Eggs Candled

Andy just got home from playing netball so we set off outside to candle our eggs. Poor ole Blah was none to happy being disturbed during her sleep, but we managed to look at all of them (we think).

The Araucana's were hard to see. I wonder if the shell colour makes this so? But we did see great air sacs so are hoping!

One egg had the bacterial spots you could see in the photos of the link below, but also had a dark shape moving, so we're hoping all is ok.

The others had definite air sacs and little babies MOVING around! It was soooooo special!

So providing nothing goes wrong between now and next Thurs we're going to hear little peeps.

Excited? Not much!!!!! LOL!

Day 11

Okay, I just candles 2 eggs LOL! In a rather haphazard fashion i must admit.

I blocked under all the doors in the hall then used the boys night light with a cardboard cone over the top as the bulb was longer than the light. IT was NOT the perfect set up and has me itching to try properly tomorrow. First I did the coronation sussex and could really clearly see a nice big air sack at one end and a very definite dark blob on one side, taking up about 1/2 the egg. My light/set up wasn't good enough to make out more than that but I wanted MORE so put that one back to try for a lighter egg. It was lucky dip as I didn't want to lift C Hook off so just reached under. I drew out the aracana. All I could see was the air sack. I think though that the shell is much more dense.

It does make me laugh that I can wait to find out what my own babies are and completely trust that process but am interfering with a hen!

I am taking my findings as good news because from what I can see on line compared to what i could see in the C.S. all looks as it should

Today we got home from our trip to Fiji. Carol had looked after all our chickens very well and Blah was still doing a great job as Mama hen. All eggs are there and accounted for. Trina is seriously contemplating whether we should 'candle' them. Vicky are you and the boys going to do this?

What we're expecting

I am such a chicken nerd i have put together images so we can see what we're getting and be able to identify the chicks. The only ones Im not sure about are the Blue Leghorns. Trina, can you help... did we get these or am I confused? I have it written on my original list.

Day 5

Today we took the door off and hoped Captain hook would come out by herself. Yesterday we left the door off and she wouldnt come out. Just as we were leaving to go to Raglan Mama checked and Captain Hook was off the nest having a lovely dust bath. While we were at the beach we were hoping the Captain had found her way back to the nest. We checked as soon as we got home and there she was, sitting happily on the nest.

How the chicks grow inside the egg

http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_chicks_embryo.html

We thought this was interesting to look at.

Day 3.

Today Mama took Captain Hook off the nest. She spent alot of time in her favourite dust bath. She went in the sandpit and had lots to eat. Then she got funny and noisy because she couldnt find the eggs. She checked her old nest but they werent there. John (a white hen) went into the house and sat on the eggs so Mama had to lift her off and put her in the cat cage. Then we had to catch Captain Hook and show her were the eggs were. She was very happy to see the eggs were there.

The story of "Blah"

We thought you might like to hear the story of Blah. Our beautiful Mama hen.

Here is Matt with her.

This photo was taken in October 2008.

We got Blah from a farm in Te Puke. We drove all the way down, through Mt Maunganui, stopping for lunch, then out to Te Puke and back home again. The lady was lovely and told us Blah was 'show' quality. We just hoped for some gorgeous little eggs and a friendly chook.

She wanted to give us more hens, she had been breeding, but was getting older and was trying to ensure they all went to good homes. But we took only 3. Blah, Pinochio and Goldilocks.
Matt, Sarah and Dan chose one each and named them. Dan was young and couldn't speak. The only word he could say was 'Blah' and thus 'Blah' was named.

She is a beautiful hen. Standing up to the big 'brown shavers' we also have. Definitely not the bottom of the pecking order.

She has always had a tendency to be broody. She would lay for about a week, then stop and just sit in the hen house. She would get all clucky when we moved her to collect 'her' eggs, and often would try to peck us. We have since heard this is a good sign for a mama hen.

A few weeks ago we decided that as she wasn't pulling her weight in giving us eggs, it was time to see if she could do it in another way. I loved the idea of having baby chickens and wondered if it would be possible?

After doing some research Matt, Sarah, Dan and I decided we would give it a go. Andy wasn't as keen as the we were, but we managed to buy a second hand coop off trade me ($30!!!) and we put her in it with some golf balls. She took to them like they were real eggs.

She sat on those eggs for a few weeks. Finally after a conversation with you guys (Vicky) we decided that we would go ahead. We found the eggs we thought we'd like, we found the farm and we ordered them.

The start of the next part of Blah's story began.

Watching a chick hatch, Its hard work!

We just watched this movie and thought you would like to see it too.

Kaya and Arlo