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| 01/04/09
- Day 1 with a dozen mixed pheasant eggs in an incubator.
If these are fertile, we would hope to see chicks hatching
around the 23rd/24th April |
23/04/09
- Day 23 and the first egg has pipped! I've topped up the
water pot to help raise the humidity and now it's a waiting
game. |
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| 8.45pm
- This chick is adamant that it's coming out tonight! That's
its beak appearing through the hole! |
9pm
- You can just see the feathers as the chick rotates in the
shell to 'open the lid'. |
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| 9.15pm
- This chick thinks it's a woodpecker at the rate it's going! |
9.20pm
- The 'lid' is beginning to open as the chick almost completes
its circuit. |
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| 9.50pm
- The chick is beginning to push back against the top of the
shell. |
10.20pm
- Almost hatched and peeping loudly - a foot has appeared
and it's kicking out the shell. |
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| 10.30pm
- We have our first pheasant chick in Frugaldom! It seems
to be healthy enough and doing all the right things so far. |
11pm
- It's quite active now and it looks like it may be a melanistic,
as it's very dark with a white throat patch rather than stripey. |
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| 24/04/09
- 8.30am and the second chick is beginning to peck furiously
at the shell but the membrane looks quite dry and rubbery. |
24/04/09
- 2.20pm - Eventually, a very exhausted chick is here but
it had to be bathed in warm water to remove the dried up shell
membrane. |
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| 4pm
- The chick is breathing and has toppled about a bit but it's
mainly lying in the incubator sleeping, hopefully recovering. |
5.15pm
- the chick is almost dry and is beginning to attempt to stand
up, although it's feet haven't quite uncurled yet. |
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| 5.30pm
- At last, little Truffle has managed to stand, although it's
nodding off with the exertion. Look at the size of that foot! |
9.30pm
- Truffle at top, Bailey at the bottom, both together in the
brooder with the bantam chicks, who don't seem to mind the
intrusion in the least. |
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| 25/04/09
- Truffle and Bailey. Little Truffle's feet are still a bit
'bendy' and his/her legs are wobbly, but things seem to be
going OK so far. |
30/04/09
- Sadly, little Truffle didn't survive, so Bailey is now looking
for a friend, or else a new home with similar friends. |
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| 10/05/09
- We still have this strapping fellow roaming around. He's
now trying to get in beside the chickens! |
15/05/09
- Bailey is too fast to catch on camera! His nickname is now
'Zoomer' and he's still here awaiting a new home. Any takers? |
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| September
- Bailey is still here, now moulting in his first set of coloured
feathers. |
15/09/09
Mr Wild Pheasant still visits us and often goes to 'chat'
to Bailey. |
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| 14/11/09
Bailey is getting quite colourful now, and has attracted a
local admirer. He's also rather too tame for a pheasant! |
14/11/09
Bailey now has a 'stalker' in the shape of this female pheasant
who has started wandering in for a 'chat'. |
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| 28/02/10
Opportunity to freerange in the garden, despite no tail. Bailey
looks out... |
28/02/10
Bailey says, 'No way, look at all them chickens!' |
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| 28/02/10
'Them chickens' say, 'OK, if you ain't comin' out, we're comin'
in!' |
Oh,
alright then, if you quit eating all my food then I MIGHT
come out to play! |
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| Bailey
is looking very smart. His red wattle cheek patches are glowing! |
The
hens are keeping him in his place in the garden |
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| Bailey's
ear turfts are quite pronounced now, too. |
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