Peep Show

I arrived home from work Friday evening with the old farmhouse to myself. I'd heard no news on the incubator front from the Artist all day so I assumed no news was just that, no news. Eli greeted me as  I headed out to the coop. "Any offspring of yours in the world yet, Eli?" I asked as he followed me, hoping for a treat.

I was only half kidding and was pleasantly surprised to find this little one! One little chick alone in a sea of eggs. I could barely stand to watch this poor little soul watching me with those big eyes, without a mother, and whom had tucked himself away in the far corner of the incubator and I couldn't remove him without the risk of spoiling the other eggs. 

A short while later, the male twin and I arrived just in time to watch this little one breaking free. This was one of the most heartbreaking events to ever watch. He tried to push and struggled to lift his derriere out of that shell but he just couldn't do it. He quickly developed a routine of trying to pry himself loose and alternately resting, each cycle a few minutes long. We teetered between cheers and worry. Without any  prior experience, we weren't certain what was normal and what wasn't. I was more skeptical of his survival while the male twin  was certain he would be just fine.

Hard at rest.

I now understand all the literature I've read about not helping a chicken out of his shell because without it, who wouldn't be tempted to help a little soul like that? This little guy would fall asleep with his head flopped to the side like this or with it forward as he slept on his belly and can I tell you, with his wet fur he seriously looked like a little old man with a long comb over. He really did! Later that evening, we found him finally free and tucked away in the  back corner with the first arrival and we all breathed a sigh of relief. We also discovered this.

And then there were three.

There was no activity throughout the day on Saturday,and it looked like our submission of twenty eggs wasn't going to provide us with a very big yield but then we noticed this in the afternoon. We checked regularly through the entire evening but our view never changed. By Sunday morning though, it had completely hatched along with a fifth and number six was on his or her way to eggshell freedom.

So while not the result we were hoping for, we are still quite

pleased to have six new Chantecler hatchlings at the Rural Roost.

They snuggled together and slept, a lot but when it came time to remove them from the incubator, they didn't seem to mind. The male twin is pretty sure they all imprinted on him and has decided he is their mother. A wonderful experience for the twins, they would never have experienced this in the city.

We've decided to set up a brooder in a sunroom in the house. We can keep a closer eye on them here, and with a second broody hen about to deliver, we have limited accommodations in the coop at the moment. And truth be told, we're looking forward to being chick mamas for the next few weeks.

Another Rural Revival at its best!

~Be well friends!~

*****Update*****

Late breaking news has revealed a seventh chick sleeping in the incubator this cold Monday morning. Word has it he/she thinks they're the first one to hatch and is patiently waiting for the others while we say, better late than never!

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