Chicks-in-the-Making?

If anyone ever earned his Godfather feathers, it’s our friend Erik!  Yes… feathers.  I think that’s what you probably earn when you are dubbed Godfather to baby chicks.  But it’s all speculation at this point – not the ‘earning’ part.  The ‘babychicks’ part.

Yesterday was Day 21 for Broody Slutvana.  She’s been sitting on her eggs more-or-less constantly since September 30^th so, according to the books, yesterday should have been Hatch Day.  But, as we all know, you never can tell with chickens.  She began with five eggs and was very protective.  Then, one morning… Slutvana had left the nest.  There was one broken shell and no evidence of its contents; the remaining eggs were still warm.  The Russian wasn’t talking.

Broody Slutvana

Since then (it’s been ten days or so) she’s been fairly faithful to her job, although for the last three mornings she’s been off the nest long enough for the eggs to get cold.  After the breakfast roll call, though, she’s back on duty and more protective than ever.  Did you know that hens can growl?  Honestly!  When I express too much interest in her situation (like deign to look at her) she growls in warning.

Broody House That Nyel Built

And then yesterday, there was a fifth egg again!  Hers?  Whose?  That they aren’t all Slutvana’s eggs seems obvious – they aren’t all the same color.  But, broody hens aren’t  particular… or so I’ve read.  This morning, the same five eggs, but cold to the touch.  I’m not sure if that girl knows what she’s doing.

Nyel and I looked up “leaving the nest” and other related sites and found that incubation time can vary and time off the nest isn’t always crucial.  One report was that nine eggs hatched in “twenty-one days plus one or five.”  So, as of now, we are still moderately hopeful.

Erik’s Wall and People Door

And… we are ready!  Thanks to Erik who came and completed Nyel’s start at constructing a separate brooding area at the south end of the coop run.  The final wall separating the smaller area from the rest of the run had not been completed when Nyel had his fall and Erik, bless him, spent most of yesterday afternoon finishing it up and installing a people door, complete with a shiny new latch!

Now if those chicks hatch, we can move them and their mom to the safety of the Broody Yard – away from those overly inquisitive aunties and meany roosters.  And Erik will get his Godfather feathers for sure!