It’s official….

….I am now a mother hen.  It was a very busy weekend with all the hatching.  While they pretty much care for themselves it definitely takes sticking close to home to be available to transfer from incubator to nursery.  Dorene put it best when she said it’s like popcorn.  It’s crazy!  They just keep coming…

Our first little baby came early Saturday morning and our most recent just an hour ago.  We are at 17 lives chicks, 3 dead chicks, 2 still working on it and 8 we’re not sure will ever hatch.  But a greenie is on it’s way!  Can’t wait to see what that one looks like.

Shortly into the hatching on Saturday morning Floyd gave me the scare of the year.  Seizures.  Scared me to death but I calmly wrapped him in a wet towel and dashed off to the vet.  (That is when the calm left, that is when I knew we were somewhere that could care for him and I started crying)  Anyway, x-rays, blood tests and $$$ later he has a bacterial infection in his abdomen.   He was not a happy dog.

But I’m happy to say he’s much, much better today.  Starting to follow me around again and actually wanted to go outside this morning. 

OK, back to the chicks. 

I know I keep saying it but I think if we had to go through what they do, we would never be born.  Goodness gracious they’re exhausted when it’s all over!  The little guy on the bottom actually just flopped over the top of the egg next to it and slept for 20 minutes.  They flop around, they can’t roll over, they can’t walk, they’re quite pathetic.  But they’re so sweet and I find myself having a hard time not worrying about each and every one of them when they first hatch.  Here are 2 new hatchlings keeping each other warm.

I mean, seriously, is that not one of the cutest things you’ve seen in a long time?  They peep like crazy during this time.  I think they’re trying to get their lungs going the same way as human babies cry.  Once they’re out for about 3 hours they fluff up.  We call this one Duck (even though it isn’t a Bible Chick name) because the kids think he looks much more like a duck than a chicken.

And then there is this one.  The cross on top of her head proves they are actually Bible chicks.  (hee…)

Here we are, 15 of the 17 up and running (2 are hiding behind the feeders, hey, you try and get 17 chicks all in one frame!)….

….and 2 still in the nursery bucket (the one on the bottom ate it.  I lifted the incubator lid to get hime out and he flopped right over the edge smack onto the tile floor.  Scared me but he’s doing just fine)….

Can’t wait to see that lone greenie….

Quick update…

…so far 16 have hatched.  13 have survived.  More still trying.  What an arduous process for them!  Lots of pictures to share and lots of things learned.  Looks like the green eggs may be duds.  Darn weak roosters…

More later. For now, I have to continue being mother hen.

The first chick…

…

4 more are working their way out!

And the hatching…

…begins! 

Woke up to 2 of these this morning and didn’t even care that I was pulled out of bed at 7:30 on a Saturday to see them.  I love a good, strong rooster.  Now I’m hoping for much more action before the soccer game at noon and definitely before I leave for dinner and Keith’s concert  at 4:30 (yes, Keith Urban, but you should all know by now that we’re on a first name basis).

Stay tuned…

Is it bad…

…when you’re dreaming at night that a room in your house is overrun with baby chicks and you can’t find en empty container big enough to put them all in?  Is it bad that in the same dream you ran over to the incubator and realized that even more chicks were still in there waiting to be taken out?

5 days….

Different…

…days around the homestead since the kids went back to school.  Cross country meets and practices, soccer practice, basketball practice, working in a quiet home without interruption, cooler days…

There are some days, when I’ve typed for 5 hours straight, haven’t gotten out of my PJ’s and am thinking of the errands I should run that it all can seem a little mundane and isolating.  But then I look to my left, my right and behind me (or at my feet serving as a footstool) and there are sleeping companions everywhere.  If I get up, they get up.  Go to the kitchen?  No problem, we’ll lay in here.  Need to fold laundry?  Don’t sweat it, we’ll go to the bedroom and hang out there.  Oh, really?  You’re leaving?  OK, let us walk you to the door.  I am of course talking about my dogs.

