First the good news - As of this morning, Lump is a Daddy! I got Lump, a Black Cochin, from a fellow BYCer at the Greensboro, NC show in November. Then, I got him 2 girlfriends from a local guy, although they are hatchery quality. Then, I had the chance to get him a beautiful girl from Star Cochins at the Salisbury, NC show in March. I paid dearly for her, but she came home with me.
Well, all three of them went broody within a week of one another. The two
hatchery girls were sitting on 6 eggs together, and then the Star girl decided to join in. So, there they were - all three ladies in one little nest box.
Well, I went out yesterday morning and saw black clumps of feathers in the run. My heart sank. I ran out to the coop, and Lump is fine... but the Star girl didn't. There she was, still sitting on the nest, decapitated. Looks like I have owl troubles. Great!
After sitting down in the coop and having a good cry over what had happened, my husband came out and gave me that "It's stupid to cry over a chicken" look. But, what a good mama. She just sat there and let an owl eat her alive while she sat on the nest. Men just don't get things like that. It was way to disturbing for me to take pictures of her, so I didn't. Removed her from the nest and the eggs were still warm.
5 of the chicks have hatched so far, and hoping for one more! The chicks have some major foot feathering and are all black. Can't wait to see what they turn out looking like!
Lump:
My Star Girl (RIP):
Well, all three of them went broody within a week of one another. The two
hatchery girls were sitting on 6 eggs together, and then the Star girl decided to join in. So, there they were - all three ladies in one little nest box.
Well, I went out yesterday morning and saw black clumps of feathers in the run. My heart sank. I ran out to the coop, and Lump is fine... but the Star girl didn't. There she was, still sitting on the nest, decapitated. Looks like I have owl troubles. Great!
After sitting down in the coop and having a good cry over what had happened, my husband came out and gave me that "It's stupid to cry over a chicken" look. But, what a good mama. She just sat there and let an owl eat her alive while she sat on the nest. Men just don't get things like that. It was way to disturbing for me to take pictures of her, so I didn't. Removed her from the nest and the eggs were still warm.
5 of the chicks have hatched so far, and hoping for one more! The chicks have some major foot feathering and are all black. Can't wait to see what they turn out looking like!
Lump:
My Star Girl (RIP):
