The Chicks Have Hatched!

I do believe I owe little Hennykins an apology. Did I say something about lacking fortitude, earlier, when I spoke of her egg hatching prowess?

I take it back.

She sat on those darn eggs for three plus weeks before hatching these cute little chicks. And even now that they are hatched she sits on them to keep them warm and leads them around and pecks Mike’s hands to death if he tries to come near them.

I used to think things like, “Bah” and “Pshhh” when/if I thought anything at all about the puny little variety of hen this gray one was, but I have a newfound respect for the small chicken. Perhaps it is because I can relate – being as I am getting ready to hatch and care for my own little one. And I must admit: despite all my mockery of our chickens, it is a cute thing to see a mother hen looking after her little chicks . . . and it makes me sad thinking of our previous chicks who had to learn to survive totally motherless. Why, this very hen was one of those. How did she know how to be such a perfect little mom?

Nice work Henny. You’ve done us proud.

P.S. I had no idea, back when one little chicken flew to our window well, and I then named my blog “A Chicken in the Window Well”, just how apt the title would continue to be. This little hen flew down there to lay and sit on her eggs in privacy. Then, when they were hatching and it was so cold, Mike moved them to the garage for awhile. Today, however, when they were out pecking around and a certain Jesse began to terrorize them, Henny lead her chicks straightaway to the safety of the window well (though it seemed a bit of a leap for the poor chicks). Anyway, it all keeps coming back to our window well . . . and chickens being in it.