The Chicken Whisperer

A year ago I posted these pictures of two chicks who were left in the nest when the hen took a large brood of previously hatched babes out and about. Eeyore brought the hatched chick and an almost hatched chick inside where we placed them in a box with a lamp over it to give them some warmth.

Eeyore played mama hen to the lonely babes.

When they were about half grown, he gave them to our Chino Valley Granddaughters. Later, he gave the girls a Bantam rooster. The little trio roam freely about the country acre, but Mu can walk up to them anywhere and scoop all three up in her arms at once.

A little scratching and a fellow just can't keep his eyes open!

I do hope to get in control of my life someday soon so I can both post

and read my favorite blogs again. I miss that morning routine,

and I miss keeping up with what's happening in every one's lives!

Spring chicks

The weather has remained cold and windy here at the one acre wood, but for some residents, like this bantam Mille Fleur hen, spring has sprung.
She appeared from some hidden nest with nine babies in tow. When Eeyore tried to take her picture she flew at him and at the camera with such violent rage that this was the best he could do. See the little heads peering above the still ruffled hen.

Eeyore found the nest and, still tucked inside, two babies. One had hatched, but one little guy was in trouble and needed help getting out of the egg. Since a hen lays an egg a day and the gestation period is 21 days, the oldest chick is ready to go out and about before the youngest has hatched. In this case, with the days being cold, these two probably wouldn't have made it.

In the house, under a heat lamp the little thing struggles to come fully into the world,

finally extricating itself from the shell, but wondering, I think, if it was really worth it. That's a pretty cynical expression on the newborn's face.

A little later, fluffed, warmed, and rested up he's ready to ask that age old question, "Are you my Mother?"

Meanwhile, out in the real world, a night time predator found the nest, tore feathers from Mama Mille and stole two babies. Feral and domestic cats and skunks are the most common predators here on the one acre wood and the Mille Fleur hens who scorn the hen house, roost in trees and nest on the ground often lose chicks to them. It's probably because of this hen's fierce fighting that seven of her chicks were saved.

The next night Eeyore raided the nest intending to put the brood inside a cage where they would be safe until the chicks are ready to fly into the tree to roost. He's done this many times, but this Mama was having none of it and, after wildly flying into Eeyore's face, flapping, pecking and screeching, she escaped, ranting into the night. The seven remaining chicks joined the two in the house.

The white tips of each chick's beak is a hard egg tooth that is strong enough to break the eggshell and will fall off in a few days. The little guy in front is our little hatchling. The good news is that Mama appeared unscathed the next morning. Eeyore put all the chicks out and seven ran to her. The bad news is that the two from the house didn't have a clue as to proper chick behavior and had to be returned to their indoor box. However, they are not entirely bereft of loving attention.

At a week old, they are losing fuzz and sprouting feathers including the funny feathers on the feet typical of this breed. Here, Eeyore (aka Father Chicken) gives them a cuddle.