"Peep, peep, peep!"
What a wonderful Welcome Home song to greet us as we arrived! Before the Jeep even stopped rolling, I was out checking on the animals. I headed for the chicken coop and heard the cutest little sound! Broody had been ousted from her nest, but a big (mean) Barred Plymouth Rock was in her place. I wrangled her out of the box to find two baby chicks huddled in the corner and two more caught up under her wings! Out of the ten eggs we set, two had been busted earlier, 3 chicks had hatched - or almost hatched - but didn't survive, and 4 hatched perfectly. We've got one egg left. Unfortunately, Broody did her job and now wants nothing to do with eggs. The Barred Rock is not as dedicated, so this egg isn't staying as warm as it should. I don't have high hopes for a hatch on it but we'll give it a couple more days.
We were able to put the brood pen to good use! Those baby chicks have found a home in the galvanized trough we call a brooder. A mad dash to the feed store (the chicks came a couple of days before expected!) netted us some shavings and chick starter. Since we're raising chicks anyway, I'm on the verge of ordering some Ameracaunas. Four or fourteen - what's the difference!
Welcome to the world, little chickens!
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