I know you’ve all had days when your plans went out the window because something happened that you hadn’t planned on. I had one of those days today – besides going to the dentist this morning and choir practice tonight. Becky came this afternoon to help me move some things which helped me a lot!
https://www.country-threads-chicken-scratch.comBefore I went to the dentist this morning, I went down to the barn and immediately heard baby chicks peeping. I’ve been watching one hen who was sitting on 4 eggs above my head in the barn supports. Sure enough she was on the floor, all fluffed out and calling to a chick who was still 8’ above her head. I got the ladder and found only one chick so I grabbed it and gave it to mom who was ever so happy to have her babe. When a hen is setting, she rarely gets off the eggs to eat or drink for 3 weeks so the first thing I did was get water for her. She was very thirsty.
So there were 3 eggs remaining which I got down. If she got off the nest,she must be “done” so I took the 3eggs outside and broke them on cement. The first two were not fertile but the 3rd egg had a fully formed baby chick inside which was dead. She got off the nest too soon!
As I was taking water to the goats, I heard more peeping! There has been a first time mama on a nest under the goat ramp. Holy Smokes – look at this!
I THINK she has 12 chicks! I’ve never had that many chicks with one mama! And the weather will be cold soon – just what I needed! So once again with the water and feed which had to be placed under the ramp so the goats don’t tip the water over or eat the corn – if they’re that close, they’ll step on some babies for sure. Here’s another picture.
I had Becky hold one so you could see how tiny they are – about the size of a cotton ball in a variety of colors!
So while I was taking pictures of chicks, here’s the mom with five and they’re almost as big as she is now.
And then there’s the two chicks that hatched in the pampas grass – one big and one little who doesn’t walk well. I’m betting the bigger of the two is a rooster and I can’t believe the little one is still alive – that mama leads them all over the yard many times a day.
After the chores I had time to check the blog and found almost 300 comments to read before I start the next book review. I’m going to start reading comments now but just don’t have the energy to write the book reviews tonight. It’s been just another day on the farm. Thanks for understanding – I’ll talk to you in the morning. Oh, and yes, I got a picture of the gosling, too, on Rick’s phone.
So happy to hear from you tonight, was a bit concerned as it has become bedtime here for the hubby. Glad all is well, best wishes with the chicks. So tiny.
Closing ads with every visit. May you have a blessed weekend.
WOW! What a flock of chicks you have – what fun!! You are such a good mommy to all of your sweet babies!! Can’t imagine that you could have fit anything else in your day! Have a good rest, tomorrow is another day!
The brood has surely increased! Our daughter-in-law has six chicks. The Grands love them. My son tolerates them, but he built a mighty fancy coop for them.
Yippee! Four ads closed tonight’!
Oh my, I hope the chicks survive the winter, I know you’ll be busy with all your heating ekements and keeping up with feed and lights and water.
One day runs into another around here and I don’t have nearly the work you do!
Looking forward to tomorrow’s book talk!
All I can say to you, Mary, is you sure work your heart out on the farm! Twelve chicks??? Unbelievable! I didn’t have ads to close tonight. Maybe tomorrow…Sweet dreams to you.
Enjoy watching your animals grow. I know its hard work and never enough time. Thinking you for keeping your blog up and running. Blessings Jennie
New babies and new worries. I’d want to protect each and every one myself! wouldn’t that be fun???
I love the coloring of the black mama. do you know what kind of a chicken she is? it looks like she sat her own eggs too the babies look like her.
Closed two ads. Didn’t know that chickens can hatch 12 chicks! I wonder what the record is. I’ve been quilting approximately 30 years.
Those chicks are so cute. What will you do with that many? I could never eat them. We use to raise cows. But sold them all a few years ago. Jack just couldn’t get the hay in many more. Now we let a neighbor run 23 head in one field and another neighbor run a couple of horses in the other.
I went with the granddaughter and picked apples. I forgot how much work it is to make applesauce. We worked all day yesterday. I recuperated today. And we will be back peeling again tomorrow.
