nothing says spring like baby chicks!

our little black rogue hen hatched a gazillion baby chickens on sunday/monday. some are hers. some are pure turken babies (that the turken hens layed in her nest). she couldn't have timed it better. the weather has been beautiful this week with a break in the rain. and today it is supposed to get up to a sunny 80 degrees! here are a few photos of the baby chicken brigade out for a stroll.

the chicken who thinks she is a duck.

we've got this rogue chicken. she is super tiny. a result of a game-bird rooster and one of our americauna hens breeding. she's a little runty thing. and has recently abandoned her chicken family in the chicken house, preferring the company of ducks in the big barn. i usually see her early in the morning by the pond while the ducks are taking baths. she follows them around and tries to blend in. well, yesterday morning, i didn't see her down by the pond. and i also didn't see two of our female ducks. the ducks have been building nests in the barn for a week or so. and i have been hoping they would start sitting. meanwhile, our little black chicken has been building her own nest of eggs a few feet away from one of the duck nests but separated by the kidding pen wall. well, guess who started sitting too?

chicken little nesting pretty

thankfully, there is a male turken (transylvanian naked neck chicken) who lives in the barn with a couple of his ladies. so the eggs are fertilized. in 21 days we should have baby chickens. lord knows what they will look like. tiny black chickens with naked necks. can't wait!