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A few weeks ago, we added some beautiful new babies to our homestead. (Check that post out here!)
Watching the seedlings and animals grow is a good reminder to cherish this time as much as we can with our boys. Time moves by quickly, but I’m thankful they don’t grow as quick as a baby chicken!
This morning was full of moving seedlings to the greenhouse and filling more trays to start new seeds in. It’s a beautiful sunny day, but the wind is still bitter cold. It’s currently 34 F (1 C) but it’s nice and toasty in the green house. Bryce and Stirling built a green house for me two years ago from old glass doors and windows I picked up for free. I’m making it a point to start most of our seeds this year, and I’m quickly out growing the space.
Keep an eye out for a possible new addition, if I can get my hands on more free materials!
I will be starting cabbage, peppers, and some cut flowers today in our seed trays. (Check out where to find heirloom, organic, and non-gmo seeds here!) But on Tuesday we took several cuttings from our berry bushes to try and propagate. We have aronia, elderberry, gojii berries, and currants cut and will hopefully have many new plant babies to spread throughout our property!
The cold definitely didn’t slow the boys down! They had fun helping mommy with the soil, checking on our older chicks, and admiring how fluffy the baby bunnies have gotten.
The eggs in the incubator have hatched! Between last night and this morning, we welcomed in 5 silkie chicks with one little straggler struggling to join us Earthside. (We have had really good success using this incubator with an egg turner, and these mini-thermometers that monitor humidity, too.)
Bedtime was a struggle for Stirling last night. We have tried several times to hatch chicks in incubators in the past with little to no luck. He was so worried they wouldn’t survive the night if he wasn’t there to talk to them. I was finally able to coax him away from the incubator after we said a prayer for the little babies (bless his big, sweet heart).
The older chicks we purchased at the farm store have officially reached the unattractive adolescent stage of chickendom. Their colorings are starting to come through more and personalities are definitely coming out! The photo on the right is Stirling’s “Edda” who is turning out to be a beautiful buff hen.
The hen on the left is my sweet “Penelope”. She is the only surviving silkie hen from last season. Silkies are quite a unique breed. They’re naturally a small chicken, have black skin, fluffy feathers, and usually make wonderful mothers. I initially wanted to add silkies permanently to our flock for a sustainability standpoint.
Prior to last year, none of our hens have ever gone broody (the term used for when female chickens are ready to hatch their eggs). Sitting on the eggs for almost 21 days straight. The humidity and heat from the mother hen activates the embryos in a fertilized egg to begin developing. Otherwise, they will hatch the eggs and leave the eggs unattended.
After a dear friend (thanks Linzie!) gifted us several silkie chicks last year, I fell in love with their sweet and kind of dopey personalities. From their, my dream of having a separate, full silkie flock was born.
Why? For no real reason other than personal enjoyment.
Some women collect handbags, others have love of food. I simply adore fluffy chickens.
What is your special thing that brings you joy? Are you a crazy chicken lady, too?