Chick Watch: Baby Number 7 Is Hatched!

So this time yesterday, three babies had hatched and a fourth was pipping through.
By morning we had six chicks, one egg was pipped through and one showed a vague sign of pipping.
The last egg that had been pipped has been discarded and a fluffy yellow and brown chick is snuggled up under her mama. There is just one more egg left and I feel like it shouldn't be long. The two broody hens who have been incubating the eggs, the wonderful Cheryl and Adele, are keeping that egg directly beneath them which suggests that they have innate knowledge that there is a baby chick in their in need of further incubation. We're hoping that baby chick number eight will be joining us within the next 24 hours.

The Chick-sitter Diaries.

A night babysitting three baby chicks:

22:45 Moved chicks out of the conservatory. It was way too cold. Will instead probably keep them in my room where it's nice and warm but also free of cats. I don't mind the chirping.

22:52 Trying to teach the chicks how to eat and drink. Without a mother to follow they seem a tad clueless and I've not seen them eat all day. Concerned. Maybe they have been eating, no clue, but I just want to be sure.

Am now grinding up small bits of food that now essentially look like white powder.
How funny would it be to take a photo that looks like the chicken is doing a line of cocaine?

22:54 The chicks seem to keep falling over or trying to throw themselves off of any elevated surface in a botched attempt to fly. What dopey gits. Too early, little loves.

22:55 Chicken skill acquired: pecking. The little chicks appear to be really good at pecking things.
Now I put food in their way... peck it and eat it, babies, peck it and eat it.
The small chick is nuzzled in my hoodie again. Suddenly not chirping, just snuggled in a little. Enjoy the warmth, little squeaker.

22:58 I think they've got it. High five to self! I make a wonderful Mama Hen.

23:06 Tucking the babies into bed. Huddling them up in a corner and snuggled near towel for warmth. They have a lovely makeshift home

23:11 Babies chirping again. Let them cry it out. That's what the parenting books teach us. Let 'em cry it out.... they'll learn that way...

23:12 Ok. Seeing the chicks as my babies. Something definitely not right here. 

23:16 I turned the TV volume down so the chicks could sleep and had a split second where I jokingly pondered over how immoral it would be to watch Game of Thrones in front of the younguns.

22:27 The babies are settled down. 

23:23 NO THEY ARE NOT. THEY ARE ALL CHIRPING. GO TO SLEEP LITTLE BABIES GO TO SLEEP NOW.
They don't ever seem to sleep for long. What a wonderful glimpse into parenthood.

23:35 A tad concerned with the scrawny one and the way she/he is standing.

23:57 Loud chirping. Gonna check on the babies. Perhaps time for a midnight feast where I shall crumble more food for them to fill their tiny bellies.

00:18 Just handfed Lana because I hadn't seen her eat. She's standing funny and often closes her eyes. Perhaps it is because she's younger than the other two and she's still developing but something about caring for tiny creatures brings out a weird maternal instinct.

00:30 Heading to bed soon. The babies are fed, I'll probably get up and feed them in the night if they need, and take them to my room where it is warm. It seems almost worrying how much I care for the health and safety of these fluffy little things...
Goodnight, lovelies.

Want a pet? Why not hens?

Today we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of new additions to the familial home. Not a kitten, not a puppy, but birds. We will be rehoming several ex-battery hens. These are hens that have been born into a life of overcrowded, filthy conditions. Forced into cages and made to lay they wouldn't have had much space to move. Rehoming ex-battery hens, especially as someone who gave up eating most meat, feels pretty rewarding. We got to see our first batch of ex-battery hens walk on grass and experience rain for the first time. Being rehomed really changes their lives and below are some reasons why you should consider getting hens as pets.

Hens are a wonderful, rewarding pet to have. As long as you have enough garden space for them they make a wonderful addition to the home. We've had hens here for a few years now and have rarely had to buy eggs because our girls are constantly laying.

If you pick the right hens they can be very affectionate. They are animals that you can often pick up and cuddle. We have hens and cats. Because hens are quite big, cats often don't even approach them. In a fight between cat and chicken, the chicken often wins with their strong legs and sharp beaks. Our hens will often happily munch on leftover food from our fridge. Any untouched vegetables or fruits go to them which keeps them fed whilst minimising our waste. They will also keep the grass short for you by nibbling at long strands of grass thus keeping your lawn short. Hens have a great deal of personality to them.

These are low maintenance pets. You don't need to wash them or walk them like you would with dogs. They don't need lots of attention as they are often happy by themselves in groups. All you have to do is gather their eggs, provide fresh food and water daily, change their bedding once a month and give them the occasional cuddle. This makes them a great pet for someone on the go. Unlike a puppy or kitten which requires a lot of attention and affection when introduced to the house, chickens are often capable of entertaining themselves. They are best in groups so, should you rehome a hen, get a few friends.

Our new ladies should be arriving any minute. I hope you consider getting hens in the future and if you do it's probably a lot cheaper to get ex battery hens. They've a heart of gold and simply want a second chance.

Links:
The British Hen Welfare Trust - go here if you're interested in helping or rehoming rescued battery hens
For more information about why chickens make great pets and how to add them to your home, simply click here.