Saturday, December 17, 2011

We're parents again!

Of a baby chick, name as yet undetermined (in dispute!). We could hear lots of cheeping last night and this morning after a couple of inspections found this -



Then, after church, there was this -



I've learnt a lot this time, even though Dad bred chooks for the first 10 years of my life (and longer).
- They incubate for 21 days but fertilized eggs don't have to be 'sat on' straight away
- Not many modern chickens go 'broody', this is largely a trait that has been bred out for egg production. And we specifically bought egg-producing chickens, so God was very kind!
- They hatch out and dry out under the mother, then they peek out.
- The whole process is very distracting! :)

4 comments:

  1. Yay! Congratulations!

    But only two?

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  2. Sorry - only one.

    Do you expect more?

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  3. Very cute....
    I would love to have chooks. But our yard is not big enough :( So instead I follow my sister's chicken adventures. Last time I visited she had one that looked a bit like it might have a disability (and wasn't coping well with it) so she was debating what they should do with it (whether to euthanase or let nature take it's course)...not so much fun, I guess....
    Hope all is going well :)

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  4. Cool! What I love about chickens is that newly hatched chicks are able to feed themselves so long as they are shown how - they don't get fed by the parents regurgitating lunch like most other birds.

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