Baby Chicks!

Well it's that time of year again where we allow some of our chickens to hatch their eggs. 

Black Astralorp Chick. When it gets feathers it will be solid black.

 

It's really easy.  You just allow your hen to 'build up' a nest of about 8 eggs and they will begin to sit on them. --Well most chickens anyway. Some have had it bred out of them & will not sit.

 

Our main layers are black astralorps.  These are the eggs that we typically eat.

We also have some silkies & bantum  chickens.  The silkies especially are great sitters/moms.

 

We took some of the astralorp eggs and allowed the silkies to hatch them out.

 

We have done this a few times now & it works out great. They have no clue that they aren't really theirs & will teach & protect them well.