Hey There Chicky

On the way home.

What is cuter than a little chirping ball of yellow fluff?

Not much.

A baby chick hunting and pecking around, nestling into your hair when you cuddle them, chipping loudly in you ear.

After the mishap that happened to our broody hens eggs, the girls are excited to be able to have babies. (That story added below)

They only stay cute for a week or so then become gangley, awkward, leggy things that try hard to not be caught.

We will keep you posted over the next 8 weeks to show the progress.

A heat lamp, food crumbles and water as they make the pen a home.

We are raising these birds for meat.

I know many people couldn't imagine raising animals only to eat them but it is the cycle of life and it is a valuable lesson that I am grateful we can teach our girls.

We know where they come from, what they eat, and that they have no hormones or antibiotics.

We raise them in a loving, free range environment and this makes happy birds.

Happy birds, happy food.

I am more than lucky to be able to say exactly where my food comes from, but it is a privilege we work very hard for.

Each of the kids, our neighbours 2 boys as well, got to name a chick. Welcome Twinkle Toes, Zap, Cheri and Bob

I put a color beaded zap strap on the chicks leg to identify each one.

We are measuring and documenting such info as their growth to teach the kids and of course to see who's grows faster.

What a great learning experience.

So to fill you in on the story about the broody hen.

We had a brooding hen and since we do not have a rooster we got 4 eggs from our neighbor and put them under broody. She took them in under her wing and sat faithfully waiting to be a mama. After 2 weeks I candled them and 2 were viable and 2 were, well rotten eggs.

We had an opportunity to go to Vancouver for a weekend and asked uncle take care of the farm for a couple of days. It is a pretty big chore if your not used to the routine. Needless to say although I thought I gave pretty clear instructions, upon returning all the "eggs" were in a carton nicely piled in the shop fridge. Thankfully I had big black x's on them and could identify them easily before we sold any.

The kids were disappointed and I was a bit frustrated but heh! like we always say around here....that's life on the farm.