My hubby bought me a long arm and started a building for it. Got sick and the son and family finished it for me. I now have it set up some what and I’m excited to get out there and sew. Got to finish up that applesauce then rest a day. Do a Dr. Appointment and maybe I’ll be able to start. I love reading your blog. I’ll take time every day to read it.
Have fun with those chicks.
Bobbie
Bobbie, , my daughter-in-law uses a Sauce Master from True Value n loves it. She doesn’t peel, just quarters the apples, cooks and cranks thru the machine separating skin n seeds from sauce. She uses it for tomatoes also! Really saves the hands for quilting!
I don’t peel either. Actually have a Kitchenaide attachment for coring and peeling but I just core them and cut up and cook til done like want them, then run them thru a colander—the old fashioned kind with wooden thing that you go round and round with and makes the best applesauce, no chunks, just nice and smooth. My husband loves doing that but I do it when he isn’t here. Have a friend that uses the machine that Jane mentioned and loves it but since I don’t have one of those this works. It is applesauce time for sure! Pat Iowa City
Hi Jane,
Thank you for your reply. These apples have a lot of spots on them. I thought if I didn’t peel them it would put all those spots into the applesauce.some are ok but some are like worm holes I cut out. I haven’t found any worms but it isn’t something I would eat. We got these apple off trees but they are not sprayed or anything. They were also free just u pick. The work to do it is time consuming but we are getting quite a bit of applesauce. I have a thing you can put it thru after cooked to make it into sauce. But I can’t put these apple in pot without peeling and removing the ukk off them. 🙂
The chicks are precious! Will be watching for more pictures from you with their progress. Closed two ads.
Do you think the mama with one chick will help keep some of the other new ones warm? 12 seems like too many for 2 wings, especially as they grow. 12! Just can’t imagine. That’s why I only keep hens. No roosters. Those babies sure are cute, though.
Zapped 4 ads. LOVE the baby chicks! Using Becky as the glamour model meant I could really see how small they are. Great use of a sister…..will try that on my two!
Wow spelled backwards! 12 babies. That’s a lot of chicks. I loved all the pictures. Thanks.
Loved all the pictures. Those little chicks are going to keep their mamas and you busy!
Thanks for posting!
WOW Mary, you are a busy lady and those chicks will keep you busier! Thanks for sharing all the pictures. I closed 3 ads tonight.
So adorable; things are busy at your maternity ward!
Omg. Love the chicks.
Love the babies !!
You are the woman Mary !!! I marvel at you.
Maybe I missed this but what about your knee?
5 ads closed…. love the chicken pictures…. such interesting creatures…. thanks for sharing your life with us!
You did have a busy day and writing book reviews would be the farthest thing to do so don’t ever apologize. You can only do so much on a farm and then it’s time to rest. Doesn’t matter if it’s raining or snowing you still walk to the barn and take such good care of everyone there so put your legs up and rest today.
Wow!! Your family just grew by leaps and bounds!!! I had no idea one chicken could have so many chicks!! I remember last winter how hard you worked to keep everyone warm and dry and safe. You will be busy for sure!
I bit the bullet and bought myself a new sewing machine yesterday, which I will pick up today. Hard to believe I’ve been sewing for over 50 years and will need to “take lessons” to learn how to use this new machine!! So much technology–not like the old, basic machine (which was ‘top-of-the-line’ 30 years ago!! Ha!).
Thanks for sharing the pictures of your new babies, it’s exciting to see another chicken lover get as excited as I do with baby chicks. The pretty black and white mama really increased your flock, your very lucky.
Oh how fun! What kind did you buy? I’m not in love with my new Bernina and am thinking of a new different machine to look into.
So cute,, love chickens. Pictures have made my day!
Oh I love your baby chicks. Think of all the eggs you will have when they are grown!
So many baby chicks! Your flock has grown so quickly in a short time. My granny used to have chickens and when I was little I was allergic to the babies! I would break out in a rash and I loved holding them.
I’ve been meaning to ask – how are the aloes doing? We’re you and Reed able to get them going?
