The incubated chicks hatched, they are now two weeks old, and cute as the dickens, (where did that saying come from anyways?)
I have 22 more eggs in the incubator, they are a combination of Blue and Black Cochin, Light Brahma (all standard size). This weekend I am getting more Buff Cochin, Silver Laced Wyandotte (these are huge birds, this SLW strain is much bigger than mine here) and some more Black Cochin as well, gonna have babies coming out my ears, smiling.
These chicks are growing like that baddest of weeds (yep, know about those weed things). I've been dabbling in wing sexing day old chicks, think it is totally working. I know now that Cochins, Brahmas and Australorpes can be wing-sexed. Time will certainly tell this tale as time goes on, but I am feeling pretty secure about this. This is going to be very handy one day. Never going to attempt the vent sexing thing, seen that on Dirty Jobs with that gutsy, gutsy dude, ever watched this show, it has some really good shows, seems alot of the shows has to do with poopy stuff. Must be a really dirty job, this poopy stuff, hee, hee.
These chicks are still in my basement suite kitchen and will stay there for another little while. Then I will move them to the cabin on our property. It is a good place, raised chicks there before (that clutch of eggs I got from Brian Bray and some of my own). A groovey little cabin, with lino floors and heat, so they can keep toasty warm (I love warm toast, smiling). Just wish it had a built in vacuum, smiling.
Instead of using shavings for bedding, as I have in the past with chicks, I use the non-slip material that is used for shelving, marvelous stuff. Shavings are nasty things, they get in the food, water and EVERYWHERE, especially when the chicks become of the age that they are testing out their flight feathers, like running along and taking flight for about 4 inches. I have found that non-slip pad to be the best thing on earth. These babies don't smell, nor does the kitchen down there. With those non-slip pad thingies, clean up is so easy, just pick up the corners, dump off the poo, put new ones down, wash the used ones and the cycle begins again. I am not interested in the doing the deep litter method in my house. It is really amazing what comes out of these critters, hee, hee.
About the feather sexing that I did with them. I am of the belief that it is 100% correct, but still, time will tell that tale. It would appear that from this discovery that I have 3 pullets and one cockeral. The first two pictures you will see are of the Cochins, I think that after all has been said and done, that they are both splash. One is a cockeral, one a pullet. The tail feathers and flight feathers on each are totally different. I am hoping that the picture will be clear enough for others to see this difference.
This is the last born one, his primary feathers grew so fast I almost thought it was a deformed wing, they stuck out from the side of his body, but now are laying flat. He has a definite group of little feathers that stick out of his butt, compared to his counterpart, that pullet. This is him.
This is the Cochin pullet, her tail feathers are far more short and blunt looking, the primary feathers are not as developed, I thought she was going to be a blue, but, sigh, I guess a Splash, look at the shorter feathers on her bum
The Light Brahma, according the the feather sexing, a pullet, she is the most relaxed of all
And lastly the Australorpe, according to wing feather sexing, a pullet, she is a skitzy little freak, much heavier than the other three and really does object to being picked up, but tough tiddy said the kiddy, she gets picked up anyways, smiling
All four of them doing a nice pose, don't they love to watch the camera?
At the watering hole
A little toy that my Husband made for the kids yesterday
And, oh, just a really pretty little picture of the tail feathers of the Light Brahma pullet