Last night Byron ran into the house with his hands clasped around something. While the girls shouted, "Mama, Brownie's eggs are hatching!!!". After the storm we returned to a mountain of eggs. Brownie wanted to set, so I took out ten of the best eggs and let her set. After setting for so long, I thought maybe the eggs would never hatch and meant to take them away from her and get rid of them. Brownie was looking rather rough, and I was worried about her. I left them one more day....and then....they started hatching.
The other day I had found an empty shell in Brownie's nest, but no chick. I thought the chickens had broken and eaten the egg. Now I think they probably ate a chick. It just so happened Byron was checking for eggs last night just as this little guy hatched. Brownie was not to delighted about her baby. She's a good setter, but obviously not a good mother. She rushed at the chick with her feathers spread and pecked at it.
Some of the other eggs were beginning to hatch, so we brought them all inside and put them under a brooder light. A shoe box served as nursery until Byron could haul the brooder box in.
Look how exhausted this little booger is. It's hard being born.
This is just as the second chick emerged from its shell.
Whooops....help!!!
I'm very excited about this. I've always wanted the chickens to be something sustainable. I would like my flock to replenish itself and not have to always buy new chicks. I've got so much to learn.
It was so much fun to watch the little chicks being born, and the looks of delight on my girls faces ...well, this picture wasn't staged.
Flossie even enjoyed watching the chicks. We have a total of 3 hatched so far and one breaking out now.
The other day I had found an empty shell in Brownie's nest, but no chick. I thought the chickens had broken and eaten the egg. Now I think they probably ate a chick. It just so happened Byron was checking for eggs last night just as this little guy hatched. Brownie was not to delighted about her baby. She's a good setter, but obviously not a good mother. She rushed at the chick with her feathers spread and pecked at it.
Some of the other eggs were beginning to hatch, so we brought them all inside and put them under a brooder light. A shoe box served as nursery until Byron could haul the brooder box in.
Look how exhausted this little booger is. It's hard being born.
This is just as the second chick emerged from its shell.
Whooops....help!!!
I'm very excited about this. I've always wanted the chickens to be something sustainable. I would like my flock to replenish itself and not have to always buy new chicks. I've got so much to learn.
It was so much fun to watch the little chicks being born, and the looks of delight on my girls faces ...well, this picture wasn't staged.
Flossie even enjoyed watching the chicks. We have a total of 3 hatched so far and one breaking out now.
4 comments:
How very neat!!
Oh.....can they call me auntie Riya? Such cute little critters! You forgot to tell us how many ounces they are... and how tall...and whose side of the family do they take after? :-)
Aww! They are so cute! You guys are sort of like that baby drop-off place with rescuing them! lol! Tsk tsk Brownie...eating your baby? That's just gross!
aww look how cute they look filp on there back!!
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