Compassion in World Farming

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Nature's way

OK, I know I've still left a chunk of news out that I WILL get around to sharing with you, BUT something amazing has happened here for the first time! Nutmeg, one of the pretty silkie x hens kindly given to me by lovely Jess at Lavender & Thyme, went broody. Then as her due hatching date approached Florence my black Pekin with the pretty gold necklace joined her in egg sitting, then so did Clover my Buff Orpington bantam & finally Minnie my Barnevelder. So I had 4 screaming banshees to deal with - scary stuff! No - honestly! They may be bantams, but when they're broody you don't mess with them!! They growl & bite ferociously, like miniature, feathered Rottweiler guard dogs!

A couple of days ago I peered in at the broody ladies & could hear tiny cheeps coming from underneath one of them. Then the tiniest, CUTEST little black Pekin chick popped it's head out from underneath Florence's feather petticoats! After 7 years of poultry keeping I was finally able to celebrate my first natural hatching - BIG FAT YAY!

Middle Son & I carefully carried Florence & chick down to the garden & popped them into an old rabbit hutch where they would have peace & quiet & be safe from the cockerels. Want to see? Here is proud Momma Florence with little Boo:

The following day another, almost identical chick popped out from underneath Nutmeg!! As Nutmeg still had eggs under her I took the new arrival down to the garden & popped it in with Florence & Boo. Florence gave no 2 chick a bit of a peck at first, but undeterred little Peek wriggled underneath her new Momma & from then on became one of the family unit.

Florence has been a perfect Momma Hen, fussing & clucking away at her babies. It really is a joy to watch. Here she is teaching Boo (or is it Peek?!) to feed:




Now Snow White, another silkie cross, has joined the fearsome egg sitters so I'm hoping that some more chicks will hatch very soon. Then Nutmeg can be a Momma Hen too after her hours of dedicated broodiness.

Although I feel slightly redundant after being used to playing the Momma Hen role myself there is nothing quite as beautiful as watching a natural mother with her babies. The hatching was certainly a lot less stressful! No endless checking of an incubator & the worries & responsibilites artificial hatching brings. Just managed perfectly and simply by Mother Nature. Another of life's truly wonderful miracles.

So, Jess, if you read this, this must make you an honorary Aunty at the very least :0)

Bright blessings,

Sara x

4 comments:

  1. Congratulations! Nothing happier than a hen and her chicks!

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  2. Ahh its lovely to hear from you sweetie. I'm so pleased for little nutmeg (always my fave out of the little 4) and snowwhite, If you remember Isabel was the one I kept and I always hoped she'd make a broody momma (even if she is mini). She was scary ferocious if I even looked at her when she was siting, But she is such a wonderful mum to her two babies.
    Definatly a magical experience watching them hatch and bond with mum and then being taught everything about food and peeking out under wings and riding around on mums back.
    Fingers crossed for nutmegs eggs to all hatch and be girls, maybe you could call the cutest one jess, lol.

    xxx

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  3. Hi Sara, are you open to posting a link to our farm's website?

    Love your blog!

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