Today while picking raspberries near the barn, I heard what sounded like a baby chick. After raising 54 chicks in our basement, I really got to know their sound. BUT, I thought, how can that be? We don't even have a rooster and we collect the eggs everyday. Well, when the kids finally got out to the barn at suppertime, they came running to tell me there was a chicken with a baby chick walking under it! Supper was ready, so we scarfed back our spaghetti and ran out to the barn. I couldn't believe my eyes! There WAS a chick with a chicken. Not only any chicken, but a chicken (Princess) that went missing about 3 weeks ago. Exactly the amount of time it takes to hatch an egg. This was the kids favorite chicken and she has a little bit of different markings on her neck so that we can tell her apart from the rest. Now the mystery stands as to how Princess got her hands on an fertilized egg and where she went to brood it. There were no chickens like her sitting on eggs in the barn and like I say we scour the barn everyday for eggs. Also, we found her outside, which would mean she hatched her chick outside, because that chick could not jump up into the barn.
We could see that the mommy and baby were stuck outside, so we gathered them up and put them in a stall in our barn. Now I feel scared that the mommy won't be able to look after the chick, but we'll keep our eyes on them and keep you posted.
Today while picking raspberries near the barn, I heard what sounded like a baby chick. After raising 54 chicks in our basement, I really got to know their sound. BUT, I thought, how can that be? We don't even have a rooster and we collect the eggs everyday. Well, when the kids finally got out to the barn at suppertime, they came running to tell me there was a chicken with a baby chick walking under it! Supper was ready, so we scarfed back our spaghetti and ran out to the barn. I couldn't believe my eyes! There WAS a chick with a chicken. Not only any chicken, but a chicken (Princess) that went missing about 3 weeks ago. Exactly the amount of time it takes to hatch an egg. This was the kids favorite chicken and she has a little bit of different markings on her neck so that we can tell her apart from the rest. Now the mystery stands as to how Princess got her hands on an fertilized egg and where she went to brood it. There were no chickens like her sitting on eggs in the barn and like I say we scour the barn everyday for eggs. Also, we found her outside, which would mean she hatched her chick outside, because that chick could not jump up into the barn.
We could see that the mommy and baby were stuck outside, so we gathered them up and put them in a stall in our barn. Now I feel scared that the mommy won't be able to look after the chick, but we'll keep our eyes on them and keep you posted.
Wow this sounds like a fairy tale come true for Princess. The amazing things that happen on your farm.
ReplyDeleteIt really is amazing and it is so neat to watch a real chicken raise her chick. We always raise our own chicks. Princess is doing a wonderful job!
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