Adoption Day on the Farm!



Our First Attempt at Incubating Eggs

We started incubating eggs 3 weeks ago. We put 27 eggs in the incubator and have ever so patiently been awaiting the first chirp. Well, Friday night, we did! We've had 12 chicks hatch in the last day and a half.

Did you know that you can hear the chicks chirping before they ever come out of the shell? We didn't. We heard chicks chirping and thought they hatched so we went to the incubator window expecting to see our first incubated chicks. Nope! They were all still in the shells.

Here is the incubator after the first 12 were hatched and removed:

We have two broody hens in the chicken coop. One sat on her eggs & four days before they were supposed to hatch, something ate them all. But she's still been sitting because she knows she's supposed to have babies. So, we took 6 of the 12 new baby chicks and put them under her. She is one happy Mama!! She's quite proud of her adopted brood. 

First Introductions

Success!

Protective Mama

The other brooody hen received the other 6 new chicks. However, when I tried to capture their pictures, she tucked them under her so I couldn't see them. Maybe I'll get pictures later....

In the mean time, as I sit and type this, I can hear the other chicks chirping from inside their shells. I guess when we return from church we'll have new babies!

As promised, here are the pictures of Anabelle's twin boys, Tom & Jerry. They were born the Friday before Mother's Day. May 11, 2012.

Annabelle with her babies after birth.

A few hours after birth. Left: Tom / Right: Jerry

And here is our first batch of chicks that hatched April, 21, 2012. They are about a week old in these pictures. They've grown since these pictures were taken but I tend to do updates a little late...that's just how I roll :)

Big Mama with her brood

Thirsty babies

Dog update: When we went to Corpus back in April, appearantly our female Catahoula Leopard was bred. We'll be having puppies in about a month and a half.

One last note: Just since I've started this post we've had another chick hatch...13 & counting!