Determined Bantum - a baby story

We've figured out how to protect our small flock from the local vermin and now
have plenty of chickens (about a dozen hens and one rooster). So we've been
collecting the eggs so none can hatch. Well - one of the little black bantum hens
decided she was going to be a mom!

I thought perhaps a hawk got her when she dissappeared a few weeks ago.
She found a very well-hidden spot. I found her this morning when the first two
chicks to hatch were peeping! This is in a corner on the outside of the barn,
where the overhang support creates a little nook. I have hay bales stacked
nearby and there's a trumpet vine nearby. Very hidden.

Here's another shot - you can barely see the little fluff on top of her.
I picked her up - there are 16 eggs left to go. I put food & water there
and will pick up the family tonight and put them into a safe spot with
a heat lamp for the night.

Smart and very blessed little chicken. Only a very agile preditor would get to her there. 16 more eggs to hatch?! She is going to be a busy little moma.

Now Isnt that something! Thats one thing about bantams they are determined little critters and if they are set to do something you can bet your last bottom dollar they will!
I sure hope they all make it okay! Sounds like you have everything under control Tammy!
Good luck!
((Eufaula))

Well - Moma & her two babies are safe in a big rabbit cage under a heat lamp in the barn.
I picked them all up last night. No more chicks. The remaining 16 were cold but I put them in
a box and placed the box right under the heat lamp in case they were still viable. I think
we can manage two new little additions to the flock. Eighteen would have been another story!

Tam

What a nice story. That's the best sort of surprise, isn't it?

Such sweet pics!!!

Nice story - and nice photos. That lil black chick is just as cute as can be.

Poor little chicken ! What a hide she has found ! So sweet !

What a sweet, precious story, I just love that little momma hen, aren't Bantams just adorable. We have a black and white Bantam rooster, and a med sized black, pure bred hen, that has tons of feathers, including fully feathered legs, forgot her brand - well, she laid an egg, and the bantam roo was the daddy. She was killed and we saved the egg and Little Hen, our tiniest bantam hen hatched it, so we at least have the baby. We hope she grows up to look just like her momma and it's looking like our wish will come true...

I failed to mention that the baby is about 2-3 months old and she is already the size of her hatch 'momma', who continues to dote on her and still does the 'scary' wing dance when anyone even looks at the baby. Wonder what will happen when Little Hen hatches her second batch, which should be any day. I bet the baby helps raise them and I cannot wait to see.

This message was edited Jun 12, 2006 6:43 PM

Mom & her two little fluffs of chicks are doing fine today. No more chicks.

Sherry - your story reminds me of one from a few years ago. We had perhaps
4-5 hens and a rooster when a racoon killed all of them. I was devastated.
THe next morning I heard peeping from the overhang of the barn. One of the
hens had stashed her eggs up there and they hatched right after the racoon
killed mom. There were about 6-7 chicks in all. And one of them is the Moma
that just had the two babies. It was a miracle. The little hen had saved away
the babies and the racoon did not find them!

Tam

Is that sweet or what? Sad...but sweet all the same.

Yeah, for your momma hen, Tammy!! I have grown to hate varmints. I never liked some of them and, while I respect survival, some of the varmints here seem to kill for the game. Yuck, I do not like that and it just broke my heart. But, like you, the babies are blessings, I surely hope we are smart enough to outsmart them, we lock up every night...