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| Do You See Her? |
On Wednesday, when M was here to tend to the garden, he picked up the one egg that was still outside the nest and placed it in the nest. On Thursday morning, when I checked the nest, there were no new eggs and Chicken Little was walking around the garden, quite unconcerned with her eggs.
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| How About Now? |
On Thursday evening, however, when I took the kitchen composting stuff out to the backyard, I looked towards the nest and something red caught my eyes! It was her comb! She is very well camouflaged but, she was looking directly at me! I took the picture from afar as I didn't want to disturb her.
I have no idea if she has been sitting on her eggs in the evening or if this is something new! I always thought she flew over the wall and went to the neighbors' to roost at night! I've no idea if the eggs are fertilized or not (I don't hear any rooster crowing from next door, although, I do hear a rooster crowing from further up the block from time to time. If the eggs are not fertilized, then, she could just be broody. But, if the eggs are fertilized, we might have some chicks hatching at the end of the month or beginning of August! (I read that they take about 20 to 21 days to hatch, if fertilized). Wouldn't that be exciting? Or, should I say, "eggciting"?
Actually, if there are baby chicks, I will let the neighbors know (they were very helpful to me when I had some plumbing issues on Saturday).
Now I feel guilty that I took away those other eggs! The two I ate, earlier, and the two that are in the fridge! Sorry, Chicken Little! But, if nothing has happened by mid August, then, I suppose I will have to get rid of the eggs.
It was a warm day on Thursday, with a high of 91F, but, Friday is supposed to be hot with a high of 95F. In anticipation of Friday's heat, in addition to Thursday's kitchen cleaning (wiped down the counter tops, behind and under the toaster and microwave, etc., and swept and mopped the floor), I did Friday's bathroom cleaning, too, and washed all the bathmats, kitchen rug, etc. Now I won't feel guilty if I spend the day reading or crafting on Friday.
I am grateful for:
- The eggs I have received from Chicken Little
- Knowing that Chicken Little is sitting on her eggs
- Sunny, warm days
- Water for the garden
- Knowing that Chicken Little is sitting on her eggs
- Sunny, warm days
- Water for the garden
Thursday's joyful activity was watering the front garden.
How was your Thursday? What are your plans for Friday? What do you think will happen with Chicken Little's eggs? Do you think they will hatch? Or, is she being broody?
That will be fun to watch what Chicken Little does with the eggs. The neighbors' chickens wandered into our yard last week, but they caught them and took them home fairly quickly. So, no bonus eggs here.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what happens. Sorry your neighbors gathered their chickens and took them back before you could benefit from their visit!
DeleteI must admit I know nothing about chickens except they lay an egg a day. It seems the right thing to do to not disturb her. It would be eggsciting to have chicks and we'll just have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about chickens, myself, Eileen; but, I'm reading a little bit about them. I don't think I'll end up raising chickens, myself, as there seems to be a lot of work involved, but, it's fun to watch Chicken Little as she goes about her day in my yard!
DeleteWell, it will be interesting to see what happens now! I know that generally hens go back to their roosts automatically at nightfall, so I would assume you were correct to think that CL did the same. (Do the neighbours have a proper hen house? People here do, as predation from e.g. foxes is a real concern.) If CL has been visiting other houses as well as yours, it will be interesting to see whether babies are on the way. I think in that case, it would be right to tell the neighbours and let them decide what to do with the chicks. You might want to keep a couple of females yourself but I know from G it is often a quandary what to do with the cocks. All in all it might be better if the eggs didn't hatch so you can keep enjoying them with a clear conscience. I know it is warmer where you are but it seems that till now the eggs have been left untended for long periods of time. The question is, why is she sitting on them now - because she knows she has mated or just because she is feeling clucky? (G's hens go through those phases too, at times.)
ReplyDeleteI am wondering what will happen next! Maybe CL has been sitting on the eggs all along and I just didn't notice it? I don't think she goes to other people's gardens, because she seems to be spending most of her time in my garden, but, it's always possible, of course. I have no idea if the neighbors have a proper hen house or not, but, I assume they have something! One other neighbor had chickens and she had proper chicken coops for them, but, even so, raccoons broke into them and killed her chickens! She came to my house to ask if she could check if any of her chickens found refuge in my garden, because she was still missing one chicken, but, it wasn't in my garden - I'm assuming the raccoon took that chicken with it.
DeleteThere was a new egg in the nest when I checked today and I claimed it! CL has the five original eggs to hatch, provided they are fertilized.
In that case, seems quite unlikely we'll get chick photos soon, but if she is happy sporadically brooding her 5 eggs there is no harm. I suppose the rooster you can hear has females of his own nearby.
DeleteI think it will be at least 10 more days before we get any chicks, if the eggs are fertile. We shall have to wait and see! Yes, I am assuming the rooster I can hear has his own harem of hens. :)
DeleteChicken Little seems to have settled into your garden! I assume she's safe there at night. Do raccoons kill chickens? She's giving you presents in exchange for the foods she eats from the garden cats! I think it's fair that you get her eggs!
ReplyDeleteI think she has made her home in my garden! Well, at least I don't have any dogs to bother her (there are several dogs next door). Yes, raccoons do kill chickens - one of my other neighbors had raccoons break into her chicken coops and kill all the hens, except one that she couldn't account for - she came over to see if it was hiding in my garden, but, it wasn't.
DeleteWell, Chicken Little laid a new egg, today, and I took it, while leaving the original 5 eggs for her to sit on and try to hatch.
Oh wow! How egg-citing. Maybe there will be little chicks
ReplyDeleteYes, it is eggciting, isn't it? We'll have to wait and see what happens.
DeleteThat would be exciting. You might have a yard full of chicks by the end of the month. Xx
ReplyDeleteIt is exciting to see what might happen! Baby chicks would be so lovely, although if we do get some, I'll let the neighbors know.
DeleteWhat a sweet little hen she is! I wonder if that spot is more shady for her eggs, to keep them from cooking in the heat, and then she feels the need to keep them warm at times. I'm surprised no raccoons have turned up to eat the earlier eggs that are still there.
ReplyDeleteThe nest is in a shady spot, right under the tree and shaded by the plants. I am very surprised that the raccoons haven't shown up and the possums haven't eaten the eggs.
DeleteWhat a good photo of CL doing her thing. And an interesting journey we all have following along to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteI can just see your back garden with a bunch of chickens running around. Momma Cat will enjoy the company although she may go off to get some quiet time now and then lol
She is being very diligent about sitting on her eggs! Seems like every time I go into the garden, she's in her nest. I just hope for her sake that something hatches! Just to reward her devotion to the eggs! I'm sure that, if we do have chicks, I'd be clucking over them, too, because I'd be worried that the possums and the raccoons might get them!
DeleteMama Cat might think that dinner now comes to her on its own two feet! LOL.