Happy Harvest Blog
First day out for the chicks!
I split the box open so that the hen could lead the way out, and make her way down the ramp on her own time. She completely ignored the opening, although the chicks were interested, and quickly began scampering around the rest of the coop. They move like water bugs.
Two more chicks!
Yay! Three chicks from the white hen (although two are from stolen eggs)- far better than I expected, and equal to her productivity last year. I'm pretty sure that will be it for chicks from her, although I'll leave her her eggs a few more days. I'm pretty sure that will be it for chicks from her, although I'll leave her her eggs a few more days.
Second broody hen
Ah, yes, the little brown hen is now officially broody. She has five or six under her, a nice reasonable number, unlike someone else we know. What's been very amusing is that she's been shuffling her eggs from place to place every day.
Due date dubious
A few days ago the white broody got really deep into it, no longer leaving the coop in the morning, and assuming a very deep meditative state. Her due date has come and gone, and I expect the worst, that she's lost them all for being too ambitious. Yet, I hope for some hatching.
Thievery in the hen house
I responded to an altercation at the henhouse. The red hen was complaining vociferously, and this is what I found: TEN eggs! So much for leaving her a comfortable number that she can cover completely (four). She's been taking the eggs as the brown hen lays them.
First broody hen
The white Silkie hen went broody today. She was way too ambitious, though, sitting on a pile of eggs she couldn't even cover, like nine of them. They were spilling out all over
Chick Days
Another chick! A little spotted one, with markings on its back like a spider! Yesterday’s chick is white, now that it’s dried out and fluffy. They are so, unbelievably cute, and tiny! One little chick is weightless in my hand.
Nearly hatch time (?)
It’s getting exciting! The red hen is almost due. In the interests of continuing to let the white hen do her own thing without interference, we did not look at her eggs.
Broody hen embroilments
In the night I set her onto her clutch. Exciting! When I lifted her up I felt another egg under my fingertips in her belly feathers; I moved it with her. She’s deep in broody chicken trance, motionless and flattened out wide over her eggs.
Instagram.
I may not make a blog post every day, but at least I Insta.
Bite size.
