6.06.2011

hatched

One week ago today, ten out of twelve fertile eggs placed under our brooding hens hatched. I'm happy to report there are still ten baby chicks scurrying about the chicken coop. The day we spent vermin-proofing the chicken run was well worth it.

We're feeling like successful chicken farmers, but the credit really goes to those patient, tender hens. Motherhood becomes them. Watching the chicks grow under their tutelage and care is oh so different than raising chicks under a heat lamp. It's simply amazing that three hens sat for 24 hours a day, for 21 days (that's over 1500 hours of combined sitting!), on eggs they did not lay themselves, to produce these precious peeps.



Ain't life grand?


25 comments:

  1. That is fabulous! I'm hoping to do that next spring if one of our girls goes broody.

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  2. lovely post and yes, chicks raised this way must be on the cusp of miraculous, if not exactly that!!

    hoping to do this, i have the broody mamas, but have been reluctant to allow them to keep any eggs, for fear they may abandon their posts!!

    maybe i need to practise trust and letting go :)

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  3. Wheeeee! We've got a broody one sitting on seven right now... fingers crossed. Chicken farming becomes you, too. : )

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  4. Love it. I cannot wait to have chickens now that my husband is on board. Of course, our current yard won't work.

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  5. What fun! What are you going to do with all the babies once they're grown?

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  6. Congratulations and thank you for the wonderful post and pictures. So adorable. So happy for those patient mamma hens. We're on day 16 with our eggs, but the broody hen has left them on and off so I'm trying not to "count the chickens . . ." If they do hatch, I may need a little council on how to critter proof the run. Time will tell :)

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  7. We had a broody hen hatch 17 we didn't know about!!!!! They were all happy and have lovely new homes now! Enjoy your new babies!

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  8. They are grand fluffy babes aren't they? Hatching chicks the old fashioned way looks so rewarding... must speak to my chicken wrangler husband and propose this magical process :)

    P.S. Love the mason jar feeder ~ haven't seen one of those at my local farmer supply.

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  9. Oh, that's lovely! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I'm wondering about the feeder, too - do you know where they can be bought? Peep peep!

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  10. Indeed it is. Lovely post.

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  11. Very impressive indeed! I just love pics of baby chicks...their little faces are so serious and expressive.

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  12. way to go mamas! feathered and otherwise.

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  13. Love that last photo.

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  14. I am with Tara - the last photo almost brought tears. Grand indeed.

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  15. Life IS absolutely grand, especially with little peepers life that! That last photo is such a great one. I can see the itty bitty chick fuzzy fur. Happy chicken~ing.

    :)Lisa

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  16. I'm not sure which I love more: the furry close-up of the bottom chick's feathers, or the cocky expression of that chick in the top photo.

    And that retro chicken feeder is great. I have a Mason jar feeder with water for my bees--you have to put little pebbles in the water so the bees can drink without drowning. But I could only find a jar feeder with a base of purple plastic. Just doesn't pull off the vintage cool of the jar...

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  17. AnonymousJune 08, 2011

    Mama hens sure are something else, aren't they? And those fuzzy little chicks - so very, very sweet!

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  18. I love these photos. I am duly impressed.

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  19. lucky you, there's something wonderful about watching your little ones care and love something so small and new to the World. makes my heart melt every time!
    ps your post about the World ending..... beautiful!

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  20. What a sweet photo of motherhood.

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  21. Wow, it's nice to see this is still possible. We have two broody chickens right now - a dominique and a wyandotte and we are going to try and hatch some eggs this month if everything works. I'm worried they won't sit since they didn't lay them but you have given me hope!

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  22. it hadn't occurred to me that you wouldn't need to use heat lamps. Just chickens raising chicks. huh. well how 'bout that.

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  23. So cute.. isn't amazing... i still can't believe it every time i go and collect my eggs... "all i have to do is feed you and you give me great gifts" i just love my chicken... i love your blog...thanks

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