( photo / image / picture from carolyn keiper's Garden ) Caity went to check on the chicks this morning(after me, by the way) and found that the new momma hen had already had to protect her little family from a predator. She killed this before it got any of her chicks. See EJ, this is really true, they do kill snakes.
HI Frank, yes, they do kill snakes, she killed 2 of them yesterday and now one of the chicks is missing. I assume something ate it even though she is in a pen by herself. It could have been another snake, I suppose, so now she is back down to 2 chicks again and I don't think any more of the eggs will hatch, it's been about 3 days now, since the first one hatched.
here are the latest pictures of my new family. It's not big, but it sure is cute. My 2 new chicks ( photo / image / picture from carolyn keiper's Garden ) new chicks ( photo / image / picture from carolyn keiper's Garden ) this was when they were a day or 2 old . the others are now when they are 10 days old Chicks in the grass ( photo / image / picture from carolyn keiper's Garden )
Carolyn,..cute is right!,..lets hope they mature enough to be able to fend for themselves,..they are very prone to,.. accidents!,.. when so young.
Yes, you are right the first "accident" was one of our cats. thats why I only have 2. the 2nd accident was ... me I threw away the last 4 eggs and one was a late bloomer. probably because another hen laid an egg in her nest after she had been sitting on it for a week. the other 3 were rotten.yucko!
I remember having a conversation with someone who was thinking of starting off with day old chicks from the hatchery,..they presumed you just got them and let them out!!,..when i explained about the heat,..and them needing water,..and not let loose,..it put them off,..knock on wood your two are well protected by mother hen.
I'm very impressed by your mother hen the snake killer, and the chicks are lovely. Hopefully you won't have any more accidents.
