So, I'm quivering. Beautiful Sweet is sitting on 3 Phoenix eggs that are due to hatch tonight or tomorrow. Actually, I'm going to stop writing for a minute and go candle the eggs. Go get a drink and I'll be right back. (Yes, this is payback for all the times I had to wait for you to quit laughing!)
*pause*
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! They're HATCHING!!! WOW! I've never seen a chick hatch out, folks, at least before tonight. All three eggs were pipped, and when I went back to check, there was one little teeny tiny wet chick under Beautiful Sweet the surrogate mama. Both of the other eggs are showing progress and peeping while still in their shells. OH MY GOSH!!! I actually went to wake up my daughter since "her" chicken was sitting on those eggs to hatch. She was even more amazed than I am.
For those of you that don't have chickens, a broody hen is an amazing thing to behold. She goes from active to almost zombie-like. She sets that nest and only moves from it once a day to eat, drink, and poop. She has the most fixed expression (both face and body) that you've ever seen. She knows she's got a job to do, and by GOD, she's going to do it. Luckily Beautiful Sweet and I are buddies, so she doesn't peck me when I scootch her off the nest, but broodies are notorious for defending their babies against all comers.
I'm so proud of her!! She's been setting eggs for over a month now with very little care for her own well-being. She's there for those babies and that's it. I know she'll be a good mama to our new chicks. Sushi might have laid the eggs, but Beautiful Sweet is definitely the mom.
So please join me in welcoming Wasabi, Nori, and Sake into the world. (Daddy's name is Maki, Mama's name is Sushi, and Beautiful Sweet is a Japanese Silkie.) May they live long, happy, healthy lives.
The first egg to pip
Itty Bitty Wet Baby Chick!
(Don't worry, I put Beautiful Sweet back on the nest within seconds)
No comments:
Post a Comment