New Babies on the Farm

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.  ~Bern Williams

Spring is here at Clover Leaf Farms! Over the last few days our broody hen’s eggs finally hatched; leading to eight fluffy new additions to the farm. This is the first time we’ve had a hen hatch out eggs, so we’re very excited and a little anxious about it. So far, things are going well. We have them in their own enclosure to try to keep the other animals, mainly the cats, away from them. I also worry that the other chickens or the goose would try to eat them. They can be vicious little things; I’ve seen my chickens rip toads, lizards, snakes, and mice to shreds in a flurry of blood and feathers.  The first time I saw my sweet little chickens rip apart and devour a large toad, I was appalled. I had no idea chickens were so carnivorous. It scared me a little. After the initial shock I got used to it, they are related to dinosaurs after all. 

We’ve lost 2 chicks so far; hopefully there will be no more. Both chicks died shortly after hatching, one was still halfway in the shell. I’m pretty sure that the mom accidently stepped on the other one. It was fine, and then suddenly it was dead. We dug a small grave and buried them. The momma hen got off her nest and started walking around with the babies, leaving 2 eggs behind. The eggs were cold when I picked them up. One of them had pipped, but wasn’t moving and appeared dead. I picked away some of the shell and the chick moved just a little, so we quickly took the remaining eggs inside and put them into the incubator. The pipped egg eventually hatched, and when the baby was dry enough we took it back outside and slipped in under the mom with its siblings. The last egg never hatched, and a small hole I broke into the shell revealed that the egg had never finished forming. So all in all, our first broody hen hatching was a happy success! The little chicks running around after mom is the cutest thing ever, and we have a few more chickens for our flock… One can never have enough chickens ;)