Littles
Big Ginger has been sitting on a nest of eggs for the past three weeks. I’ve been watching her for the past few days, wondering when she was going to come out with her little. Yesterday morning, when I went outside, I heard little chicken nuggets up in the duck room chirping their little hearts out.
I love having mamas and littles running around the yard. Watching a mama brood her little is one of the most wonderful parts of tending chickens. There’s nothing better than watching a mama hen teach her little ones how to scratch, peck, and search for food.
Have you ever seen a mother hen and her babies running around free ranging?
What a beautiful litter. Her name is so fitting. It is some of the things I enjoyed most when I was growing up. The care and attention that the hens would give to their young ones. Teaching them what they need to know to live free-range.
to Lemongrass's comment
When my Silkie hens come off their nests their littles will be Khaki Campbell ducklings. They have about two weeks to go.
to Robin Follette's comment
I am always amazed that hens raised from hatchery chicks that are generations away from a natural environment have the instinct to brood and teach their chicks. I agree, it is so much fun to watch a hen and chicks.
to Jennifer Fisk's comment
Susy, Spring and reproduction in nature no matter what it is always makes me feel good. To watch even wild birds continue the life cycle along with other animals just gives me hope that perhaps this will be a better year in the world. Some things haven’t changed in the eons of time which gives me faith that the world will exist another year.
When I was younger and helped out on my uncle’s farm, it seemed like every year an old hen would wander off and eventually come back with a clutch of baby chicks following her. It was almost like she was showing off her babies to the rest of the flock. Some of those natural instincts are still in the domesticated homestead birds and animals. I truly do love to sit and observe how nature lives and survives even in the urban city areas.
A couple weeks ago we found another Mountain Lion in the middle of our city. Sadly the police took its life as opposed to sedate and relocate. He/she was a prime specimen and looked magnificent from the pictures on the newscasts. Civilization has no mercy for creatures that have lost their territory due to urban crawl. Very few places exist that are truly untouched in this country.
Have a great fur and feathered day.
to Nebraska Dave's comment
It makes me smile to hear somebody else refer to chicks as “chicken nuggets”… I keep trying to talk D into letting me get a “four piece” or “six piece” but so far no such luck!
to Melissa's comment