We believe we are “Expecting”…

So the kiddo’s were on a walk a few weeks ago & came across a chicken that looked similar to our Josie.  The kids thought it was a great idea to bring it home to see if we could keep it.  I was on a short day trip with my mom and had no idea what they were getting into. Well, when I arrived home they said there was a surprise in the back yard that I needed to see…they said see – we named him Gizmo!  Well Gizmo was very excited to meet our Daisy & Josie…mind you I have not ever been around chickens until Daisy & Josie came into our lives. 

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So we thought we’d watch Gizmo for awhile to make sure he looked healthy enough to introduce to my girls to see if everyone can “get along”.  Yes, I said “get along”, not “attack”.  Well about 30 seconds after Miss Daisy came strolling down the coop ladder – Mr. Gizmo grabbed the back of her neck feathers & held on for dear life. I chased after them trying to catch him or her to separate them.  I was amazed that he was so mean so quickly.  Well after the minute and a half of being in the same yard together & trying to catch him.  I was finally able to separate them.  We hauled Mr. Gizmo up to a neighbors house where he could run safely in her backyard & not harm my girls. 

After the attack, the kids did a little research to find that this was not an attack, rather the common interaction that a rooster will  have “his way” with a hen.  So a little more research shared we may be “expecting” here at Fishtail Cottage…

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Yikes, Well a few weeks have passed and as of yesterday the hens are sitting on 12 eggs.  The kids have been so excited about the prospect of baby chicks that they refuse to allow me to remove the eggs.  So I told them to do some more research to find out how one can tell if an egg is fertilized.  They took the eggs into a dark room & did “Candling”. They swear they see color & shapes inside 6 of the eggs.  So numbers of the presumably fertilized eggs were written on them & the other four were disposed of.

We know Miss Daisy is a Silkie… Is Gizmo a Silkie as well?  What colors would they produce?  IF the eggs truly do hatch – do they do so on different days? Do we separate them from the momma’s? What do the chicks eat? This upcoming Sunday will make a full 21 days since the “attack” by Gizmo - Any ideas out there as to what we do now? lol 

Appreciate all your “rooster attack expertise”!

xoxo, tracie (& kids)

Comments

lol.. too cute!;) Rachel
Oh my goodness..... hugs ~lynne~
How exciting! One of mine just had two baby chicks. I just posted about it too. They are just so adorable. Congratulations:)
~Debra xxx
Capers of the vintage vixens
NanaDiana said…
OMGosh- That is soooo funny...well,maybe not to you-but to the reader it is! Don't know much about chickens. Look up Jayme The Coop Keepers blog..If you don't know her you will LOVE her and she is all about chickens...and just a tad crazy..you can tell her I said so...and she will surely answer any chicken questions you might have~ Hope you day is a good one! xo Diana
It'll be fun to see what happens. Clare from Curbstone Valley Farm is extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. You might try contacting her through her blog.
http://curbstonevalley.com/blog/
Julie Marie said…
Oooh Tracie... I have no advice whatsoever, other than I am so excited you are "expecting" little chicks!... Can't wait to see them!... this will be so much fun for your kids and you... and us too!... xoxo Julie Marie
michelle said…
They are so adorable! I hope all goes well. Sorry don't know anything about chicks other than they are really cute and fun to watch. :)
XO
Pamela Gordon said…
That's too funny. Congrats on the soon to arrive chickies. I hope you post pictures and share the experience here.
Char said…
I must confess I have no rooster experience, but I love the story, Char
Unknown said…
Dear Tracie, Wow, I give you credit for not freaking out! I know I would have been screaming..hahaha..males, go figure... LOL!
I'm crazy huh? Oh Diana is in trouble now! ha! Oh there is so much to tell you - I don't know where to start. Are BOTH hens sitting on the eggs, all the time?? Where is the rooster now? They probably will hatch on different days, since they were laid on different days. You might want to seperate the hens into cat carriers or something. I had a horrible experience with my first hatch - the hen ate it. When introducing new chickens to the flock - it's usually wise to slip them in the coop in the night - and when they all wake up together, they seem to get along better, rather than being introduced during the day. Golly, this is along comment. Feel free to email me back with any questions...and your blog is lovely! Your home is beautiful! nice to 'meet' you!
Are congratulations in order? This sounds like so much fun...well maybe not for you! I know nothing about chickens, other then they lay eggs, but I know Google knows everything!!

Good luck!

XO,
Jane
Arabella said…
Good luck, Tracie - I look forward to seeing how this ends. :O)
La said…
That is too funny. Good luck and keep us posted.
I have no experience in this field... but hope you post pictures soon!!!
Daphne
I'm crossing my fingers that you'll have a few peeps hatching this next weekend! I sent a rather verbose email separately to try and answer a few of your questions, hope it helped! Good luck!
Ricki Treleaven said…
I don't know nothin' about birthin' no chickies, Miss Scarlett! *I mean Miss Tracie*
Robin said…
Gee...I haven't any chickens (and no roosters for that matter), but I find this all very exciting and hope you will be posting pictures of any chicks that hatch.
Hope you and yours are having a pinkishly beautiful weekend.
LV said…
Since I am from a farm, I know all about chickens. Just be careful as you get attached to them very easily. We did and it was terrible when they died.
I have to admint...I think I peed my pants a little when I read this post!!! I was just stopping by FIshtail to check on the girls, and your post about the "Attack" had me AND my co-workers in stiches!!!
GOOD LUCK and cannot wait to see the newest members of the family!!!
Unknown said…
Congratulations! Since you only have two hens, you should be fine just to leave them be. Just protect them from preditors. I would confine them for a few weeks till they get their bearings and momma will do the rest. And put out some Purina Chick Start & Grow. They have very good instincts. If it looks like they are not drinking, you may have to take and gently dunk their beaks in the water.
Good luck Grandma. LOL 8>)
Heaven's Walk said…
Oh, Tracie! I'm so glad that you sent me the link to this post! Thank you! I don't know how I missed it...but it was so funny! Now I know what you mean by it all being "aligned". lol! How fun to have all of that fuzzy sweetness around your yard! Can hardly wait to see a group photo! :)

xoxo laurie

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