When the broody hen wouldn't give up her sit-in, I gave her three eggs to try hatching. I should have given her a few more, because just one hatched.
I knew the chick's real mother was one of the Easter Eggers, since the egg was green. I was hoping that the father was the rooster of the same breed, but judging by leg color it was one of the Buff Orpingtons instead.
The little chick had a lot of fun exploring the great outdoors.
It doesn't wander far from the hen, and when she gives a certain call, the chick burrows down in the grass and lies flat as a pancake!
In other bird news, yesterday we saw a really gorgeous Great Crested Flycatcher, and a Solitary Sandpiper down by the swamp. And since we're a little liberal about what we call our "yard", that last one's new for the yard list too. Some of the flycatchers will stay here and breed, but the sandpiper was just stopping by on his way from Central or South America to Canada.
I dreamed of Blackburnian warblers - I guess I've just got a bird-brain lately.
11 comments:
I don't see how you are getting so close to the chicks. Our hens go crazy if you even walk by.
I love how the chick flattens out like a pancake when the hen gives a certain call. Being able to notice that kind of communication and behavior is one of the best things about watching birds and animals. Great photos.
I think I might buy a new camera (definitely a splurge). If you were going to buy one, what would you get?
Congratulatons on the new chick! I wonder what color eggs it will lay (assuming it's not a rooster....)
Your photography skills are awesome-love all the wildflower and critter pics!
Grace
That's one cute chick, tee,hee..
what sweet shots of the chick and mom! i'd love to have some of them - it would give my border collie something serious to do :)
"It doesn't wander far from the hen, and when she gives a certain call, the chick burrows down in the grass and lies flat as a pancake!"
I didn't know that chicks did that. I wonder how long it would take for me to teach my children a similar trick.
The chick looks very much like a hamster in the second photo.
(Cute! Cute! Cute!)
Thanks y'all!
Bamacrat, it's funny you should say that - today she wouldn't let me get close at all!
RD it was particularly funny because of how long the grass is - the chick almost disappeared altogether.
If I won a nice lottery prize I might buy the fancy $8000 Canon 1DS. Someone told me you'd need to spend at least that much on lenses too. So that lottery would have to be very generous.
A more down-to-earth choice might be one of the cheaper Canons - the 10D or Digital Rebel XT. I used to be a big Nikon snob but I think that Canon might have the edge on digital stuff. I'm definitely no expert though. I haven't done all that much research since I can't really afford one right now anyway.
Oh a good site for reviews is http://www.dpreview.com .
Grace, I'm not sure, but probably brown. Slight chance of green I guess. Of course it'll probably be a rooster LOL.
Oh YW, get Indian Runner ducks! They are hilarious. I'm sure your collie would think so too. :)
H&B you are just plain silly!
Marsha I never saw any of our other chicks do it, but they only had me for a mother and I didn't know that call. Kids are probably not that trainable!
Maktaaq, no! No! Your hamster cannot have a date with my chick. That would just be wrong.
I love your picture of your chickens and your stories about them.
There's no stopping true love...
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