I could not believe my eyes! There were two tiny baby chicks! What? Some hen has been setting on eggs but where? I have searched every inch of the barn floor for eggs. How could I possibly have missed her? On further investigation I found the shells on this overhead shelf next to a support board where she could get across. Honestly, who would have thought to look above my head? I couldn’t even see the hen from the ground.
The two chicks weren’t as big as a quarter and certainly didn’t weigh as much as a quarter. The hen had to push them off the shelf which is a 10′ fall. One of the chicks was obviously injured because he couldn’t walk and ultimately did not make it so I am left with one chick in October. It is impossible to get a good picture but here is a fuzzy one just to prove there really is a chick with a mom in the barn. I apologize for the quality of this photo.
Mom sits on baby just as soon as I get my camera ready. Trust me, that tiny chick is under Mom.
Let’s all say a little prayer that this baby chick isn’t a rooster or I’ll be sorry I went to such lengths to save his life. Ha! Every day there’s something around here. Since we have had two cold nights, I have worked at getting the Three Amigos into the barn at chores each afternoon which is no small job either.
This is what I’m putting together today – 1″ triangle squares for a border. Aren’t they sweet? I’ll be showing you the quilt very soon.
Here is Peggy’s 1600 quilt made with a 30’s jelly roll.
Do you have a picture of a 1600 quilt you’d like to send me? Send to marye@ncn.net.
OH my goodness, life on the farm is full of surprises! I thought you were going to report on a litter of kitties! Let’s hope your newest baby is a “she” and not a “he”! I will not ask for the full blown description of how you determine “he” from “hen”bat an early start. Sounds like a difficult task until the crowing begins!
Carol – litters of kitties are NOT allowed on this farm! Haven’t you heard of spay and neuter? It was never my idea to have even the 14 cats I do have – they all just showed up! And sexing a chicken means waiting until it crows for me- ha!
Well, I have a spayed cat as well, but I just thought perhaps a randy Tom might end up assaulting some pretty little girl kitty, who would sneak into your barn and give birth in some corner…surprising you! I’m surprised that hasn’t ever happened.
I’m sure you’ll let us know when the little one begins to crow! If….
I never counted all your kitty pictures…I had no idea there were 14! Holy moly, that’s a lot of cat food!
Carol – not only a lot of cat food, that’s a lot of kitty litter especially in the winter. They’re all indoor/outdoor cats that use the dog door and I never went looking for any of them. They all found me.
A baby chick!! Wow!!! I can’t wait to see it. Forgot to say, I added 20 strips to my Christmas 1600 to make it being enough for 6’5″ hubby.
Guess momma hen got tired of you taking her “potential babies”. Curiosity hit…how to determine the sex of chicken….hmm, pressure on abdomen so they poop, the feel that area. If there is a bump it’s a boy. Think I’ll leave this to the Professional Chicken Sexers, which have a 95% accuracy rate.
Ohhhhh…..babies…..sorry about the one that didn’t make it! Love this story!
Mary,
What a joy you are always having wonderful surprises coming your way and then you share with us. Thank you. Love the 1600 quilt, i have made a couple of them. When you quilt them do you us a walking foot?
Marilyn – yes, I use a walking foot or the longarm
Enjoyed your chick story…..hope it’s a hen.
Your 1″ HST’s are colorful; love the plaids and stripes….can’t wait to see the finished quilt with my new “good eye”. Things went well with the cataract surgery and implant…….brighter for sure.
I miss sewing and quilting.
Amazing – love your posts!
G.
What a surprise! So sorry for the little fella that didn’t make it. Your HST’s are darling. Prayers that the little chick makes it.
How sweet & precious that little ball of fluff looks! Congratulations!
How wide do you make the 1600 quilt?
A baby chick is so lovely ♥
At least it wasn’t kittens!
Fingers crossed and a prayer too for the little guy! What a wonderful treat, and a sign as well that we are not always in control, even when we think we are! What a delight; please keep us posted!
I didn’t think you had a rooster on your farm. Do you?
Yes, with every 25 chickens ordered, you get a Free chick – it always turns out to be a rooster but this time I let the hatchery include him.
Chickens are so resourceful! I LOVE THEM! We just lost a buff hen to some critter…we found a pile of beautiful buff feathers in the path in the woods, just past our mowed yard. So sad. If you do have a rooster, we would take him and give him a good few years. Let me know. No critter got to our free-ranging hens when a rooster was around.
Love the quilt and blocks. I’ll send you a pick of the king size quilt I just finished when I get it back from the quilter.
Love from Stacy, MN