Wednesday, May 9, 2012

I'm a real farmer, now.

This post is dedicated to my friend Kris over at Simplify and Jayme over at Tales from the Coop Keeper and chicken mamas, everywhere.  I met and have become good friends with both Kris and Jayme via blogging.
See this sweet little chick?  It is ours.  Not because we bought it at our local farm store.  Because one of our hens had it.  Our rooster fertilized the egg.  Right here on our little farm.
I always called this place a farm and my daughter always said it wasn't a real farm because we didn't have any farm animals.  We originally had nine hens and a rooster.  Last Friday Doug went to the farm store and bought six more chicks.  Then this little baby hatched.  Now we have sixteen farm animals. 
One of our buffs got broody.  When a hen gets broody, she wants to sit on eggs.  Our other hens kept putting more eggs in.  We were not certain when she started sitting so we were not certain when the 21 days would be up.  At one point, the clutch got too big and Doug threw some of the eggs out.  (I believe a good number of age in a clutch should be 10-12 eggs or so.  You can see by the photo that there are more than that.)  I was worried he threw someone out who was about to hatch.  Then I worried that our hen couldn't manage a clutch that was too big.  There was a lot of worry going on. 
This morning Doug bound into the bedroom and leaned over the bed with a huge smile on his face.  "We have a new chick."  I knew exactly what he was talking about.  We are real farmers now because we have had one of our own.  This is why I wanted a rooster to begin with - so we could have our own chicks.  Doug wanted a rooster to protect the flock and because he likes the sound of crowing.  (And crowing and crowing and crowing.)  I don't know if this chick is a rooster or a hen.  Time will tell.  I'll be hovering as mama hen takes care of it.  I hope it makes it.  And we hope more hatch.  Research tells me that from when the first chick hatches that the rest should hatch within 48 hours.  C'mon little chicks, peck your way out.  I'll keep you posted.  This has been the farm report brought to you by farmer Cheryl. 

9 comments:

TARYTERRE said...

And a delightful farm report it was. Congrats on the new chick. This exciting, for sure. ENJOY!

Kris said...

HOW EXCITING!!!!!! WOO-HOO!!!! Congratulations...chicken Mama!!!! You did it!! You had a baby chick.....well...sorta!!
I love this post....I have been waiting for this post. I am so happy, I could burst for you!!! PARIS AND new baby chicks!!! You are a very lucky lady!!!
Thanks so much for the post!!! I can't wait to hear who else comes pecking out of those shells!!!
Hugs...from your chicken farmer friend,
Kris

Janie Fox said...

Congrats Farmer Mom. LOL Crowing and crowing for sure. The nights I slept in the Squirrel at Jayme's were always ended with mornings of lots of rooster singing!! I prefer the sound of mooing. BUt when we wean their babies t another pasture it is almost shrieking!! Those mams get loud.
Keep us posted on the baby's progress!

Holly said...

Congrats!!! How cute is that little one?! Forget about clothes for Paris and go out and buy a pair of overalls, you deserve it!

farmlady said...

Well I'm just so proud of ALL of you... hen, egg, baby chick and the newly crowned farmers.
Isn't it wonderful to be in the midst of barnyard joy and the surprises that appear.
This baby needs a special name and I agree with Holly... a pair of overalls is in order. LOL!

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

How exciting!!!... awesome news. Maybe I need to get a rooster for my girls...

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

Hi Cheryl . . . What a little doll . . . too cute. Were talking real farmers now:O) This is definitely a new adventure for you and Doug . . enjoy it. Blessings, Sandy xo

Donna said...

Adorable. Love the "farm report."
Cute litle fella, ur hen?
Kris LaMar told me that their free rangers will hide eggs and sit on them so sometimes they get a surprise when little chicks appear.I'm still saving the egg cartons for you!

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

How adorable:) But I think there must bait of work involved too.

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