I'm a Grandmother!

Presenting the latest additions to the JAm family

Cute, cuddly and...

VERY hard to photograph.

We have given our girls 6 chicks to raise in an effort to...

A - help out our good friends who'd like more chooks and 

B - encourage our two to stop being broody

For those new to the whole "chicken thing" 

(as I was only a short while ago)

Chickens who go broody sit on their eggs hoping of course for a hatching.

Thing is if there are no Roosters around well then clearly there can be no baby chicks.

As well as ceasing to lay eggs they often neglect their own health.

We tried a few tactics to stop the broodiness but none of them worked.

Our good pals suggested that we might want to allow our girls to raise a few chicks in a bid to help them move out of their "motherly coma" -  as well as for the delightful experience.

So with chicks in a box and torch in hand we head up to the run....

(chickens are quite docile at night, 

so this was the best time to gently introduce them to their new family)

We remove the unfertilised eggs they've been sitting on so dutifully for the last few weeks; 

and we place 3 chicks under each.

 In the morning I found that Daphne 

(above on the right) 

had four chicks under her and Roz only two. 

We were told to keep an eye on them just in case they started fighting.

Well I am so proud of my gals. 

They have taken to their motherly duties with grace,

 enthusiasm and amazing protective instincts. 

They will allow me near them but their eyes and their warning clucks say

"Nick off we've got this sorted"

Already the chicks follow them everywhere and imitate their every move.

It's actually very funny to see these little bundles trying to do things that big chickens do, 

especially the scratching and the pecking. 

(Reminds me of little girls in their mums heels)

If you're thinking about keeping Chickens 

(but you're not sure)

I would HIGHLY recommend you do a bit of research

 (just to check you have the space, your council allows it, how to shelter etc) 

and maybe start small, like we have. 

Two chickens are ideal for a small backyard and little children will love the experience - I guarantee it. Then there's the bonus of the eggs, the recycled scraps and the endless hours of

amusement watching them forage... or maybe that's just me?