SURPRISE!!! I've got chicks and didn't know it!!

[Frozen Feathers]

I swear to you I am not a bad chicken mom, I don't know how I could be so unobservant! I am telling you, I know I counted her in with other birds at night, so how this happened, I don't know!

I went out to take pics of my new Silkies I got in the mail this morning (don't worry, I'll still post pics of them

) and am walking along, very happy to happy new babies and what do I see?
THIS!!!

SURPRISE!! Luckily I had my camera with me!

Well, let me tell you, Japanese bantams are CRAZY! If you have ever tried to catch one, you know what I mean! Now try catching one trying to protect her babies!

First I tried to catch all the bitty babies and try and lure Mama in a dog crate. Well, the bitty babies are so tiny, they can get out of the holes on the door! I put one in, 2 pop out!

Finally after chasing mama around the yard, probably nearly giving her a heart attack and myself one as well, I catch her and of course all her babies follow. I honestly don't know if it's 7 or 8 chicks. By the time I got them I needed a break!

Now where she hatched these babies, I have no clue. In my head I can remember counting her on the roost, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[silkhope]

Ok, after reviewing your flock in your signature, you shouldn't feel bad at all if you missed ONE

I can picture the chase and catch. Too funny!! Congrats on the new additions!

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

Awww... Congrats!!! they are too cute!!!

 

[bayouchica]

What a neat surprise

Congrats on the unexpected little ones.

 

[rosyposyosy]

LOL! i understand completely. not from experience but with all those other chickens! surprise surprise! one question though: dont your chickens fly over the fence?

 

[Lunachick]

Beautiful mama and her babies! Congratulations!

 

[Judymae]

CONGRATS!! They are soooo cute!

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Quote:
LOL, yeah they do, except of course the silkies, but it's meant to keep goats in.

I have another fence that keeps the chickens in around the perimeter. It's deer fencing (and 5 strand electric but that's from when I had horses..definitely doesn't keep chickens in) and since they can see through it, they don't fly over it...usually.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Well I counted. 8 babies.

It appears she actually hatched out 10. I found two little dead babies in the goat pen.

I'm not sure what happened to them, could have been a cat, goat, chicken or even duck, but they weren't with the mom when I was gathering up the babies.
Now I am glad I spent the time to catch the rest and put them where they are safe. It's a little bittersweet, to say the least.

 

[Lunachick]

Angie - are you keeping them all?