Thursday, April 26, 2012

Two Brooding Hens and Maybe a Chick!

the hens in their culvert nesting boxes in the brooder
Update from last Thursday: We have two brooding Speckled Sussex hens! The one started again after abandoning her first nest. With ease, Chris moved their culvert nesting boxes into the brooder, apparently just in time. Look closely at the black nest on the right. Do you see the egg shell? On closer inspection there is a tooth mark on the inner eggshell! We thought we could hear a cheep-cheep-cheep. We don't know since we didn't want to disturb the hen. It may have been a killdeer out in the field. (?!)

We're excited and will keep you informed as soon as we know. The Speckled Sussex is a heritage breed that is "recovering" from having been "threatened", according to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.


The brooder now needs a few basic pieces of furniture. First, a creep feeder for the chicks!
the brooder
A few hours later the very same day...
MAJOR UPDATE:  We have baby chicks!!!

Maybe more later. She and the other hen are still on their nests!

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11 comments:

  1. Lisa @ Two Bears FarmApril 26, 2012 at 1:45 PM

    Well that is exciting! Hopefully there will be many chicks to come :-)

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  2. JillApril 26, 2012 at 2:35 PM

    How fun and exciting!

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  3. NancyApril 26, 2012 at 5:30 PM

    They are a beautiful chicken -- I do hope you are successful in raising a few chicks.

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  4. UnknownApril 26, 2012 at 5:51 PM

    Jill, Nancy, Lisa, YES!!! By 5:30 today we had five little chicks! We're so excited! They're hovering close to their mother and can also feel heat from the lamp. The mother hen is cooing at them! Photos will follow soon.

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  5. Granny SueApril 26, 2012 at 9:41 PM

    fun stuff! we never had any luck with our broody hens--they never hatched any babies! I hope your ladies are better at mothering. I blamed the rooster myself :)

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    1. UnknownApril 26, 2012 at 10:14 PM

      Granny Sue, we have chicks!!! Check out my update!

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  6. MichaeleApril 28, 2012 at 8:09 PM

    What a nifty idea for nesting boxes! Love the looks of the coop. Clean and safe : )

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    1. UnknownMay 1, 2012 at 8:43 PM

      Chris is quite the thinker and doer. He thinks of what he needs, then looks to see what salvaged material might fit the bill. Voila! Nesting boxes of culvert! And the chickens prefer their cozy darkness over the others, the yellow buckets.

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