Happy Henrietta attempting to hatch!

[Glutton4...]

Oh aren't they lovely - ta for all the piccies, they're fab!

[CoraxAurata]

First message on this thread suggests (as do the photos) that she's a faverolle -or have I got the wrong end of the stick? I must say they never appealed to me before but she's rather lovely!... no must be good OH is already having hysterics over the ducks....

Bonny (one of 3 muscovy girls) built a beautiful nest a few weeks ago, and whilst she was out I removed the muscovy eggs and replaced them with 12 silver appleyard - or so I thought.... It seems she didn't like 6 of these and ditched them, replacing them with muscovy eggs from goodness knows where (I may have missed one or two but not 10!) and she now has 6 S.A. babies and (2 days later) 7 Muscovies (which at 2 days old appear to be able to climb like spiderman!)...and Bella's eggs are due to hatch in the next few days... and Beauty has just gone broody too! (she's getting runners I think..)

[Bephlam]

Henrietta is a Faverolle...and yes, she's HUGE!! but VERY VERY docile!

I removed the last egg today...Henrietta has dumped it anyway, so thought she knows best. She promptly took her babies outside for a wander the second I opened her coup. She is sooooo cute with them...what a good Mummy she is.

It makes me all broody!

[Bephlam]

What on EARTH is Henrietta, she's ENORMOUS

Oh, and that's Henrietta looking small...and quite thin! She's lost a lot of condition sitting on the eggs, but hopefully she'll build up quite quickly again...with some of my extra special little treats!

The babies have been having pre and pro biotic yoghurt to kick start their little digestive enzymes. It's unbelievable how quickly they grow...they're only 2 days old and already growing proper feathers on their wings. PLEASE LORD MAKE THEM BE ALL GIRLS....I love them too much already to get rid!!

If they're not girls...anyone want a cockerel?? I'll deliver!

[frias]

She is gorgeous and it was seeing your Faverolles that made me want them too. So why is my broody sat on Welsummer eggs? (I wasn't going down that route and I was given the eggs.) Oh well there's always next time.

[RichmondHens]

Hey there's nothing wrong with Welsummers - they are gorgeous! I think Maureen is a Welsummer fan and will back me up. The chicks are all stripey, like little pheasants.

[Flummery]

She's a very solicitous mum isn't she. What a lovely happy little family!

[MaureenHall]

Hey there's nothing wrong with Welsummers - they are gorgeous! I think Maureen is a Welsummer fan and will back me up. The chicks are all stripey, like little pheasants.

Oh yes I love my Wellies, they're my babies, the first eggs I ever hatched and the first time in my life (at my great old age) that I'd ever seen a chick hatch. Got a VERY soft spot for Rowan, he's staying with me forever! I love my ex-batts and Bluebelles too though

[Nicos]

Aww...I love the piccie where she's showing them what to eat!!!!!

They're really lovely!!!

[frias]

Hey there's nothing wrong with Welsummers - they are gorgeous! I think Maureen is a Welsummer fan and will back me up. The chicks are all stripey, like little pheasants.

Don't get me wrong I will love the Welsummers. It's just that I saw photos of Bephlams Faverolles last year and wanted some then. After some consideration went for some more ex-batts instead and was never going to hatch eggs due to the cockerel situation. However as Spotty is constantly going broody and was being horrible to the newest ex-batts I thought I would let her sit just to keep her away from the newbies, hoping that after 3 weeks sitting she would be lowest in pecking order and the new girls all settled. I was then offered some Welsummers eggs and as they are so pretty couldn't say no.

[HayleyB]

I still can't get over how big she is, anyway the pictures are lovely and Hen looks very very proud. I doesn't seem like yesterday when we were all mickey taking your egg situation

[Bephlam]

I know Hayley...it doesn't seem that long ago, does it?

The babies are growing soooo fast. I'm going out now to take another few pics of them. They're growing wing feathers already...scary! Not even a week old yet!

[MaureenHall]

If you can see the wing feathers, look out for tail feathers soon too. I'm fairly sure that the ones that get them first are the girls and the later ones boys. It might be breed specific, but I'm sure I've read it somewhere

[Bephlam]

If you can see the wing feathers, look out for tail feathers soon too. I'm fairly sure that the ones that get them first are the girls and the later ones boys. It might be breed specific, but I'm sure I've read it somewhere

That's what I read too Mo...so let's hope it's true, and that they ALL get tail feathers dead quickly...because I love them all already!!

I've attached MORE pictures....lol....they're coming on leaps and bounds!

I've included one of Henrietta puffing herself up to look intimidating to the other girls...it's impressive, I was nearly scared!!!

[frias]

OMG they are just so gorgeous. I especially like the 4th photo. Fingers crossed they are all girls.