Such a Softy
Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 9:28AM I'm not a very responsible chicken farmer. When a hen goes boody (starts sitting on a clutch of eggs), I have a hard time taking them away from her. I need to get better at it, because we just don't need an infinite amout of chickens, and there are better seasons than others to have baby chicks.
This is a bad season. But we have a new addition:
I know, aawww . . . BUT, the nights are getting colder and winter is knocking at the door. I let my hen sit on one egg. It was an agreed upon compromise between the two of us. She wanted 8, I left 1.
Not sure how that was any better than a whole clutch, since I still have to set up a separate area for her with food, water and a heat lamp. She might as well have had 30 chicks. But how can you take away eggs from a face like this?
And she's such a good mommy. And her chicks are so darn cute. Here's another look:
Aaawww. . .
If it was spring, we'd put them in their doggy igloo and fence off a section of the chicken run to keep the other hens away (they're a bit cannibalistic). But it's not spring. So cute, yet such a pain. I've gotta toughen up!
Reader Comments (2)
Very cute indeed! I can totally see how it would be hard to take all the eggs from the mom. Maybe your next compromise could be to tell her you'll let her keep some in the spring.
Cara
I'll give that a try! I think we'll get some fertilized eggs in the Spring that are all different breed to stick under her. That way we can start introducing some new genetics! And she'll be a happy little chicken momma.