Topic: Bertha is a mum too!

[Heldi]

Woo hoo...we've got little Buff Orps!

 (Thought she deserved her own announcment rather than sticking it in Aeryn's thread)

She has done us proud ;D  As of 6:30 this evening she had hatched five little yellow chicks,one was still a bit wet when we looked...aaaw! The last egg was slightly cracked and looking like it was about to be opened from inside..fingers crossed! Unfortunately didn't have my camera with me but then who wants a camera in their face when you are an hour or even only half an hour old?! 

The six eggs were bought off ebay so it was a gamble and we expected a low turn out so are very pleased. Now is the worry about the chicks making it through the first few days.

Go Bertha, go Bertha, go Bertha!

[Hyacinth]

Ahhhh, bless! She'll be a happy little mummy tonight, then 8)

[katynewbie]

 ;D

Way to go Bertha! Pics soon please?!!

 ;)

[Heldi]

There are six ! Yippee full house  ;D

Bertha is as vicious as hell. She did not like me being there at all...and I thought Aeryn had attitude  :o . Bertha fluffs up like a demented miniature turkey and flies at me pecking like the clappers...ouch!

I had to check things out though and bravely I managed to get some very quickly snapped pictures  ;D

All soon settled back into the nest and all I could see in a few moments was Bertha who I swear was growling at me!

OH wants Aeryn to adopt the chicks...he is apprehensive about Bertha too after she drew blood yesterday lol!

[Merlins Mum]

I want those chicks, they are so beautiful Heldi. :)  Well done for having a full turn out.
Mum sounds over protective, goodness drawing blood, ouch  :'(

I can't wait to get my ex battery girls

MM

[stuffed]

Awwwwwwww!!!!!!
Well done that mum! ;D
I miss my chickens :'(

[OliveOil]

what breed is Aeryn??? she looks identical to my speckledy Freckles!

[Heldi]

Aeryn is a cuckoo maran. Lays lovely little brown eggs!

Bertha is a wyandotte banty...silver lace I think. I don't own her so am not entirely sure. The three chicks Aeryn has hatched are breed,wyandotte banties and could actually have been laid by Bertha !!!

Bertha had the six chicks out today when I went into the shed to check on them. She hurries them back into the nest when I'm around  :( . I did pick one chick up and got a nasty peck on the foot  :o

Aeryn lets me pick her chicks up and is altogether more pleasant to be around.  :D

[stuffed]

Don't know about chicks but in fully grown cuckoo marans the boys are lighter coloured than the girls.

[OliveOil]

My friend has hatched a pair of cuckoo marans - they really do look like my frieckles but i think she is part maran anyway.  My mum has a black maran its evil and looks evil!  Ihave a silver laced wyandotte in my incubator - just the one - a bantam too, i wondered what they looked like LOL.

[teresa]

Oh Bertha is a good mum protecting babies and a full house bet your OH is pleased his eggs.

[Heldi]

Hee hee teresa,I think she thinks I'm the Vixen from Hell !!! Yes she is being a very protective mum and I guess that is her job. I have found it strange as Aeryn was always, shall we say...perky... but now is so mellow.  Chickens...what are they like lol!

Are banties naturally more aggressive? I was talking to my neighbour and he said his are nasty...don't know what breed they are. I'd always heard they make great pets. Maybe they don't like his aftershave  ;D

I've got a pic of a banty cockerel I saw when visiting a National Trust House on the Bank Holiday. I'll post it soon...maybe someone will know what breed he is. Lovely little chap he was.

[Heldi]

Bertha and chicks yesterday...still can't get close!  They are just getting little wing feathers...difficult to see on the photos.

[teresa]

they are beautiful and growing fast, she looks such a good mum bless her.

[OliveOil]

awww they are adorable!!! I hope mine hatch!

[stuffed]

You've got some great pics there, mind you the subject is so lovely it'd be hard to take a bad photo of them ;D ;D

[OliveOil]

How are the babies going Heidi? Any more pics???

[Heldi]

Hi Olive.

The orpy babies are doing brilliantly!  They are nearly as big as the banty chicks!  Haven't got any new pics but will get on to it this week.  (If Bertha will let me ::)  ;D )