Found a chick with mom Frizzle hen last night. Was I ever surprised! Thought it would be another week before hatching was due. This Frizzle Cochin bantam had gone broody. For some reason I was saving her eggs in a little basket on kitchen counter. Decided to tuck the eggs into her broody nest along with a blue egg and a large brown from our Buff Orpington. The first chick is fuzzy black. (The pic may enlarge if you click on it).Can you make out the tiny black chick?
Checked other eggs this morning and could hear peeps from one. Now tonight I see a small hole started. Not sure if it is a bantam egg or a larger size from other hen (looks kinda bigger than the bantam eggs in photo). Mom Frizzie is talking to it, little cluck, cluck encouragement sounds. We sure hope the little chick makes it. No signs of life in the other eggs. No idea which larger eggs were fertile, not all hens let Silky roo mate with them. He is too small to argue.
Gosh, I really did not think any would hatch, just gave her some eggs to sit.
My-oh-my.
UPDATE: two more chicks popped out of eggs just now. So we have three healthy, fighters (all fuzzy black for now).
Time for birds to migrate back to our area. Not sure what this little one is, maybe a chickadee, sparrow or.... I have no idea ? They winter over here along with some other tiny grey birds.
Patch cat spends more time outside now. She is a hunter, catches mice around garage. Leaves the bodies at front porch doorstep :(
Congratulations on the chicks! After our three-act drama with incubator and power failure, it seems so beautifully simple to let a hen and Mother Nature manage the whole business!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the chickies... so sweet. I had 17 hatch out over the weekend :)
ReplyDeleteOh I just love when a hen hatches baby chicks. It just is so amazing, I really don't get anything done because I just stare and burn dinner so much. I noticed that first one has fuzzy feet. His Dad is a Silkie? I need to get my silkie a husband. Have fun watching your new babies. I can't wait to see if you get more.
ReplyDeleteOh that baby is so cute! Can't wait to see the others! What a wonderful surprise!
ReplyDeleteThat chick is so cute! Our post today made me think of you...check it out.
ReplyDeletehttp://fourcrazycats.blogspot.com/2011/03/we-dream.html