A Mothers Love

Well, Harriet finally did it! She hatched an egg and became a mom. My husband named the egg before it was born and the name he chose was Gordon. Not sure if this is a girl (pullet) or boy (cockerel), but it sure is cute. This is a picture of Gordon peeping out from the warm comfort of his/her mom's wing. Mom has been busy keeping Gordon warm and trying to teach how to eat and drink and this little peep catches on fast. Amazing how nature works. Yesterday I offered Harriet her favorite treat of crickets and little Gordon dived right in. Harriet helped break up the cricket and Gordon was a little pig, loving every bite. Gordon is all of 2" tall when standing upright so is a tiny peep. We certainly are hoping this little peep grows up to be big and strong, just like his Bantam parents.

Here is a picture of the egg Gordon came out of next to a quarter for reference...

She Wants To Be A Mom

Well, guess who thinks she might want to be a mom? My special little Harriet! That little hen just has my heart. I never thought I would ever be so in love with a chicken!!! I knocked her crate over while she was laying the other day with her in it and she didn't leave. Her little pet carrier (crate) is on top of a plastic milk carton and I was in a hurry, trying to cover her to protect her and her eggs from the rain. She has fussed at me over the last two eggs she laid. I didn't realize that she was beginning to be broody (wanting to set her eggs and be a mother). She has never fussed at me before. She has been staying with her just laid egg longer and longer and then when she leaves has been coming back once to sit on her egg for a while. Yesterday she only had her golf ball and got on it for a long time. I realized that she probably wanted her eggs to take care of. I had 3 in the house I was saving for the neighbor's incubator to try and hatch and I took out the golf ball when she took a break (it was totally warm from her!) and gave her the 3 eggs she had laid. She stayed on her eggs all day and when I brought out crickets that she loves so much, she wouldn't leave her eggs. When she did take her little break to potty, drink and eat, I brought crickets out especially for her. After a little stretching of her legs, she went back to her eggs. We brought her carrier (now bungeed to the milk crate that I knocked over) and put it in the pen where everyone roosts for the evening. I wanted her to be safe, or as safe as she can be. It goes back out in the morning and we will up her up in the evenings. She never moves while we move her crate! I don't know if she will/can hatch all, or one or none, but I am giving her the chance to be a mom. She want's it, and I want it for her. Just think, I could be a chicken grandmother!

Here is a video of her and what she does all day long...