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Update on Mrs Boss and the bantam eggs: Just two chicks

Mrs Boss and bantam chicksMrs Boss has hatched just the two chicks. Three out of six eggs three were duff. Hoping for a miracle, I left the third egg in the nest and after a few days Mrs Boss moved it out into the castle grounds. Our ideal clutch was three as they could be accommodated easily in the chicken house when they grow up and there’s no overcrowding in the Emerald Castle.

The two chicks are delightful and so very welcome. We won’t know whether they are male or female for quite some time. The ring test on the unhatched eggs indicated that these two are female. All will be revealed in a couple of months’ time.

Meanwhile, Mrs Boss is in heaven and perhaps it’s a good thing that there are just two teeny chicks to look after. It’s her second adoptive stint this year and the ducklings were quite demanding when they were tiny.

Mrs Boss is five years old. I’m not sure what this equates to in chicken years – I optimistically suspect middle age. She is kept busy with these chicks I reckon that she has enough hen wisdom to earmark a little deluxe time for herself. She certainly is looking much cleaner than she has done for months.

10 day old bantam chicksDixie Chick is the bigger and more adventurous chick but at ten days old little Beatyl Chick is already learning to fly.


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7 Comments

  1. BTW I meant early signs when I asked about differentiating between hens and cockerels as obviously fully grown I can tell which are which. The delay does make for interesting choices when you name the babes (I’m thinking of Eric the duck here). Beatyl and Dixie work for both.

  2. They are sooooooooo cute!!!! Glad the two made it and Mrs. Boss is getting a lovely little family. Sorry about the others though.

  3. The Organic Viking

    Oh so cute! The ‘trying-to-fly’ picture has greatly cheered up an otherwise unremarkable Monday morning. I was sorry to hear about the high proportion of duff eggs though – is that normal, or particularly bad luck?

  4. Mrs. Boss was so good with the ducklings but the water aspect was demanding – you said she was a bit wet a lot of the time! Also Thunder didn’t take to any of them which must have been a strain. The pics of her with the new chicks are delightful. x

  5. Ahhhhhh!!! They are so sweet!

  6. I’m glad Beatyl and Dixie Chick are doing well. I was wondering when you would let us have another sneaky peak at them. What do you look for to tell whether they are hens or cockerels? I hope the pendulum predictions were right, I can’t imagine you and Danny sitting down to eat roast Beatyl or Dixie for Sunday lunch – even if it is the best option for local peace and harmony.

  7. magic cochin

    Mrs Boss must be so happy! And she looks very calm and perfectly preened.

    The photo of little Beatyl Chick trying to fly is great – I can just picture how they both whizz about 🙂

    Celia

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