Monday, November 15, 2010

Hatching

   We had quite the surprise this morning!

   Sequoia and I were quietly hanging out in the living room and Cedar wandered in still bleary-eyed and half-alseep.  As he plopped onto the couch and rubbed his eyes, trying to catch up with those of us who had been awake for a good long while, we heard the faintest noise.  It took a solid 15 seconds before it hit all three of us simultaneously just what we had heard.  Recognition flashed across each of our faces and we all three dashed for the wood box.  We cleared it off as fast as we could and threw open the lid.  Sure enough, there peeking up at us through the feathers of its proud and anxious mama was a tiny, perfectly egg-sized, peeping baby chick!

   The sweet little bundle must have just hatched because it was still damp from life inside an egg!  It's back fluff was still slicked down and shiny.  Both kids squealed with delight and excitement.  This is the first egg to hatch from one of our hens (in their recollection).  It's not for lack of trying on the part of our hens or roosters.  Oh no, those boys chase the ladies around all day long jumping on their backs every chance they get.  And several hens have sat and sat and sat... and sat on their eggs, to no avail.  We have come to think that Napali (mama hen) is just a magic chicken.  She is undoubtedly the coolest chicken ever.  We love her very much.

   So, our morning plans immediately shifted gears.  What had begun as a slow, sleepy, quiet morning, suddenly turned to quickly getting dressed, brushing teeth, and jumping in the van to hurry to the feed store for a water font, chick feeder,  chick starter and new bedding.  We had a baby to care for and nothing was going to slow us down!

   We got home, cleaned out the wood box of anything and everything, filled it with a nice thick, warm layer of bedding, built an edge along the side to prevent the chick from falling out, stocked them up on food and water, hung some netting to protect it from that cats, then stood back and admired the itty-bitty new arrival.  Actually, we hovered and cooed and fretted and stared as if it were a new born baby of our own.

   Sorry for the lack of photos.  The little whipper snapper arrived just in time for some nasty weather that has settled in.  In fact the lights keep flickering as I type this.  I am hoping that some point tomorrow offers some decent light for a mommy and baby photo opp.  I am also keeping my fingers crossed that the babe survives the cold snap that is expected to hit later this week.  Tomorrow I plan to hang a heat lamp.  What's with these birds?  Easter in Autumn and chicks just in time for Thanksgiving!?!

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