…FOUR! Four out of five of Mama’s eggs hatched – two black chicks, one yellow chick, and a golden orange one, just for good measure.
They all seem to be doing very well in Mama’s care. I have never had to care for her chicks myself as she is an excellent mother. Of course, Mama made quite a name for herself last year while she was sitting on her second clutch. We had her in a separate pen and decided to put about twenty 2-3 week old chicks with her. They started peeping and immediately she got off her nest and corralled them into one nesting box to huddle together for warmth. When they quieted down, she got back on her eggs. For days, she would take quick breaks from sitting to teach the chicks to scratch and forage until they got settled into a daily rhythm. And she still managed to hatch her eggs. Best hen ever.
At any rate, while she is up teaching her babies chickeny things, I will be cleaning out the nesting box. Those things get very yucky during the sitting and hatching process. Actually, the whole coop is due for a deep cleaning. Yup, an afternoon of cleaning up chicken poop. Imagine my excitement.
Life in a Three Ring Circus 
Well they are too adorable! Cleaning up poop is never fun. We have pet chinchillas and pet guinea pigs and I am amazed at how much poop they produce in a week!
Oh, chinchillas! I’ve always wanted one!
we have FIVE!!! it is a fuzzy little frenzy!
But what a lovely mommy….. She doing an awesome job!!!