The kids make fun of me because I talk to them.  I don’t just say come, sit and stay.  I have conversations.  I reason with them.  I’m telling you they listen and they understand.  But as Alden puts it, “Mom, you’re home alone too much.  You’re talking to the dogs like they’re humans.”  What can I say?  If these faces were looking up at you 24/7, willing to listen (which is more than I can say for most), to love, to adore and willing to follow wouldn’t you talk to them?

Realizing…

…that my boys aren’t as grown up as they’d like everyone to think.    As a matter of fact, they’re a lesson in contradictions.  Take Alden for instance.  A few days ago at the breakfast table as he talked about cell phones, girls and possible careers he came across as very mature, very scary-like savvy for a boy of almost 11 years.  Then he said, “Oh, mommy….”  Uh-huh…you’re words betray you little boy.

Then there is Powell.  The normally even-keeled one.  All of the sudden we’re seeing surges of hormones in his temperament, evidence on his face and let’s just say I didn’t know his eyes could roll until very recently.  There is a struggle going on inside; he wants to be independent and push us away yet in the quiet moments when he isn’t worried about what anyone is thinking his cuddling betrays him.

Take…

…TWO!

What is the saying?  Winner, winner, chicken dinner?  We hope to be saying that in about 20-21 days.  Here we go again and we’ve been assured this time there were some strong roosters involved.  We’ve got 3 different kinds going.  First up is the White Legorn (if the picture doesn’t show, I’m so sorry, I’ve tried to upload it for 1/2 hour now and for some reason, WordPress just doesn’t like this photo):

(thanks to mypetchicken.com for the photos)

 

White Leghorns are the chickens you usually eat but they’re also great layers.  I got the eggs from a mother of 6 who lives nearby and raises chickens with her kids.  FUN.  They just got 2 silkies (dad, you can click on that ’silkies’ and it’ll take you to a picture) and I have to say, if we get the chicken thing down they may be in our future.  At any rate, their eggs are the lighter brown eggs mixed in above.  Next up are the Australorps.

Cute little chick but I must say the hen looks rather ugly.  Should be pretty standing next to the white legorns though….contrast in the coop!  Their eggs are the darker browns you see above.  And finally, the Araucanas. 

I definitely think they are the cutest and they also lay the little greenish eggs you see up top.  I know we’re not raising chickens based on the cute factor, but it doesn’t hurt and the green eggs make me feel so Martha.

Now you may be wondering how in the world we’re going to manage the 30 chicks that will potentially hatch.  Well, we’re told to plan on only 15 hatching and after we pick our 4-6 that will leave many that can go to a friend’s friend who raises chickens or, enterprising young children that I have, sell them on Craigslist.  They actually have a whole scheme ‘hatched’ on how they’ll incubate and sell baby chicks to pay for the chicken feed.  We’re thinking about letting them give it a whirl.

So, say a little prayer and in another 20-21 days we’ll be ready to hatch!

Sadly…

…our little ladies didn’t make it.  They tried valiantly but just couldn’t.  We were very sad and have been told we got a batch of eggs from a weak rooster.  A rooster who couldn’t do his job and apparently ’shot some blanks’ and some that were damaged.  Both of our little ladies had some issues structurally when we performed an autopsy of sorts.  I don’t want to show the pictures of them trying to hatch because knowing they died, well, I just don’t want to show them.

One a happier note a new batch arrives today!  We are looking forward to trying again and have been assured this rooster is virile and young and strong and able to fertilize eggs.

The kids are back at school, Lee has moved on and the house is quiet once again.  Seems odd to be at the beginning of August with an empty house but it is what it is.  Now I organize and clean the effects of  summer on my home….

Hmmm…

…we are watching and waiting; anxiously I must say.  It appears that many of the eggs we were given were never fertilized but there are 2 that are trying so hard.  They started Saturday evening and as of right now we can see the struggle and the feathers but we think they’ve fallen asleep (baby chicks sleep 99% of the time so it makes sense they’d sleep that much in the egg too).  Concerned because it’s taking so long but hopeful it’ll end soon!