I'm proud to introduce...
4
baby chicks
as the newest members of our chicken family!
The first one started hatching last Friday night. When I went out to check on them Saturday morning I lifted up the hen and much to my surprise there was a fluffy little chick under her!
It was a wonderful way to start the morning out.
The rest of the day was so much fun because each time we went out to check there was a new chick or one was in the process of hatching.
The birth nut in me LOVED it and Asher was pretty giddy too. I only got to see one of them actually break out of the shell, but I didn't get that one on video because I was afraid I'd miss it if I ran back for the camera. I got some of it on camera but I am having technical difficulties getting it posted, so I will try to do that this weekend if at all possible.
It was really incredible to watch these little babies be born and I found myself learning more beautiful truths about birth and life (which will be have to be saved for a another post).
Life is really such a miracle.
It was kind of sad that three of the eggs didn't hatch but I guess they must not have been fertilized... or were just duds.
It is also really cute to watch our hen mother her chicks. She has definitely fallen into the "Mother Hen" roll and is SO protective of her little babies. She is always clucking at them to make sure they stay near her and when one of them wanders away she chases after it. It is rather sweet. I think my favorite thing is to open up the coop and see her sitting on her nest with all the little chicks under her. Her body just wiggles and squirms with the wiggly chicks who every once in awhile pop their heads out from under he wings. She is a natural mother.
I think we will keep doing this egg hatching thing every year, if we can, because I think it is an incredible way for Asher, and eventually Rose, to learn about the miracle of life, birth, creation, and how to be good stewards of the earth...not to mention it was SO fun.
The next challenge is going to be trying to figure out who each chicks real biological mother is. They all have the same dad but I'm afraid we might have some strange genetic combinations.
2 comments:
Sad news update: We went away for the weekend and when we came back two of our chicks were missing. Apparently there was a small gap in the chicken wire and they fell out and probably got eaten by the dog next door. Sob. It is sort of heartbreaking. All these adventures with my chickens REALLY make me reevaluate my relationship with my food. Why do I feel so sad about the chicks but ate a chicken sandwich last night at a restaurant and didn't really think twice about it.
Life is complex. I'm going to get two more chicks tomorrow from the store and see if my hen will adopt them.
One of my earliest memories is of my grandfather taking me to his farm (I went often with him) and telling me to go open a small shed door. Inside was a sight of delight--a hundred or so little yellow chicks just chirping away. I was overcome with amazement.
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