Four Healthy Babies!

The final tally is four chicks!  I am completely okay with this.  (and if I wasn't?).  Mamma hen moved off her nest yesterday morning and moved the 4 babies close to the food and water.  After she had been off the eggs over two hours I knew she had abandoned them because for whatever reason they were not going to hatch.  I removed the eggs and cracked them open because I wanted to see what was going on inside.  The first one I cracked was just runny yoke - that must have been the egg I candled and I was very unsure about but left it in there just in case!  The other two were developed chicks (no they were not alive) but for some reason didn't hatch.   That's a bummer but I'm sure there was a reason for them not hatching.  So, out of the original 8 eggs I put under her, I got four babies!  Two were not fertile and two didn't hatch.  I'm happy with the little flock!

Mamma hen is a great mother.  I watched her for the longest time yesterday as she fluffed up big and held her wings slightly out so the babies would have a little tunnel to run under for warmth.  They would come out, walk around a little, drink or eat and then dart back under her when they wanted to get warm or rest.  When I got home from work, she had taken them all back to the nest where she was laying.  They are a beautiful orange-red and it's going to be so exciting to watch them grow!  I hope they are all hens, ha ha!

I am feeding them organic chick starter that is non medicated.  I don't believe in medicating my animals unless absolutely necessary.  I think natural exposure and building up resistance to coccidiosis for the chicks is a better way to go and I've read when they grow up with mom they should build up a good resistance.  I also put a small amount of organic unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar in their water for a little immune system boost.  I hope they all grow up healthy!

That's all for now - just a little chicken update!  Hope everyone is having a good week.