Mine are doing well – Reed is coming today after school so I’ll ask him about his plant. I’m readying my plants to move inside – a huge job!
I know what you mean on moving plants! We do have a bit longer to get ready for winter than you do. My husband just retired as of yesterday and his first chore is a new greenhouse. Besides all of the aloes, we have potted plants all around our backyard and many need to be kept warm during the winter. I’m most concerned about a Thai Tulip as it’s been in the greenhouse all summer and has three new buds. It likes the heat and humidity of the greenhouse in a Texas summer.
Reed was here today and I asked him about his aloes – seems the rabbits ate them all but mine are doing great!
How funny that the rabbits ate them! My in-laws have had problems with squirrels messing with their aloes. I’ve not had the problem of either rabbits or squirrels eating mine maybe because we have 5 oak trees with plenty of acorns.
I can send him more next spring if he’d like.
Showed my grandson the pictures this morning. He said “Cool”. Loved the 🐥
Sweet! Reed is coming today after school and he will be so excited!
My 3 year old granddaughter has 11 eggs that are about ready to hatch. She has a count down calendar on the fridge that she colors an egg everyday until the eggs are supposed to hatch – they are in an incubator. Her mama just started as an Extension Educator earlier this year for our county and has access to the incubator when not being used at the schools. She and my granddaughter now have a parakeet, 4 geese and 10 hens and 1 mean rooster – they are liking their birds! Now, if they could get rid of the skunks that have found their farm and are getting into the chicken pen at night!
Love seeing the baby chicks, they are so cute. Hope the winter isn’t to bad. Hope we see pictures of Reed, they grow up so very fast. 6 ads to close.
Mary-
You have got to be the busiest “chick” I know. Thanks for the pictures. Was able to close 6 ads.
I read many of yesterday’s comments. So must passion and love for quilting was expressed plus an impressive number of years of devotion to quilting. I absolutely could relate to what was written.
The little black chicks are so tiny, but beautiful. The others are pretty, too. What’s wrong with the one’s foot? I”ve forgotten if you told us.
My great nieces in wayyy upstate NY love their chickens. I closed six ads today:) Nice day in Central Ohio–it’s going to be 77 not too humid.
Wow Mary…plenty of new babies to enjoy! Reed will certainly enjoy his visit! So enjoyed the pictures. Closed 5 ads. It was 36o up here in Idaho @ 7 am! Now I’m reading the Rockies could have a big blizzard winter that is dangerous to trees and wires. Living totally off the grid..we have our own solar power, good snow removal equipment and God willing, enough cut firewood to hopefully last a long winter. I have a number of of DD’s to finish and a sew along in progress! Am now caught up with # 1, 3 and 5!
Send pictures of your finishes when you can!
I enjoyed reading about the baby chicks. That will keep you busy. Unfortunately, I had no pictures to look at and only one ad to close.
I will make you something out of the Sue Spargo book if I win it!😂. We have two cats, an all white female named Telly and an adorable American Curl named CoCo
I’m so sad as no photos came through in this days blog…
Hi Mary,
I had just two baby chicks hatch here, and they sure are growing. They are a little over 3 weeks old now. They have a good first time mama, and it is so fun watching them. They come running to me whenever I go outside. I guess they think I will have a treat for them. They love it when we search for crickets under boards. I hate to say this, but I didn’t get any pictures in this blog either, as Lisa Boles just posted. You have had a big day on the farm. Too bad someone wouldn’t adopt one of your mom and chicks.
closed 3 ads but no pics today…….😢 Seems everyone else must have received them as I see no other complaints. Oh well, I’m sure you’ll post more check pics! 😉
Feel sure problem on receiving end after reading comments.. I received no chick photos just blank boxes..will try again later.
Bummer, none of the photos coming through in either the email and the blog.
I didn’t get photos also, love seeing your animals mary.we are off for a week at a dairy farm, might come home with a goat or calf in my suitcase!
Glad you’re back! Sadly, no pics showed up for me.
I did not have any pics either. This is the first blog I have been able to read since the one titled the Storm. I missed reading this blog every night. Glad to see you are back.