A Lovely Surprise

[Henwoman]

I was getting into the car to drive back from the animal field at the beginning of last week, when something small moving in the fence post stack caught my eye. I got back out of the car and found the smallest grey chick. Five weeks ago I noticed that my smallest white bantam hen was missing and assumed the fox had done away with her. I looked deep into the post stack and there was my little hen with baby chicks all around her and two unhatched eggs. I poured some food on the ground a couple of yards from the post stack and went back to the house to get a cardboard grocery box. When I got back to the field, Mum was sitting on the ground by the food with all the babies underneath her wings. Somehow, miraculously, I managed to scoop Mum and babies up in one movement and popped them into the box. I then moved the seven-week old chicks I have in a separate run in the rabbit area in my garden up to the main hen area and replaced them with Mum and the new chicks. She obviously didn't want the unhatched eggs and rolled them right away to the far end of the run. The chicks are now a week old and are still so small. I have never had bantam chicks before and are they sweet! So - not only did I get my little hen back but a bonus of chicks - two white, two grey and two black - brilliant!

[niknik]

fantastic..... andjustaftereastertoo.. pity it wasnt a week agoi, would have been perfect timing!

[spider8]

Orrr, how lovely. So glad she and the little chicks are back home safe and sound and bantams are soooo beautiful

[Milims]

How lovely!

[chickenchargrill]

Naww, I miss having chickens and their babies. Need a much bigger garden though Any chance of pictures?

[Henwoman]

Not sure how to post pictures - I'm a bit of a technophobe!

[Penny Lane]

Just saw them on your blog, very sweet! Glad they're all happy & healthy!

[Thomzo]

They are cute. How lucky you found them when you did. Zoe

[Millymollymandy]

Here you go Henwoman, go back to those instructions I wrote for you on the Brittany forum!!! Also click on quote on this posting and you will see what is posted in code - the URL (link) address of the photo and the [img] (for image) tags on each end. I know that might sound like gobbledigook but just have a look and it should be a bit clearer.

[chickenchargrill]

Went to look at them on your blog, very cute.

That's a great photo of mum and chicks :)

[becks77]

Awwww how lovely, lucky you spotted them

[hedgewizard]

Brill! Keep KFC away from them!

[bikinigardener]

I adore surprise clutches! congrats!