Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Waiting for Peeps

I don't know which is worse - waiting nine months for a baby to be born or waiting 28 days for ducklings to hatch. Tomorrow is Daisy's hatch date, Saturday is Ollie's and Macaroni's. I'm on pins and needles waiting, something I'm terrible at doing.

I've read that if you listen closely you can hear the chicks peep to their mama's through the egg shells when they're getting ready to hatch. I'm listening closely to all three hens' nests. You should see me, kneeling down above the sidewalk and deck with my ear to the floor like an Indian listening for thunder in the distance. I haven't heard anything yet.


I've moved Violet to the floor beneath the nest boxes. Her hatch date is June 15. Violet is low in the pecking order and not very good at defending her nest. The other hens were getting in there with her and laying eggs in her nest. I don't know how many times I had to haul a hen out of there and put Violet back in! So now she's got a private nest to herself and no one can bother her. She wasn't keen on the box at first but now she's content. Earlier this week Poppy got in Violet's nest and stepped on one of the eggs and broke it. I was so upset. I had that girl's neck in my fingers but didn't do it. She's a good layer. An airhead, but a good layer. The egg that was broke wasn't one of the Silkie eggs.

And now another of my Australorps is broody, this time it's Iris. I don't think I'll indulge her though. My back surgery is June 18 and I won't be able to look after chicks then. I might let a broody hen hatch some eggs after that though. Lily's been plucking her belly feathers lately and she may go broody. She's my biggest girl and could easily cover a dozen eggs. We'll see.

I'm hoping that I'll be posting pictures and videos of baby ducklings tomorrow. In the meantime, Betty and I (and little Scarlet) are just waiting...

9 comments:

  1. I have a broody hen that has been laying on some eggs also. I'm not as good at the timing thing as you are, but it is getting close. Now, do you leave the peeps in the coop with all the others, or do you separate them as you would if you received a new order of peeps? My biggest fear is that the other hens may get to the peeps, or even the rooster, before we do.
    Cannot wait to see the babies...

    I'll be back again to check in.
    mel

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  2. Mel, hens are very protective of their babies. Don't even try to get close or she'll take your leg off! I've heard of some roosters being protective of the chicks too. Let me know how your experience goes!

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  3. Almost time! I can't stand waiting either.

    You've got broody hens all over the place now!

    Ron

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  4. Ron, ya know, I think I need more broody hens! Isn't it ironic that I don't have a rooster?

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  5. *Ooooh* I can't stand it- can I come and sit in the waiting room with you, Amy? LOL
    I LOVE it when baby chicks are hatching!

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  6. Paula, pull up a chair next to me! Ollie's got one little black peep underneath her and three more to go! Yay Ollie! Her eggs are hatching 2 days early, a testament to a good broody hen. I'm going to make her a birdseed cake all her own.

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  7. What an exciting time! Of course you will post pictures, right?

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  8. Its very exciting! Since I don't have hens old enough to be broody and have babies I have to live vicariously through you!

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  9. Since I don't have chickens, I am going out on a limb here and saying "waiting nine months" Our next great grandchild is due Monday, the 8th and it seems like FOREVER!

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