st and yesterday I picked up a new roo!
His name is Cassanova, he is a gorgeous Golden Laced Polish. Neat-O!

He is still in the integration phase - but so far so good!

Here's a clip of this morning in the coop:

32. Sad News...

We lost two this week!
Our Buff-Laced Polish "Lucille" was attacked in the early evening by a predator. Dottie, our Wyandotte rooster came to her rescue, put up a great fight, but lost his life due to terrible injuries sustained. We are sooooooo sad!!

However, on a fluke we decided to ask around other backyard chicken keepers and found an incubator... So, we popped in a dozen choice eggs and in three weeks might have some new chicks!