Redheaded Jill

A couple weeks ago I noticed I had a broody hen. In the past I have struggled with this for different reasons.

• The chicken moved to a different nest every day (thus not keeping the same eggs warm for the 21 days needed for incubation)
• multiple hens getting broody at once, fighting over eggs
• The chicks hatch, but aren’t kept safe from the other birds trampling them or from getting out of the fence and dying

Thankfully Re-peck-a (as this hen was dubbed by the frat boys who raised her) stayed in the same nest long enough to hatch some eggs.

Friday (after a looooong but excellent day) I went home and was doing chicken chores. I heard some chirps coming from the coop and realized the babies had come!

I have a small coop that my mom got me for a brooder coop when one of our local feed stores was switching owners. We got this coop at such a glorious discount. It has two little houses with 2 nesting boxes each and a little chicken run in the middle.

I moved the mama to the first house and filled it with straw. Then started collecting eggs/babies. At that time there were 9 chicks hatched and one egg starting to hatch. I moved all the eggs and chicks to the coop. (Only one chick didn’t make it.)

The chicks are various colors, some striped, some black, some brown, some almost calico looking.

I am so excited!!!!

They are doing quite well. I have kept them in the coop for the last several days and I think this afternoon I will open the door so they can get into the grass for a bit. This will also make it easier to clean the coop floor. (Chickens are messy.)

I will keep you updated and add pictures soon. For now I am so thankful and excited!