Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Baby Chicks

CUTENESS OVERLOAD at the Eaton's house this weekend!

Here's where the story begins.   Ron's feeding the  girls their treats, dried worms.  They love them.

About a month ago Sylvia got "broody."  She'd sit in the nesting box all I'd take her out, and she'd get right back in.

I called my friend Cheri for advice.  She said, "You ought to get her a couple of fertilized eggs!"  

I texted my friend Mary and asked if she knew where I could get a couple of fertilized eggs.  She replied, "I'll bring you six tomorrow!

And so the 21-day wait began.  Sylvia was absolutely committed.

I'd take her out once a day just to check.  Sometimes I'd find an extra egg that someone had layed there.  One day I found one of the eggs broken. She looks a little miffed and puffed up about being taken out of the box.

Whenever Sylvia would leave the nest to have a drink, use the bathroom, or eat, Fancy would take her place.  I'd marked the fertilized eggs with a Sharpie so I would know which one she'd tried to sneak in.


When I lifted Sylvia up Saturday morning, I found a surprise! 

Before long the little thing was perked up!

I tried to give them their peace, but I could not help myself!  So sweet!  And "peep, Peep, PEEP" for mama when she's not in the box with her.

I'd gotten chick food and chick feeder and chick water but I had no idea how she'd get the baby out of the box, across the roosting bar, down the ramp and too it.  After this, I just put it all in the nesting box beside them.  That worked.

Sunday right when we were about to leave for church, I decided I needed to check one more time.  Yay!! another one!

So sweet!  But, they love their mama best!  I know she's annoyed that I keep "checking on them."
These sweet little things will get to go live in my friend Brooke's classroom.  I've loved them.  The first graders will love them so much too!

4 comments:

  1. Well this is pretty exciting, will be interesting to see if she comes out now and/or gets upset when her chicks leave. Are you getting them back? Can you tell if they are girls or boys? Hey, I'm a city girl here!!!!

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    1. It was so fun. I never imagined I'd own chickens, let alone have a couple of babies to hatch! There are ways to tell if they're male of female. I read many helpful blog posts from chicken farmers. One looks at wing tips and how the feathers line up; the other has you hold the little thing by the head and see if he/she kicks or hangs. I tried both. I think the sure way to know is wait for 6-7 months. If it crows, it's a boy. If it lays an egg, it's a girl! Ha ha!

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    1. The babies spent a week with me and their "mama" then a week in the first grade classroom. Finally they are at their forever home with a family who wanted a couple of babies.

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