The life of the R4 Chicks

OK, as some know, I love chicks and I guess as I was reminded I have been getting chicks from Murdochs for the last 6 years. Well this year, I got the bright idea to raise our own eggs. I got a book, bought the incubator from Murdochs and started reading. We collected 12 eggs and put them in the incubator in the beginning of March. It takes 21 days and sure enough with lots of tender loving care, turning three times a day, we had success. Much to Roy's amazement, he thinks I crazy most of the time, and thought we were just cooking eggs. We actually had 9 out of 12 eggs hatch the last 3 were not fertile and when we opened them up, Roy was right, we were cooking those three. We now have a total of 16 chickens: 9 chicks, 7 hens, 2 turkeys and 1 mean nasty rooster, whom we need to thank for chicks but will now be down the road because Rory is deathly scared of it, it has attacked him many times and once jumped on the trampoline to get at him. Yes, he will be one of those kids who only remembers the bad rooster when he is older.

Here is the process start to end:

Here is the incubator, the eggs and of course the best guard bird dog! She stayed and looked after the eggs for a few days.

Here is one of the eggs hatching open and the little wet chick

Here are a couple more chicks

Here are the boys with their favorite chicks!