This is what happens when you allow your chickens to free range. It isn’t a bad thing really. We knew the hen was sitting under the deck. BC was watching closely for signs of hatching. Like it or not we let the hens nest & sit but when the eggs hatch we round them up. They are moved together into the nursery coop with a heat lamp, food, and water, mostly for protection. Mainly at this point that would be protection from Jack Cat but we do have skunks and hawks about the farm.
This morning we found 4 baby chicks trailing behind our hen. After relocating mom and babies to a temporary holding spot in an old dog kennel [The nursery coop is occupied right now by our hen with a single chick. They have been there all winter. They should be out in the general population anytime now. ] BC investigated he nest. Turns out she hatched less than half (w/ 1 dead chick in the nest). The other eggs had to be removed but the spoon on a stick only managed to retrieve one egg.
The deck boards had to be taken up.
BC checked the eggs for any hope that they might be viable but they were stone cold.
Life with chickens :) Hello, babies.
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