Happy New Year! We're moving into the New Year with all the hope and optimism that baby chicks bring! We've had some fluffy new arrivals. Last year we had hens go broody on us more than once, but for some reason or another they never made the distance. One chicken however, decided that midwinter was the best time to hatch her little chicks (it really isn't hen...it really isn't!) I like to try and leave nature to do it's thing but this time I was going to have to intervene. There's no way baby chicks would last out there at this time of year, it's far too cold. Luckily I was bought a heat lamp (along with an incubator) for Christmas and it has been immediately put to good use.
So we now have three baby chicks currently living in our dining room. We give them water and chick crumb and then pretty much leave them to it. Phoebe likes to get them out every now and then for a little play. They're growing fast, their wing feathers are already coming in. I think they're from two different mothers as we have two small black ones and then one giant yellow fluffy one that is developing white feathers. All our hens like to lay in the same box so it doesn't surprise me that one hen was appointed surrogate mum!
I'm looking forward to adding new hens into the flock. As soon as they're big enough we'll send them out to join the others and we'll wait to see if they develop into cockerels or hens. My guess is two cockerels and one hen!
How has your New Year been so far?