We have a very strict rule concerning eggs…if you didn’t pick here yesterday- you can’t pick here today. A good rule. On occasion, more than we would like, we find a hen that has found a spot to hunker down and try her hand at hatching eggs. A broody hen is easy to spot- she leaves only to eat and drink. She is surrounded by a rooster and his flock, has a hide-away in the hay stack, and the spunk to fend off any potential poachers.
So we left her alone. Everyday we would check her, occasionally she would toss an egg out of her clutch of eggs. Anita would crack it open in the compost pile- it had soured and she had rejected it. Amazing what she can smell through the shell. She had tossed four or five over the last couple of days and we were beginning to think this was a waste of time and this girl should drop her broody habits and get back to laying eggs for sale.
Tonight I checked her- lifted her off her clutch to check her eggs. There were still about 8 eggs left. I had lifted her straight up and was starting to set her back down on her clutch when she twitched a wing and out dropped a chick!! Amazing! Anita had a rough day and this was a real mood changer. We didn’t want to disturb her much as the chick looked only a day old and needed the services of ma.
Most of you know- we buy day old chicks and do not hatch on the farm. In fact, since we are running a slaughterhouse we are a bit more focused on the end of life- rather than the start of it. It was nice to see this chick today. A nice step toward complete sustainability. I can’t wait to check on her in the morning!
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